When we were younger, we were often asked what we wanted to be when we grew up or what superpowers we would want. Today, I wonder what animal feature I would want. Would I want to be sly like a fox, have a trunk like an elephant, the speed of a cheetah, or the long neck of a kangaroo? The list is endless.
I do not think I would want a trait to make me faster or one that would draw a crowd, but I think I would want the senses of a dog. Not their sense of smell or sight or their physical characteristics, but their emotional sense.
Dogs are very good at reading people. They can tell when a person is sad, happy, or angry. Unlike humans, dogs can tell a person’s intentions within the first few seconds of meeting them, and that is a trait I would like to experience.
If I am being honest, reading people has never been my strong suit. I have always seen the good in even the worst of people and forgive way too easily. I guess that could be seen as both a good thing and a bad thing, but after a while I can only see that as a bad thing.
A dog can just smell whether or not a person is good and determine their mood by their sudden movements. It would be so much easier to approach someone if you know what they are feeling. I wish I could understand what is going on in people’s minds, but that is impossible. I’m not saying that dogs are mind readers because I know they aren’t, but let’s face it, they are a lot better at reading people than I am or anyone I know.
If I could have any characteristic of any animal, it would be a dog’s sense of emotion and their tendency to know whether a person can be trusted. Dogs know the good people from the bad. They react accordingly to a person’s smell, but they also can learn to trust these people.
I have been hurt by people I thought I could trust or people who only looked out for themselves, and if I could have avoided that mistake—or ones like it in my future—I would.
