Learned helplessness. Why would anyone think it is funny?

[skinnydipper]

Learned helplessness.

When a dog shuts down and becomes unresponsive, why would anyone think it is amusing?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I'm not being funny but do you ever post anything positive? Everything seems to be chronically depressing

 

[skinnydipper]

I'm not being funny but do you ever post anything positive? Everything seems to be chronically depressing

I try to post things that are interesting, informative or topical. Is that okay?

 

[Fjord]

Because they don't realise what it is. They just think the dog is being silly, and don't realise it just can't cope.

 

[Morwenna]

For the same reason people think it’s funny to post ‘smiling’ dogs not realising it’s anxiety, or ‘cute’ videos of what a good dog protecting their baby, not realising it’s resource guarding.

 

[Teaselmeg]

I'm not being funny but do you ever post anything positive? Everything seems to be chronically depressing

This is even more depressing to most dogs, to be ignored in this way. The more people learn, the better lives dogs will have.

 

[Teaselmeg]

I hate these videos, and when they do the rounds you always get abuse for flagging up what is actually happening .

 

[Jenko109]

It really is desperately sad how little the general public understand about dog body language.

People seem to think that if a dog is not trying to get away, then that is an immediate indication that he wants to be there and is enjoying the interaction.

 

[skinnydipper]

It is depressing.

It is depressing that those poor dogs were repeatedly forced to endure something that terrified them until they reached the state of learned helplessness.

 

[Identityincrisis]

My partner often shares ‘cute’ animal videos and often all i can see is how stressed the animal is. People who aren’t aware of animals have no idea!