Investigative Journalism

Do dogs have emotions?

By: Emily Laurenzi

Do dogs have emotions is a commonly asked question for those who are or those who have been dog owners. Most owners will agree that they have witnessed their dogs feeling sad, happy, or even jealous.

In an online report, Robert Defranco, director of the Animal Behavior Center, believes that animals “live very much more in the moment than humans do.” Not only do they have primary emotions, but also secondary emotions such as: “love, jealousy, and greed.”

Smiling dog

In the same online report, a dog whisperer at North Shore Animal League, by the name of Mike Malloy, trains dogs by reading their emotions. When asked if dogs have human-like emotions he answered, “Oh yeah, definitely, "I think they miss the way people miss love ones, they hurt the way people hurt, they grieve."

Dogs are said to have a larger amygdala, which are masses of nuclei in the brain where emotions are controlled. This allows them to have these certain secondary emotions that humans also experience.

In a second online report, "Dr Friederike Range, at the University of Vienna's neurobiology department, has confirmed that dogs experience intense jealousy if they see that they are being unfairly treated compared to another dog."

“Few who have lived with dogs would deny that dogs have feelings,” says Jeffrey Masson. Dogs are not able to express feelings the way we are, however it does not mean that they do not exist.

Scared dog

There are many instances in which it can be proven that dogs have emotions. A dog’s tail position often demonstrates the body language of a dog.  In most cases a “wagging tail indicates excitement or agitation,” and a tail that is tucked between their hind legs indicates fear.

As a dog owner I can certainly agree that dogs do have emotions. When the door that the vacuum is kept in is opened, my dog immediately hides behind the couch, in fear. She refuses to come out until the vacuum is put away and the door is closed again.

Loving dog

“I believe dogs have emotions, however, they are not as complex,” said Martha Smith, “I also think they can be mentally disabled.” Martha’s dog Sydney has a problem with running into cabinets and closed doors and also has random mood swings.

Kelly Carter, a teacher at NSA, also agrees that animals have emotions “on some levels."  “When I leave to go out the door my dog barks like a maniac because she wants to go out,' She said, “After I tell her no she gives me the 'I hate you look” and sits down with sad eyes.” 

A dog is able to recognize when you are having a bad day. They are not able to ask you what happened, however, they know when something is wrong and respond by comforting you.

The reason dogs are able to recognize the feelings of others comes from Mirror neurons, which allow the dog "to understand another individual’s behavior by imagining themselves performing the same behavior."

Recently experts found "scientific evidence that suggests that dogs have evolved and developed "face reading" skills, which means that dogs will look to the human's face for hints about the person's emotions and mood."

Anyone who has owned a dog knows when their dog is excited, scared, or upset about something. If you pay close enough attention to your dog it’s easy to observe their emotions.

“Do dogs have emotions?” remains one of the most common asked questions in the study of animal behavior till this day.

Life After Graduating NSA

--- National Sports Academy is a school located in Lake Placid NY, where all the students that go to the prep-school must play a sport in order to attend the school. Student-Athletes that attend the school are to be prepared for college or other doors that might be opened to a particular student. There are a variety of student-athletes that attend the school, such as: skiers, girls/boys hockey players, and sliders. Each athletic team different from the next. Yet one question still remains for these athletes, whats next? What is life after graduating NSA?

Every student-athlete that graduates from National Sports Academy is promised to be placed somewhere after life at NSA. This could mean, college, a junior level boys hockey team, the Olympics, the USA Ski Team, or sometimes a Post-Grad year back at NSA to figure out what your next move is. For this small school of only 80+ kids there is no telling what these athletes are capable of for the next years to come. An example of an Olympic athlete graduate of NSA is in the video presented to the left, Bill Demong class of 1998.

For the boys hockey team at National Sports Academy there seems to be a plethora of answers for what life after graduating NSA will be like. For example, both seniors Torkel Bjarneman and Alex Kwok have decided to take the academic root before they move onto bigger hockey plans. Bjarneman had this to say; “Education is more important, it's not just about hockey. But I plan on hockey for the future.” Kwok also plans on going to University, but playing hockey at the same time, “I plan on doing both. I want to play hockey and go to University at the same time, kinda like what I'm doing now at NSA (National Sports Academy).”

Unlike fellow hockey players Bjarneman and Kwok, junior Austin Campbell and senior Jake Ruby decided to move onto Junior Men's hockey right away. Campbell told me; “Education is important, but I want to see what I have to move onto before college. But I will definitely be moving onto college afterwards.” Later adding, “I will definitely not be taking a PG (Post-Grad) year.” As well as Campbell, Jake Ruby decided he would be taking the same root, and firing this comment, “I just want to play some hockey.”

