Some dogs notice feelings long before you do.

Emotional intelligence in dogs can feel almost supernatural when you experience it up close. A look, a shift in posture or a quiet lean against your side can feel as if the dog is reading a page you never turned. Veterinarian Dr Liza Cahn says certain breeds excel at this kind of perception, reacting to human emotion with an instinct that borders on intuitive. Three of these breeds also appear in Stanley Coren’s intelligence rankings, strengthening the case that cognitive ability and emotional attunement often intertwine.



