There's an old Jerry Seinfeld joke about dogs. He says, "Dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge?” Sure, dogs may not be the leaders of the planet - yet - but we love them. We take them for walks in the park, train them to do tricks and dress them up in humiliating Halloween costumes. We even made a movie about them called All Dogs To Heaven. (All cats, of course, go straight to Hell). But did you know people love dogs more than humans? I guess that shouldn't be totally surprising, since dogs always show you love, and people can often be jerks. It's just a bummer to think that if you were on a sinking ship, and there was only spot left on the life raft, they'd give it to your dog, Chewie, and leave you to be eaten by sharks. You just can't compete with this face: In a study published in the Society & Animals Journal, researchers measured peoples' levels of empathy. A team from Northeastern University Boston and the University of Colorado Boulder gathered 256 undergraduate students together - probably by putting up a sign that said "Free Pizza." Then they presented the students with fictitious news reports of attacks with a baseball bat on a 1-year-old baby, a 30-year-old adult, a young puppy, or a 6-year-old dog. Wow, what a fun study! I love thinking about babies and puppies attacked with baseball bats. Especially puppies. After being presented these horrific stories, the students were asked to report their level of empathy for the victims. The amount of empathy for the baby, puppy and dog victims were roughly the same. But the amount of empathy for the adult victim was to a much lesser degree. Unfortunately, they didn't measure the level of empathy if the victim was Snoop Dogg. But I'm sure it would be through the roof, because he's a national treasure. The researchers found that the more vulnerable the victim is, the more empathy. Also, people see dogs as "fur babies." “Respondents were significantly less distressed when adult humans were victimised, in comparison with human babies, puppies and adult dogs. Only relative to the infant victim did the adult dog receive lower scores of empathy. Subjects did not view their dogs as animals, but rather as ‘fur babies’, or family members alongside human children." That's right, they're not dogs. They're "fur babies." And this fur baby couldn't be happier: The researchers also noticed that gender had an effect on empathy: "Female participants were significantly more empathic toward all victims than were their male counterparts." Of course women are more empathic than men. Men have no feelings. The Y chromosome beats up all the feelings with a baseball bat before they can be registered by the brain. And then the dead feelings are released through burps and farts. That's just science. Congratulations, dogs! We officially love you more than humans. I've always suspected that, though. Whenever I poop outside, nobody picks it up and puts it in a bag. They just call the police, and now I'm not allowed at the park anymore.

For those that have never owned a dog, or spent much time at all with them, it can be a bit strange to see how crazy the rest of us are over them. Without having your own relationship with one, it can look like a big, hairy, messy, slobbering, expensive creature running around the house, chewing on furniture and walking mud in on the brand new carpets.

But once you get to know one, you can see that they're not just mindless animals, but sweet things that have distinctive personalities. On top of that, you get what you give with dogs - if you treat them with kindness, they'll do the same (except for some occasional misbehaviour); if you treat them badly, they won't be so nice when they grow up.

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It's a long-held trope in horror movies that the empathy present in dogs is so strong that they can sense something is off, whether it's a dog growling at Jason Voorhees or a puppy staring at a ghost that no one else in the room can see. Now while there's not exactly a sense of 'evil' with dogs, research has brought to light that they do take note of how humans behave to one another, and judge us depending on how we act.

A Kyoto University team, lead by psychologist James Anderson, published a paper titled 'Third-party social evaluations of humans by monkeys and dogs' in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews last November. "Nonhuman species can engage in third-party based social evaluations," was their statement to prove, and it looks like they did with the help of various animals.

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Their study revealed that dogs negatively evaluate people who refuse to help other humans, potentially sensing whether someone is being nice or rude, before using that information to decide on how they interact. That's a lot of mental processing for an animal that is known for acting kind of dumb.

“Dogs are known to consistently follow human pointing gestures," they wrote. "In this study, we asked whether dogs ‘automatically’ do this or whether they flexibly adjust their behavior depending upon the reliability of the pointer.”

In this test, the dogs watched humans interact, before they were offered a treat from the different individuals. They saw their owner try to open a container, at which point another person would either help them or refuse. When these actors offered the dogs a reward, each dog showed a preference to accept a treat from those that helped their owner, while avoiding and ignoring those that refused to help.

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Essentially - you don't have to physically struggle with a dog's owner for them to understand that something is wrong. “If somebody is behaving antisocially,” said Anderson, “they probably end up with some sort of emotional reaction to it.”

“These results suggest that not only dogs are highly skilled at understanding human pointing gestures, but also they make inferences about the reliability of a human who presents cues and consequently modify their behavior flexibly depending on the inference.”

