If you are a dog owner, we are quite sure that by now you have noticed changes in your pet’s mood and that you’ve been convinced that he is sad for some reason. Head on paws, sad look and lack of well-known energy. What do scientists say?
The answer to the question of whether dogs can feel sadness is – yes and no.
If viewed from a purely scientific approach, there is no solid evidence that dogs can feel what people identify as sadness. Sadness is an emotion that is difficult to describe, and dogs do not have the self-awareness and ability to go through all the emotions within themselves as humans do.
On the other hand, veterinarians agree that dogs can feel anxiety and depression. We can notice this in their body language, but they can’t identify that emotion on their own. That is why everyone agrees that the term sadness, as such that we know and use, is incorrect in describing the negative emotion that a dog can feel.
source: petmd.com