Do dogs have a high emotional intelligence?

Answer 1

They have what in humans would appear to be high emotional intelligence. In dogs other factors than intelligence can come into play. For instance, since animals in general communicate by body language, they are much more sensitive to body language than humans are. In the second place, since so much of their well-being and even safety depends on us, they are likely to pay more attention than most human adults pay to each other, just as a child pays attention to its parents or (I promise) an abused woman pays attention to her abuser. Also, any emotion in which body chemistry comes into play might alter your odor, and of course dogs are far more sensitive to odor. They might even be sensitive to electrical discharge in your brain. Scientists study what animals are able to perceive, but there is a lot that is still a mystery.