this post was submitted on 16 Mar 2024
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Take a moment and think about the fact that, in the wild, another animal handling your babies is a great way to lose them, so the vast majority of animals have evolved to be protective of their young.
Now think about how much it means that dogs let humans handle their babies.
Meh, dogs have been selectively bred for millennia to bring things to people. They're also completely dependent on humans not only for nutrition, but also probably in this case behavioural guidance.
It's not so much "here human I trust you so much I'll let you hold my baby" as it is "here human this smells important".
We also tend to share our babies with dogs. My sister has recently had skin dogs and my fur babies are very interested in standing by the bassinet and watching over them. They're also extremely patient with their flailing hands and curious fingers.
While the reasons why aren't all peachy, and much of the framework it happens in is incredibly abusive and horrible, what humans and dogs share is very beautiful.
My dog recently broke her leg, she was screaming in terrible pain, but she went dead silent when we arrived and started investigating. That level of trust is incredible. I don't know exactly what's going on in her head, but I know that when something is wrong and I show up to help her breathing calms and she relaxes. Just as when I think I hear something in the night or whatever I look to her for guidance on whether it's a threat.
I understand how you meant this, but my brain definitely came up with a terrifying mental image.
I mean that dog looks pretty resigned to the fact that the human is in full control.
That is the exact same look my sister gave me the first time I held my niece. That's "I trust you but be careful"
Which, in that moment you were in full control.
Yes but I wouldn't say she was "resigned" to that fact.
I've forgotten the name of the paper but I read a fairly in-depth report on human/dog co-evolution and how it has ingrained an instinctual understanding into each other even as little more than babies for both species.