Men's NSA Hockey Huddle

While some guys at NSA know exactly what they want after graduating and moving on to their next step in life, there are some that just don't know. Seniors Wes Moon and Jakob Rasmussen have told me they are just simply undecided in what's next for them. Moon had said this after being asked about possibly taking a Post-Grad year at NSA, “Not sure yet, I haven't made up my mind on what I'm doing at all.”

Most of the boys seem to have what they want all figured out, as well as most of the girls hockey players at National Sports Academy but not all, junior Lenka Craigova says “I'd be willing to take a PG (Post-Grad) year, but I'm going to college regardless,” continuing to say “I'm just not sure on the PG year.” While being asked if she knows what division she'll end up in she says, “Too early to say, but I'll see what opportunities I get.” Along with Craigova, teammate Maggie Cross is in the same boat. “I know I want to major in engineering, but I'm not sure which college is a good fit for me just yet.” Cross hopes to go to college in the near future but she is just undecided in what that future is.

NSA Womens Hockey Team State Champions
2010.

Unlike teammate Craigova, senior Kelsey Lynch knows what she wants along with Emily Laurenzi (senior) and Martha Smith (senior). Kelsey Lynch telling me she wants to major in journalism and go to college and playing good division 3 hockey. And Martha Smith saying “I want to major somewhere in the medical field, and definitely go to college.” and continuing to say, “I won't PG, not worth the money to PG because I know that I'm only going D3 (division 3). My fall back school will be my first choice anyway, even though it doesn't have girls hockey.” Teammate Emily Laurenzi committed to Penn-State College in the summer of 2011 had it all figured out before senior year even began. Laurenzi stating “College is where I'll be, but nothing hockey wise after Penn-State.”

Chris Mazdzer, NSA Graduate and Olympian

As far as the sliders at National Sports Academy, skeleton Brian D'agostino plans to move on from sliding by going to college when he can. But while being asked if he plans to go far with sliding he had this to say, “Hope so, to early to tell. I'm new to the sport.” But before college he thinks he will probably end up with a Post-Grad year at NSA. Luge sliders that attend NSA are abroad and training hard for nationals, or are abroad doing the 1^st ever Youth Olympic Games. The two sliders are senior slider Aidan Kelly whose training hard in places like, Austria, Calgary, Germany, and Park City, while junior slider Tucker West is in Austria working hard in the 1^st ever Youth Olympic Games.

NSA Ski-Racers

Moving on to the skiers of National Sports Academy, junior skier racer Kyle Dunleavy tells me he is undecided in what he wants to do after life at NSA. But he does for sure know that he will not be taking a Post-Grad year, saying “I want to get out of here for sure, and move on to bigger things and places.” With only 80+ students at NSA, Dunleavy says, “By the time I graduate it'll just be time to move on.” When talking to sophomore Jake Wenn (free-style skier) Wenn is also not sure what's up next for him after graduating, but he says “I have time to figure it out.” Yet, Wenn does know that after graduating he doesn't plan on college, and tells me “I plan to move out west and work on being a pro-skier.” Most other skiers are out of school for a bit of traveling to Sugarloaf Maine to train and race.

This will be life after graduating NSA for all the student-athletes attending, some know what's up next for them, others not having decided yet. Life after graduating NSA is spilt almost equally for those who actually know what path is right for them, and others not having a clue yet. So whose to say what future NSA graduates will do for life after NSA.

Recap: Jv Boy's Hockey

 St Lawrence Champions

By: Emily Laurenzi and Kelsey Lynch

Brasher Falls----Before winter break NSA’s JV ice hockey team traveled to Brasher Falls, New York to compete in the St. Lawrence Tournament. Now that they have hit the midpoint of the season,  the JV team was able to add two W’s declaring them champions of the tournament.

The Mountaineers first match up was against Norwood-Norfolk at 8:15 PM on Friday the 16^th. The final score was 5-2 with senior, Mike McDaniel playing between the pipes. The JV team was very successful scoring goals in all three periods, three of which were scored on the power play.

Parker Richards winding up

There were a total of nine penalties shared between the two teams. NSA forward Austin Campbell who got a penalty for holding said, “the game was very physical.”

NSA outshot their opponents twenty-four to nineteen. The five goals that made it to the back of the net were scored by: Fredrik Eineren, Josh Renaud, Nicolo Megioranza, Matt Roberts, and Parker Richards.

           

NSA goalie McDaniel finished the first period with a shutout with the help of his teammate’s aggressive defense. Although, the shutout was interrupted when Norwood-Norfolk scored two goals but NSA’s defense was perfected by the third period.

NSA celebrates after a goal

Although NSA won the first game they knew they couldn’t “underestimate their opponent in the second game," said Alex Kwok.

NSA’s second game was a battle against the Alex Bay Islanders at 12 PM on Saturday the 17^th.

Because of travel plans for the holidays some of the players were forced to miss the championship game. The bench had been shorter than normal leaving the JV team with eleven skaters and one goalie.

