Emotions and their purpose in companion animals

What are engaging emotional motivations

• Desire seeking

• Social play

• Lust

• Care

What are the protective emotional motivations

• Frustration

• Fear anxiety

• Pain

• Panic grief

What is the seeking system

A general purpose neuronal system that motivates animals to move to places where they have more potential of finding and consuming resources needed for survival

What does the social play system do

Give information to individuals about their own social competence and potential in relation to others

What does the lust system do

Organises the specific reproductive needs, ranging from the attraction or the selection of a partner through courtship to any potential bond to mating with a sexual partner

What does the care system do

Maintain the bonds to the individual offspring through a recognisable parental care or nurturance towards others

What does the fear-anxiety system do

Preserves comfort provided by predictable access to essential resources and the management of threats to personal or resource security

What does the fear-anxiety system help animals to avoid

Dangers and adapted to help them feel anticipatory fear

What does the pain system do

Maintain bodily integrity and function with distinct sensation and motivation

What is the panic system triggered by

Lack of access to a source of nurturing

What does the panic system relate to

The safegaurding of the survival of young and the protection of the genetic survival of the species

What is the frustration system triggered by

A failure to meet expectations, obtain resources or retain control

What is the frustration system associated with

Confrontational behaviours when animals do not have control over a situation, when they are irritated or restrained

What happens is false pregnancy in regards to frustration

The frustration of the care system caused by the lack of puppies can increase the risk of aggression

What happens when frustration is combined with the seeking system

Aggressive reactions particularly when it occurs repeatedly

What are the most important emotions in terms of developing clinical concerns

• Pain

• Frustration

• Fear

• Panic

What emotions are less likely to be problematic unless they are coupled with frustration

• Social play

• Lust

• Seeking

• Care

Which emotions manifest as mounting behaviour

• Lust

• Fear

• Frustration

When are behavioural responses to emotions a cause for concern

When they are present due to compromused physical or cognitive health, miscommunication between different species and environments are sub-optimal