These same conditions were used on Capuchin monkeys, with no ties to the humans taking part in the test. They responded similarly to the dogs - showing that there are various species that can judge how we act in this way.

So next time you're rude to a dog owner - know that their pet is onto you.

Of all the things people argue about and disagree upon, there's one universal truth that no person can deny – dogs are the best. From having a companion to take with you when you begrudgingly decide to go out for a run, stopping and cooing at the sweet doggo at your local cafe, to endlessly scrolling through an Insta-pup's profile with a silly grin on your face – there's little that man's best friend can't do to make life approximately 100,000 times better. Only... a new study is making me think it should actually be woman's best friend. The research published in 2017 has found that women are better at understanding what dogs want than men are. While anyone can recognise what mood their dog is in or what they're after when they growl, whimper or pant, it turns out that women have a much better understanding of dogs. [caption id="attachment_48251" align="alignnone" width="940"] Dogs prefer women to men, according to a new study (Credit: Pexels)[/caption] Researchers from the Department of Ethology (the study of animal behaviour) at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest recorded the sounds of 18 different dogs growling in response to being exposed to three different scenarios – guarding food against other dogs, playing tug of war, or feeling threatened when approached by something intimidating. Forty people took part in the study, and they were asked to point out whether the dog's growl had a tone of fear, playfulness, aggression, despair or happiness in it. Using a sliding scale, the participants tried to figure out the context in which the dogs were growling. Overall, 63 per cent of people were able to successfully identify the context of the growl (compared to a chance level of 33 per cent). [caption id="attachment_12347621" align="aligncenter" width="853"] Women understand pooches better (Credit: Pixabay)[/caption] "We know relatively little about the vocal communication system of dogs, and the most studied vocalisation (not surprisingly) are the different barks," Tamás Faragó, the lead author of the study said, per Women's World, after pointing out that older studies have already shown that humans can understand different kinds of barks. "Our recent fMRI studies suggest that dogs and humans use similar brain areas and probably similar processes to assess others' emotions from vocalisations," Faragó continued. "It seems that there are biologically rooted rules to how mammalian vocalisations encode emotions and these shared processes help humans to assess the emotional load of not just dogs but other mammal species' vocal emotion expressions." [caption id="attachment_12347622" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Scientists say women have more empathy and sensitivity (Credit: Pixabay)[/caption] The study found that dog owners were better at understanding these "encoded emotions" than people who didn't have pooches at pets, but most interesting of all was that women in particular were very good at recognising what the dogs were trying to communicate through their growls. And it all comes down to the fact that we have more empathy and sensitivity. "This is a common pattern in emotion recognition studies," explained Faragó. "Women are likely more empathic and sensitive to others' emotions and this helps them to better associate the contexts with the emotional content of the growls." So next time you notice that little Fido listens more to you than he does your partner, you'll know why. And why not try something other than "Who's a good boy?" with the random dogs in the park – they might be up for some more scintillating conversation now that you know you're fluent in dog.

