WHAT’S THE SECRET TO WHY DOGS LOVE LIFE? A PHILOSOPHER REFLECTS ON THE JOY OF LIFE FOR A DOG

Have you ever wondered why dogs always seem to be having such a great time? Philosophy might have some insights into that—and into our differences as well, according to an American academic.

In his new book, The Happiness of Dogs: Why the Unexamined Life Is Most Worth Living, Welsh philosopher and professor Mark Rowlands delves into a dog’s perspective on life, drawing on thinkers like Camus, Dylan Thomas, Plato, and Socrates.

He argues that a dog’s innate capacity for joy highlights some fundamental differences between humans and dogs, which may explain why happiness can be more elusive for people, as he discussed in a conversation with RNZ.

Rowlands is perhaps best known for his international bestseller The Philosopher and the Wolf, which chronicles a decade spent with Brenin, his wolf, who couldn’t be left alone. His work focuses on the morality of animals, including dogs. A long-time dog owner, he has a German Shepherd named Shadow, with whom he frequently walks past the iguanas in Miami.

Rowlands began reflecting on the meaning of Shadow’s life after observing his daily ritual of chasing the local iguanas from his side of the canal into the water. The iguanas would then emerge on the other side and remain there for the rest of the day.

This reminded him of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus, condemned to push a massive boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down, forcing him to repeat the task endlessly. Rowlands noted that the story symbolizes the mundane repetition and limited power of human existence: “Everything we achieve is likely to be modest and quickly erased by time…”

He observed that Shadow’s task mirrored Sisyphus’s, yet the dog appeared genuinely joyful in his pursuit. Each day, Rowlands would clear the path, then watch as Shadow dashed down the canal—”like a bullet from a gun,” he described—chasing the iguanas into the water.

As Shadow returned, he would pick up speed, zipping past Rowlands before heading south to repeat the chase. “I wish I knew what was going through his mind,” Rowlands reflected. “He just seems incredibly happy, both in the chase and the outcome, which sees the iguanas exiled to the far bank.”

He mused, “I’m not even sure he really wants to catch them—it’s more about the sheer joy of being able to do this.”

Rowlands finds Shadow’s happiness both striking and intriguing.

“In a way, even though he doesn’t realize there’s a problem to solve, he’s figured something out—because I believe this is the most meaningful part of Shadow’s day. It’s a puzzle: how can he find significance in doing the same thing every day?”

He concluded that, for dogs, finding meaning in life comes more easily than it does for humans, due to differences in their consciousness.

Shadow chases various creatures, including ducks and turkey vultures, but seems to have a special affinity for iguanas.

Rowlands references both Camus and philosopher Richard Taylor, who contemplated what the myth of Sisyphus would signify if the man found joy in his endless task.

“I think there’s something right about that happiness, but also something fundamentally wrong,” he said. “Both perspectives lead to a similar conclusion: that the meaning of life cannot simply be happiness. Our lives can be happy without being meaningful, and at times, happiness can even detract from life’s meaning.”

Rowlands notes that Shadow’s happiness is a genuine reflection of his true nature.

“When Sisyphus is influenced by the gods to find joy in rolling rocks up hills, it’s not an authentic expression of who he really is; it’s simply the gods’ manipulation,” he explains.

This leads Rowlands to ponder whether true meaning in life equates to a form of authentic happiness—where authenticity is fundamentally about expressing one’s true self.

The catch, he adds, is that humans possess the capacity for self-reflection regarding their achievements and their purposes. In contrast, dogs have only a minimal ability to reflect at best, which can lead to troubled thoughts.

“Dogs famously struggle with the mirror test, which gauges self-awareness by seeing how they react to a mark on their head in a mirror,” Rowlands says, though he acknowledges this test has its limitations.

“When you can reflect, your beliefs become complicated; they’re no longer just beliefs but troubled thoughts, making you a more conflicted being than a dog.”

He explains that humans lead two lives: the one they live and the one they scrutinize and judge. In contrast, dogs live a single, untroubled life, allowing them to embrace it more fully.

While our ability to self-reflect has contributed significantly to human success, it also complicates our pursuit of meaning. Rowlands observes, “Reflection has been beneficial, but it comes with drawbacks. Most fundamentally, we find meaning in life much harder to grasp than other animals do.”

Following a serious medical event—a spinal embolism—Shadow has been recovering after a period of paralysis. Now he strolls along the canal instead of darting after iguanas.

“I’m not sure if he’ll ever chase them again,” Rowlands reflects. “He still trots along the bank, watching the iguanas slip into the water, as if he thinks, ‘I know I’m not at my best, but I’m still having fun.’”

Rowlands is impressed by Shadow’s ability to find joy despite his limitations. However, he believes that Shadow’s happiness isn’t necessarily a model for humans.

“Happiness is much harder for us; we lack a straightforward nature like dogs do. When Shadow is hunting or guarding, his happiness is a pure expression of who he is.

“But humans are more complex—we’re divided within ourselves—so there’s no simple essence from which happiness can flow as it does in dogs like Shadow. For that reason, our happiness isn’t a pure reflection of our true selves, and we find it much more challenging to achieve genuine happiness.”