Social experiment?

[Lorileah]

Most here know I am a veterinarian. Since my diploma and all related items have "his" name on them I am relegated (right now) to presenting in the male form. However, I have informed many clients that things could change. So far no one cares.

But, something came up yesterday that made me think . A client brought in a dog. She warned me that the dog didn't like men. Without even thinking I said "Gee I picked a bad day not to wear a dress then." The client was one who has been privy to my plans so she wasn't shocked but we both thought "I wonder how the dog would react?"

Now, I believe that it isn't the gender but the attitude that dogs and cats react to. Many clients have commented on how well their cat behaves with me compared the "the last vet". But, could it be that I give off the femme aura?

I would like to see if the dogs would be more comfortable if I were dressed at work. This particular dog did not bark at a female client who came in while she was there. The woman was dressed in everyday clothing so I doubt it was the clothes. I still think it would not change the dog's reaction just by changing clothing, but I think it would be a great experiment.

[Angela Campbell]

Maybe it has to do with the smell? I know I like the way women smell better than I do men...

[Tracii G]

Give it a try Lori.

[Andrea J]

Could the dog be reacting to a difference in the smell of men and women?

And as hormones change a persons scent, perhaps the dogs reaction might depend on if someone is on HRT or not.

[Kelley]

I don't think it is a male female thing. I believe animals pick up on the vibes people give off a and react better to those who are truly kind, loving and nurturing. I believe women have these qualities more often than men.

[Kate Simmons]

If our spirit is female we will give off feminine vibes Lori and animals will pick up on this.

[Badtranny]

My dog LOVES men. Every time a man comes over he practically pees himself he gets so excited.

He's 1.5 years old so there's a lot of playfulness in him but he acts completely different around guys than he does around me. It's quite fascinating.

I guess I need to find a man to keep around the house. :-)

[Jaylyn]

Lorileah my daughter is also a vet. she has a clinic that is all run by females. I help out there some and have heard many of the customers say that they prefer her clinic is the best as she has more feelings for their animals. She still cries with the owners when she has t put a dog or their pet down. She is very tender hearted. She also has more business than she can handle and has had to work in a part time retired male vet to help her. Many of her customers say that they wait till she is back on duty to bring their animals in. I really think that there is something to the females tenderness and sensitivity that the animals can sense. She will sometimes do things to an animal with out sedations and things that her counter parts cannot understand how she accomplished the feat. She is still a Tom Boy with a capital T but she just loves animals. She is an all animal vet and has large and small animal treatments and facilities. You don't have to experiment cause I have helped and observed her long enough to know that your right on the money as to animal behaviors. I was an animal science teacher and have noticed this in my students when they practiced some of what we studied in class. The females just have a better and easier time around animals....

[sandra-leigh]

It is credible that the dog is reacting to testosterone concentration in the person's odor. Testosterone is sometimes called "the fear hormone", so higher odor concentrations would correspond to fear and fight reactions.

Cats do not "swarm all over me", but most domestic cats treat me like part of their human family -- e.g., cats that "only come out when there is no company" will come out when I am there.

[kellycan27]

Everyone's a critic.... Even dogs!

[Marleena]

I hope this thread doesn't denigrate to crotch sniffing for proof.

[kellycan27]

It just did. LMAO

[Cheryl Ann Owens]

I think it could be a complex combination of all that has been said so far. A woman and her mannerisms IE body language too might put the animal at ease and it would be interesting to know how you might be projecting that. Of course dogs can sense many emotions including our fear. All my life I have gotten along with many dogs who are friendly to me, except one that wants to rip me apart. When I visit a friend the dog goes in his crate. That dog I believe is an exception and I believe was abused.

Cheryl

[ronny0]

I have 3 stories, Not dogs or cats, but birds.

#1 When I was working, up every morning to check on the pets I would be nude, or in shorts. All the birds were OK.
15/30 Min later, back to put everyone in their cage, I was fully dressed and one bird always wanted to bite me.
I finally put it together, the nude guy gave them fresh food and water, the guy dressed in work clothes was their to lock them up for the day. Only one of the three birds had this reaction.

#2 Family pet for over 20 years, loves me. Knows it is me dressed undressed male or female perfume or aftershave.

#3 Two new additions, one bird is male, other is female. Each pet appears to know family friends or strangers gender regardless of how they dress? Both birds try to bite humans of the opposite gender of the pet. Clothing and aroma or lack of it doesn't change the interaction.