[caption id="attachment_2843" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / TrioAnimalFoundation[/caption] Adoption, it saves lives. That is what we are always being told by shelters and rescues. And there is a good reason, it really does save lives. More than that, it gives the animals being adopted a whole new lease of life and a reason to look forward to the future. Animals have feelings too, some people might not think so, but it’s impossible not to believe it after seeing the before and after pictures of dogs who’ve been adopted. There is no denying that there is a huge difference in the look on these doggies’ faces, from the sadness of being abandoned and abused to being completely loved, these dogs show quite the transformation. And it is all thanks to the humans who have adopted them and provided them a loving home. The power of love is an incredible thing. Below is a heartwarming list of the incredible before and after pictures of adopted dogs. [post_page_title]This Before and After[/post_page_title] The before picture is completely heart-wrenching. Any animal lover would definitely cry seeing this. It definitely shows that animals can feel the same sadness as us humans. [caption id="attachment_2808" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Unknown[/caption] But the second picture shows an incredibly drastic change. Here we see a very happy and well-cared for dog. It's definitely a happy ending for this good boy. Just look at how majestic he is! [post_page_title]Saved from Euthanization[/post_page_title] Not going to lie, this picture really guts me to look at. This poor dog is so skinny and neglected, how can people do that?! It's hard to believe the poor thing was able to survive the ordeal. [caption id="attachment_2809" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / phil2146[/caption] But thanks to some kindness from the shelter worker who refused to give up on this dog, the next picture just gives you all the feels. Amazing job. [post_page_title]This Husky's Transformation[/post_page_title] Here is another image that will make you question people and why they could ever let their pets get so neglected. This poor little thing was all skin and bones. [caption id="attachment_2810" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / BittersweetSymphony[/caption] Thanks to pure love and affection, she was brought back to life. Now she is looking full and healthy and most importantly, happy. [post_page_title]Wynter[/post_page_title] One Reddit user uploaded this before and after of her dog Wynter. She explains that before she being adopted, the poor thing was living on the streets. [caption id="attachment_2811" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Coolmorecooties[/caption] Thanks to plenty of TLC, it looks like Winter is living her best life. She definitely had a stroke of luck getting adopted. Who'd have thought she'd the potential to grow such a luscious looking fur coat?! [post_page_title]Former Cellmates, Forever BFFs[/post_page_title] This one is so cute. These two dogs were surrendered to an animal shelter together. And while the odds of two dogs getting adopted together are slim, this is a pair who got lucky. Very, very lucky! [caption id="attachment_2812" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / RecurrentlyDisturb[/caption] Things weren't looking great for the pair, and you can see it in their eyes. They look so sad. When they did get adopted, they got a second chance at life. And they look so happy for it. [post_page_title]Pure Happiness[/post_page_title] This is Ripley. Ripley had quite the journey. The first picture is from Ripley at 6 months old in Iran. Clearly scared and lonely, all this pooch wanted was for someone to love her... [caption id="attachment_2813" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / besidethebed[/caption] Next picture is a very happy Ripley who looks like she's living the life of Riley. She is so happy. It's so cute. [post_page_title]Happy Hank[/post_page_title] Nothing is sadder than the face on little Hank on the left. You can just see the pain and sadness in those big brown eyes. If ever there was a picture of a dog on the verge of tears, the image on the left would be it. [caption id="attachment_2815" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / thecoiner[/caption] Unfortunately, this little guy had a rough start to life as an abused and timid puppy. But now look at him! He's got a smile going from ear to ear. [post_page_title]To Hell and Back[/post_page_title] This poor little guy had a sad start. He definitely looks like he went through hell and back. That first picture is one of a completely hopeless-looking doggy who was so sad. I mean, what the heck happened to his eye?! [caption id="attachment_2817" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Klaudija Sigurnjak[/caption] Now he's a well-groomed and happy-looking little guy. He looks like a proper dog now. Isn't it amazing to think that a TLC was able to turn him from looking scary and sick to adorable and healthy?! [post_page_title]Frank the Tank[/post_page_title] This poor little guy looks adorable even in his sad state. However, his little sad face is still so cute. It's no wonder someone saw him at the shelter and fell for those big, black eyes. [caption id="attachment_2818" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / frankthedoggotank[/caption] Thankfully though, he got adopted. And look at that face, just look at it. He looks so happy. And he's still so freakin' cute! That's a doggo smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. [post_page_title]This Will Make You Feel All the Feels[/post_page_title] The person who posted this before and after was actually posting on behalf of her sister's dog. Here on the left, you can see him depressed in his kennel at the shelter. Absolutely heartbreaking, right? [caption id="attachment_2819" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / meriah_j[/caption] Now here he is on the right, post-adoption. The difference is huge. And it looks like his new owner is absolutely in love with him, I mean, just look at that cute little flower crown he's rocking. It's clear that he's very much loved, and it's written all over his face. [post_page_title]Puppy Gets New Life[/post_page_title] This little puppy had his rough start in the jungles of Mexico, where he was abandoned with his litter. Thankfully, they were nursed back to health by the local animal rescue foundation. [caption id="attachment_2820" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / shmandala[/caption] This little guy got his brand new shot at life after someone adopted him while on vacation down in Mexico. Today he's a happy, healthy little pup living his best life in Canada. [post_page_title]Left to Die[/post_page_title] I can't get past some people and their absolute disregard for animal life. It's actually scary to think that there are actual psychopaths out there who would happily leave a neglected puppy to die in a park. [caption id="attachment_2821" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / missblueyouwho[/caption] That is how this little girl was found on the left. With lots of love and care, she was brought back to life. And now, two years later, she is a happy healthy little pooch. It just goes to show you that bad situations can be turned around. [post_page_title]Pablo's Before and After[/post_page_title] Meet this little guy Pablo. His owners found him on the street and took him in. The first picture is from the night he was rescued. You can clearly see the sadness all over his face. [caption id="attachment_2822" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / imostlyobserve[/caption] The second picture shows an incredible change in him after only one week! It is so clear that he knows his life has changed for the better and he's so happy and grateful for it. [post_page_title]This Transformation[/post_page_title] Talk about a complete Cinderella change. You can't even see this dog's face from all the matted hair in the way. It is clear that he suffered plenty of neglect before being rescued. [caption id="attachment_2823" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / TrioAnimalFoundation[/caption] The second picture shows that there is indeed a happy little dog underneath the whole mess