As the Mountaineers were going out every other shift, the Alex Bay Islander's were able to get plenty of rest. The Islander’s out numbered the Mountaineers two to one. However NSA still managed to pull out a win and defeated the Islanders 4-0.

Torkel Bjärneman faced 21 shots through out the game and zero of those shots found the back of the net. 

Unlike the first game this game was a lot less physical with only one tripping penalty given to Blake Tarbell.

As we sat down with JV captain, Alex Kwok, he commented on the team's effort, “We kept our offensive pressure high, stuck to the game plan and used our d-zone coverage really well."

Two games lie ahead for the JV team as they make there way to Albany to play Albany Academy.

From the positive energy from the previous victories, NSA JV will “use their wins as confidence and determination to continue their win streak,” said Alex Kwok, “as well as continuing to play their game.”

Re Cap on Boys Hockey

LAKE PLACID---December 16, 17 and 18 the National Sports Academy Mens Junior A team faced off in a triple header against the Eastern Kodiaks with a home crowd backing them in the Lake Placid Olympic center. Whether it was the crowd or the sheer will to win, NSA emerged victorious in all three match-ups. 

Tyler Simmons and Kevin Valenti both bent the twine once and Zach Dymock found the back of the net twice to give National Sports Academy a 4-2 win over the Kodiaks. 

Jakob Rasmussen was the backbone of the NSA team saving 21 of the 23 shots on net. 

National Sports Academy

The second game proved to be much easier for the Mountaineers, as they jumped to an early lead and never looked back. After nine shots and three goals the opposing goalie was pulled the Kodiak backup didn't fare any better, letting in four goals on a mere twelve shots.  

Devin Desnoyers and Valenti each sniped a goal, Dymock once again lit the lamp twice and Tyler Simmons led the NSA team scoring three goals for a hat trick.

Coach and father of Simmons, Rod Simmons, said "it was his birthday and he got lucky" but on a more serious note he said that in his eyes "the team, not Tyler got the three goals."

Eastern Kodiaks

While the opposing teams goalies were sub par, Rasmussen was on his game saving 19 of 20 shots. 

The Kodiaks came into the final game with something to prove. Unfortunately, they would not have a chance to prove anything. National Sports Academy came out hot, scoring the first three goals and going on to win the game 6-2. 

Talyor Widenmaier and Valenti each slid one past the goalie and Desnoyers and Simmons each dangled benders and sniped tenders twice. 

Torkel Bjareman was a brick wall in net, saving 28 of 30 shots. 

All around Coach Simmons was happy with his teams play. "We hadn't played great since Thanksgiving break and I really felt that this weekend helped us break out of that slump," he said. As far as the rest of the year goes Simmons said "the rest of the year is packed full of challenging games," and also stated, "we are the top team and everyone wants to knock us down."

Deerfield

DEERFIELD, MA----The NSA Mountaineers ventured to Massachusetts for the Deerfield tournament and went undefeated for the fourth year running with three wins and one tie. With a successful end to the year the girls hope to start out the new year with the same success.

Self-declared Champions

The girls came out flying the first game with a 6-0 win verse Kingswood Oxwood, goaltender Martha Smith came out with shut out to start the tournament. Captain Kali Flanagan got the first goal off the opening draw, in turn opening up the gates for the rest of the game and setting the tone for the tournament.

That same day the Mountaineers played Nichols with a frustrating 3-3 tie but answered back the next morning with a dominating 10-1 win over the Rothesay-Netherwood. When asked about the tie Flanagan said “we underestimate them,” while Megan Whiddon added that “we play down to their level.”

NSA finished the tournament with an exciting 4-2 win over Standstead College. The teams battled back an forth the entire game. The game was tied till the last ten minutes when Elizabeth Scala scored the game winning goal making it 3-2, while a few moments later Emily Laurenzi scored an open netter sealing the win for the game. Flanagan stated that “even though everyone was tired we pulled together and found a way to win.”

Goal Celebration

After speaking with Coach Bill Ward he only had great things to say about how the weekend went, saying “We played well, over the coarse of two games we only had seven shots against us, that's really something.” While being asked who he thought stood out the most during the games Coach fired back saying “Not only one player stood out, everyone presented themselves well. But Martha (Smith) played all four games and did well. Overall I was happy with the outcome of the tournament. Each girl showcased themselves very well for the college scouts.”

Megan Whiddon and captain Kali Flanagan had these final words to say, “finally learned to put the puck in the net.” After ending on such a strong weekend Flanagan said we need to keep “playing more as a team” Whiddon continued saying the Mountaineers need to “use and trust each other.”

After self-proclaiming themselves DeerField Tournament winners for the fourth year running the team looks forward to a successful 2012.

Lake Placid Unoccupied Buildings

Video: Recycling

Recycling at NSA

    By: Emily Laurenzi, Mattia Laudi, Sam Puckhaber, and Martha Smith