Without a doubt, one of the absolute cutest things my dog does is run right to my side when I cry. Though I have to admit, sometimes I pretend to cry just to get him to rush over and lick my face. It turns out not all dogs know or care about the difference between real and fake injuries. Whatever the case, they just want to help.
One altruistic pup in Turkey interrupted a theater performance to save a person’s life. Well, that’s what he thought he was doing. One of the production’s actors, Numan Ertuğrul Uzunsoy, had to fall over as part of a scene. The dog ran right up to him in the middle of the show, thinking all of it was real.
Uzunsoy told The Dodo:
“The character I played was injured and in great pain. He’d fallen off a horse, and was breathing hard.”
Wagging his tail furiously, the dog trotted over to the fallen actor. He stuck his snout right in Uzunsoy’s face.
“I felt warmth on my face. First, I thought my costar was approaching me.”
Then the dog proceeded to lay his entire body across Uzonsoy’s chest supportively. Whoops – that wasn’t in the script!
Watch the super sweet video below:
https://www.facebook.com/332126543564396/videos/316174569828687
The Best Kind Of Disruption
The performer didn’t really mind his acting getting interrupted, he said. Especially when the intentions were so pure.
“I was very happy when I felt the dog’s kisses. I was very touched. He was like an angel who wanted to help me. It was a very emotional moment for me. I was not expecting it.”
According to Uzonsoy, the audience loved the little interruption as well.
“My castmates loved the dog, and the audience was very happy. Everyone cheered.”
In fact, the encounter made such an impression on Uzonsoy, he went back to look for the pup later.
“The next day I went to the same place, looking for him. People told me he usually hangs out there. I went again today. I’ll look for him until I find him. I’ve always loved animals.”
Do Dogs Have Empathy?
A lot of people try to tell me that my dog coming to “help” when I “cry” is just an excuse to lick my tears. Obviously, I disagree, and I’ve got some support on my side.
According to a study that tested for dogs’ empathy responses, dogs have similar emotional responses as human children.
“What the researchers found was that the dog not only approached and tried to comfort their owner when they cried, but also approached the stranger who displayed unhappiness, seeming to offer sympathy and support in much the way that humans display empathy for each other.”
To be fair, another reason your dog runs to your side could be the behavior has been bred into them. But science does support the idea that dogs are attuned to human emotions. Either way, it’s very cute and I’m glad they do it!
H/T: The Dodo
Featured Image: @kocaelivizyon/Facebook
Toledo, United States.