that was his unkempt coat. And we're so happy he has a new forever home that will keep him smiling for years to come. [post_page_title]All Smiles[/post_page_title] Speaking of smiles, this before and after set is definitely one for the books. The person who posted was the owner of Koda Bear. The OP revealed that the picture on the left is from the day before Koda Bear was adopted. [caption id="attachment_2824" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / mwisni[/caption] Now, look at Koda Bear on the right. That is him after only a few months. Clearly, he is happy as he's got a silly little grin on his face and we are so happy that he does. What a cute little boy. [post_page_title]Annie's Struggle[/post_page_title] This poor little girl was found living rough on the streets for 4 years! Imagine being homeless for that long. She was scared, and you can see it in her face in the first picture. [caption id="attachment_2825" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Echo_hello_world[/caption] The person posting the pictures of Annie revealed that they actually found her a home with their parents. And after only a week, the changes are real. Annie looks so comfy and happy all fast asleep in her new bed. So happy she got her happily-ever-after. [post_page_title]Scarlett[/post_page_title] Scarlett was in a shelter and was ready to be put down because of a minor skin condition. The person who posted her story on Reddit actually wasn't her owner but revealed that her friend was the one who adopted Scarlett. [caption id="attachment_2826" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / effexxor[/caption] And it was a good thing that they rescued her, I mean just look. This sweet girl is so happy and got such a lucky break in life. Her eyes have lit up in every sense of the word. [post_page_title]Incredible Changes[/post_page_title] It is always amazing to see the changes in dogs. This little guy was clearly so scared and timid after his struggles prior to adoption. [caption id="attachment_2827" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / mycatseatbetterthanIdo[/caption] And the changes are incredible. It's like seeing a whole new dog. Amazing what a little love can do for pets. [post_page_title]This Pup[/post_page_title] A person on Reddit shared this before and after of their pup that they adopted. The picture on the left shows such a sad and scared little dog. [caption id="attachment_2828" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Credit: Reddit / norightbrain[/caption] Cut to the second picture and it's a whole happy little dog. You wouldn't even know to look at them that they were once the dog on the left. Total change. [post_page_title]The Change Adoption Makes[/post_page_title] While all the pictures in this post are heartbreaking to see the befores, this before picture tugs on my heartstrings the most. This little dog looks so sad and so desperate to get out of the shelter. And who could blame them? [caption id="attachment_2829" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / aranjevi[/caption] Now on the right, is a beautifully happy dog that shows exactly what adoption can do for an animal. This is great. Also, what a gorgeous slobbery tongue. [post_page_title]Heartbreaking Before and After[/post_page_title] Nothing is sadder than a dog that is starving in the streets. This before picture is everything that is wrong with the world. How can anyone just let a dog, or any animal for that matter, get to this state? [caption id="attachment_2830" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / socks4tay[/caption] And thankfully, this little pupper got their happily ever after that they deserve. I am glad that they got adopted. [post_page_title]Rey[/post_page_title] This is Rey. The picture on the left is when Rey was on death row. From the picture, it is clear that Rey knew her time was up, that she wasn't going to be leaving the shelter alive. [caption id="attachment_2831" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / animatedrussian[/caption] But thanks to the wonderful person that adopted Rey, she got to walk out of the shelter a free woman. The difference is astonishing. In just one day, Rey became a completely different dog. Just goes to show you how emotionally intelligent animals actually are! [post_page_title]Waldo[/post_page_title] This is Waldo's transformation. As you can see from the first picture, he started off as crusty and underweight stray. And all it took was a little bit of love. [caption id="attachment_2832" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / priceisalright[/caption] That was all it took to help Waldo become the happy, fluffy boy that you see in the next picture. He is so lucky and it shows. [post_page_title]This Before and After Adoption[/post_page_title] This poor doggie is all skin and bones before being adopted. It is so sad to see this dog looking so skinny and so depressed. [caption id="attachment_2833" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / rosieposiepit[/caption] But the change is amazing in the next picture. This dog looks like a whole new dog. They are bright and cheery and it fills out hearts with all the feels. [post_page_title]Jasper[/post_page_title] Jasper is a little pup that started off his life in Romania. He looks so sad and depressed. Thankfully, little Jasper had a change of fortune. [caption id="attachment_2834" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / LittleMissZombiebait[/caption] Jasper had an incredible adoption story which involved him traveling all the way to the UK to his new home. And it is clearly all over his face how happy he is in his new life. [post_page_title]Nacho the One-Eyed Dog[/post_page_title] I would totally have adopted this little fellow had I come across him in a shelter myself. Thankfully, someone did manage to adopt little Nacho and give him the home he deserves. [caption id="attachment_2835" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / arubanmac88[/caption] He looks so happy in his new life. And that pirate eye of his seems to not bother him one bit. He is a happy little guy and it gives us all the feels. [post_page_title]Toby's New Life[/post_page_title] Toby spent two years in a county shelter. Can you imagine sleeping on the cold, hair floor with an uncomfortable crate for a pillow? It's just so sad to think about. [caption id="attachment_2836" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Imgur[/caption] Things have certainly taken a turn for the better for Toby. This little dog certainly moved up in the world post-adoption and is now enjoying sleeping in the king-sized bed he deserves. [post_page_title]Teddy[/post_page_title] This set of before and after pictures were uploaded by Teddy's owners who wrote: "We found Teddy’s shelter picture and it’s heartbreaking. We’re so glad he came into our lives and is letting his sweet, goofy personality shine! Hopefully, he knows that he’ll be safe, clean, fed, and loved for the rest of his life." [caption id="attachment_2837" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / carrie.613[/caption] We can't agree more. We are so happy that his owners took him in and gave him the love and attention he deserves. Well done guys. [post_page_title]Harper[/post_page_title] Meet Harper who was adopted by her family from the Fairfax Animal Shelter. Prior to her adoption by her forever home, the poor girl had been adopted and returned three times - three times! - within the first year of her life. No wonder the poor girl looked so alone, confused, and scared. [caption id="attachment_2838" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / vizsla_harper[/caption] We are so delighted to see the difference in Harper. There is no doubt that constant love is what helped to make her the happy little girl you see on the right. [post_page_title]Midwestern Princess[/post_page_title] It is hard to imagine that this little girl on the left is the same dog that is on the right. She was a found as a stray in Houston. It was a rough start. [caption id="attachment_2839" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / ledronjames[/caption] But look at her now. She has moved up in the world, and through adoption, she has become a princess in her new Midwestern home. Isn't it wonderful when things change for the better?!

