You don't know me....on being kind!
Kindness, caring for their young and nurturing (epimeletic behavior) is an instinctive reaction in most social species. Fear and anger (defense) are also instinctive reactions. Fight vs flight is how people and animals (dogs) deal with adversity, by advance or retreat.
Fooling around or indecisive behavior is also a coping mechanism. In some dogs, they learn to "lie" by using submissive behavior to manipulate the outcome of something they may find unpleasant, or not want to do. Like the dog who doesn't want to get in the car because they associate with puking, general yuck or other baddies-they may flip on their backs and pee, but take their collar and depending on the dog-you may see flight (attempt to flee) or fight (bite) response. Dogs don't plan to lie with their behavior, they are just doing what works for them.
In people that are liars, submissive behavior or manipulating situations, is often more subtle. Words may ring true to a point, but actions speak louder than words. When do you realize you have been "played" and bitten, when such a person is taken in hand. We are a thinking species, where to survive as a social being, we need to trust. We go on our gut instincts, in choosing people who will be part of our "Village".
There is no fooling around with trust, it is there, or it is not. Trick me once, but don't try to trick me 10X. The behavior of being kind, is to always give the benefit of the doubt, even when your instinctual hair on the back of your neck, is on end. Behavior in all species is endlessly interesting, unless it resembles a bad Pysch experiment ala Reality TV. Then it is laughable. Trust is not a game.
Being kind or good-hearted is a trait I love in people and animals. I have watched dogs that I would say choose to be kind, even as anthropomorphic as that sounds. In people, this is also a wonderful quality. Sadly, some see kind as "weak" and prey upon it. The rescuers who are always ready to drop everything and jump in their cars to help, that is an instinctual reaction. The people who take advantage of that helping, kind personality are like the bullies in a pack-a bit rabid, a bit crazy.
Fooling around or indecisive behavior is also a coping mechanism. In some dogs, they learn to "lie" by using submissive behavior to manipulate the outcome of something they may find unpleasant, or not want to do. Like the dog who doesn't want to get in the car because they associate with puking, general yuck or other baddies-they may flip on their backs and pee, but take their collar and depending on the dog-you may see flight (attempt to flee) or fight (bite) response. Dogs don't plan to lie with their behavior, they are just doing what works for them.
In people that are liars, submissive behavior or manipulating situations, is often more subtle. Words may ring true to a point, but actions speak louder than words. When do you realize you have been "played" and bitten, when such a person is taken in hand. We are a thinking species, where to survive as a social being, we need to trust. We go on our gut instincts, in choosing people who will be part of our "Village".
There is no fooling around with trust, it is there, or it is not. Trick me once, but don't try to trick me 10X. The behavior of being kind, is to always give the benefit of the doubt, even when your instinctual hair on the back of your neck, is on end. Behavior in all species is endlessly interesting, unless it resembles a bad Pysch experiment ala Reality TV. Then it is laughable. Trust is not a game.
Being kind or good-hearted is a trait I love in people and animals. I have watched dogs that I would say choose to be kind, even as anthropomorphic as that sounds. In people, this is also a wonderful quality. Sadly, some see kind as "weak" and prey upon it. The rescuers who are always ready to drop everything and jump in their cars to help, that is an instinctual reaction. The people who take advantage of that helping, kind personality are like the bullies in a pack-a bit rabid, a bit crazy.