I don't grasp how the birds know, but some show the ability to tell M/F 100% of the time. And to add to the confusion, from what I have read, birds don't have a great ability to smell. Sight & colors are what they normally key in on.

[kellycan27]

Maybe the birds were more comfortable when you were naked cause they could see that you had a pecker too.

[Marleena]

I'm not going to touch that one Kelly!

[Leslie Langford]

I would tend to go with the smell theory, and dogs can likely associate the smell of the female hormones and pheromones that women give off with particular mannerims that they might have, and which the animals find pleasing or reassuring.

This is not as outlandish as it might sound on the surface. Certain breeds of dogs have been trained to sniff out particular types of cancers in humans, and can sometimes detect them well before more conventional methods can.

[stephNE]

Once we had an odd cat. For some reason she hated men. We had her from kitten to about 14, and she never changed. She loved my wife, would rub and purr, and want to sit in her lap. But when I or one of our sons came in the room she would dive under the furniture, and shake, she was so scared. But when I was dressed in femme, she would come out for me, purr, sit in my lap, etc. It seemed like she could see the skirt from across the room and would venture out of hiding. I wonder if it was perfume?

[Juliea661]

I think the animals sense your softer fem side. THAT would be an interesting experiment!
hugs, jules

[Lorileah]

Maybe it has to do with the smell? I know I like the way women smell better than I do men...

I would tend to go with the smell theory, and dogs can likely associate the smell of the female hormones and pheromones that women give off with particular mannerims that they might have, and which the animals find pleasing or reassuring.

Once we had an odd cat. For some reason she hated men. We had her from kitten to about 14, and she never changed. She loved my wife, would rub and purr, and want to sit in her lap. But when I or one of our sons came in the room she would dive under the furniture, and shake, she was so scared. But when I was dressed in femme, she would come out for me, purr, sit in my lap, etc. It seemed like she could see the skirt from across the room and would venture out of hiding. I wonder if it was perfume?

Interesting concept. I use pheromones for cats and do find they are more calm and relaxed (after surgery or in the exam room). I wear Realm (supposed to have a pheromone, they make two different female scents and one male) and last week when I had it on I had two men want to sit with me Here I though it was the dress I had on

If our spirit is female we will give off feminine vibes Lori and animals will pick up on this.

That may explain some of the reaction.

My dog LOVES men. Every time a man comes over he practically pees himself he gets so excited.

He's 1.5 years old so there's a lot of playfulness in him but he acts completely different around guys than he does around me. It's quite fascinating.

I guess I need to find a man to keep around the house. :-)

A pool boy?

Maybe the birds were more comfortable when you were naked cause they could see that you had a pecker too.

[Beverley Sims]

I have worked on the guard dogs next door to where I work by talking to them and gaining their confidence.
They are friendly to me but not other workers.
I put it down to the approach you make to animals.
Most people I offer my birds to do not know how to handle them either.
They use quick and aggressive type movements that startle the birds.
I have gone dressed into cages and petted the dog, their first reactions were not friendly until I spoke and they worked out the smell.
Dressing sounds like a good experiment, some may scoff at the thought but I think it is quite a valid point.
I hope you get the opportunity to do it.

[kimdl93]

So give it a try!

[Nicole Brown]

Two years ago my ex's cat passed away at the age of 22 years. Prior to her passing she would approach anyone, rub up against them, purr and sit on their lap. She did this to me whether I was dressed as Nicole or as my former male self. About a month after Rennie passed away, my ex went to the SPCA and adopted another cat, this time a male. The new cat, Sparky, looks like a slightly larger version of Rennie but has a totally different personality.

He runs the other way whenever a male enters the room and never has anything to do with any any males. This is the exact behavior I experience from him whenever I am dressed in drab. However, whenever Nicole is in the room, Sparky walks up to me, rubs up against my leg and should I sit down, he jumps up and sits in my lap. No wonder my allergies are worse when I am en femme....

[Taylor Ray]

wow, finally some comedy! nice work gals. love to keep it lighthearted sometimes and serious sometimes.

maybe add some controls to the experiment, like wearing mc hammer pants and lady gaga perfume.

or borrow a cat outfit from your local sports team!

[Chickhe]

Why not just jump up and down and giggle...and see what the dog does... just joking, but what if you talk in a feminine voice and use female gestures? I bet the dog would respond positively.