Dogs are referred to as man's best friend, cats are beloved by the internet writ large and just about every other furry creature has its own Instagram account and following in this age of social media that we live in. Certainly, whether it's a perfect chocolate Labrador performing party tricks or an incredibly grumpy cat showing shade at anything that passes it by, the people of the internet are enamoured and continue to follow, like and share every offering. So when we witness or hear about an act of cruelty against our little companions, we can't help but feel incredibly incensed. An unfortunate example of this occurred last week, when a man was filmed while he repeatedly hit a confused dog around the face for not being able to learn the alphabet. Yes, there are some absolutely terrible human beings in the world. In a video which has since been removed from YouTube, a man is shown attempting to teach a canine how to recite the alphabet. While it's unknown why someone would take on such a fruitless endeavour, the man seemed absolutely nonplussed about the fact that the dog was unable to read his "ABC's". The man then proceeded to get physical with the dog, slapping it on its jaw while shouting abuse. With his other hand, he grabbed the dog's paw and tried to wrap it around a pencil, attempting to force the dog to write. The clearly perplexed animal obviously fails to do what the man asks, and in order to make the dog pay attention the man proceeds to slap the dog once again. The poor animal tried to retaliate by opening its jaws and baring its teeth at his tormenter, but the man just continued to hit the animal whilst shouting and repeatedly pointing at a notebook. The video first made the rounds on social media in India, and the initial reaction was bizarrely rather positive, with viewers claiming that the clip was "funny". However, once the now-removed video reached YouTube, viewers were disgusted by the display of animal cruelty. One user wrote, "I want to know who this guy is hitting the dog, this is a horrible video," while others called for the man to be identified and dealt with by the appropriate authorities. Director of PETA UK, Lisa Allen, issued the following statement in response to the disturbing footage: "This man is a coward and a bully who viciously slapped and upset a dog simply to assert his own pathetic idea of dominance. The rise of smartphone technology and social media has given twisted individuals such as this one some fleeting viral fame. PETA urges authorities to use the same technology to ensure that this man’s deliberate and cruel attack on “man’s best friend” sees him charged and convicted under the law before his feelings of inadequacy take an even greater toll." And a spokesperson for the RSPCA corroborated, "Sadly, a lot of people think it’s funny to share pictures and videos online of animal cruelty and abuse. However, many people are not prepared to accept the things they see online and are quick to report videos like this to organisations, such as the RSPCA, and we applaud them for standing up against animal cruelty." We can only hope that the man in question is dealt with rapidly. Animal cruelty in any form should never be tolerated, let alone be available to be viewed on social media.