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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Sam Pyrah

The secret psychology of dogs and cats: do we ever really know what they are thinking?

Sam Pyrah and her dog Morris, with the dog on a couch looking at the author
The best dog in the world …. Sam Pyrah and Morris. Photograph: Sofia Conti/The Guardian

I am lost in Morris’s eyes. They are brown, almond-shaped and fringed by impossibly long lashes. He looks back at me, softly blinking occasionally, and then reaches out his tongue and licks my cheek, just once.

I’ve been depressed lately, and while I’ve received compassion and support from many dear people, Morris, my 10-year-old terrier, has been one of the greatest sources of comfort. With that reassuring lick, that steady gaze, he’s conveying a message: “It’s OK. Everything will be all right.”

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