Thank you Catherine for taking the time to read that long post. I agree with you that dogs are different, in that they are extremely smart. I also think that if there is a domestic animal that can love in a fashion that is close to what we humans call love it is the dog. But even with dogs...
Though relatively new to keeping chickens, I have worked with animals, particularly horses and cattle, my entire life. I always get a little, and please I do mean a little, frustrated when I hear terms like love, affection, friendly, etc. Animals instintively understand their place in the food...