Do dogs pray, when they look up a piece of tastiness just out of reach?

Probably not in the way that we think of praying, but they obviously have feelings, learn, and desire. I know my dog seems to be praying I’ll give her a can of dog food every morning, rather than boring kibble. She doesn’t beg, but you can see the yearning in her eyes. What is prayer but yearning for something better? Why not?

Oops! Didn’t read the bottom! Sorry! I’d have to agree with Colleen as far as the whole praying for rain business. It was an ancient practice and though it may still be practice in other cultures, in mine we just hope for it.

ive asked myself a lot if animals pray, but i dont think they do. its hard for me to comprehend it, but idk. so i personally dont think they pray. and praying for rain and praying to God for rain, to me, is the same thing. if i pray for rain, im praying to God for it. whats the difference?

I think dogs view their owners as God.

When you see the devotion and love dogs display it is obvious that their world revolves around us. We are their beginning and end; their alpha and omega.

Cats on the other hand are atheists. If their owners died their main concern would be who would feed them.

There’s a time and place difference perhaps. In 3000 BCE you would presumably have prayed to some other god, but there must have been non-believers who still wished very hard or something even if you consider the word ‘prayer’ to exclusively refer to a godly context? The three-wishes thing is common in folklores, but not three prayers. I’ll have to check the OED for the origin of ‘pray’.

If praying is just to ‘wish hard’, and you can pray for rain with or without a deity being involved, then a dog needs no deity?

Interesting isn’t it. Pets have become so important to us that many people provide a full set of rites of passage for them. Perhaps it’s because they can read our faces quite well - especially dogs. All pets tend to become surrogate children to some extent, I suppose. It was my dog’s behaviour that prompted the question.

I’d noticed that crop-blessing is still common in may parts of the world, including N Carolina, and it put me in mind of just how ancient a tradition it must actually be - something early humans wound into a faith that became paganism in one shape or form and was then adapted and re-invented later on during the various conversion phases.

Lol. Aw, now that is not fair. My cat is highly selective in whom she shows her affection towards. Even though my mother gives her more treats she is still very loyal.

If you are wishing hard, you are wishing towards something. Otherwise what would the point be? If you do not believe that your wish is somehow influencing something (be it mother nature, God, or whatever), then you wouldnt boter.

oh, i thought you were talking about praying for rain in modern times lol