Whenever we think of pets, we usually think of small, furry animals that we keep in our homes, protecting them from the cold, the hunger and the dangers of the outside world. Of course, their presence in our lives is partly due to our own selfishness and our own need to constantly have a friend, someone who would listen to our worries and problems and someone who would give us free cuddles when they know that we need them very much. But you see, pets are much more than that.

Our trustworthy companions are more than an object. They are living and breathing creatures that at times prove to be way smarter than us and witty enough to trample life’s challenges. Above everything else, they are extremely observant.

When a dog is jealous of an owner or a toy, we are dealing with a typical case of unstable dominance-submission relationships between dogs. A jealous dog claims to be a leader, that is, a preferential right to enjoy certain goods, one of which is the owner’s caress. But these claims are not recognized unconditionally, and they use any occasion to show: “I’m more important, you have to scratch my ear, this is my ball, I have the right to sleep in the chair.”