Human's Emotions vs. Dogs (Re: Sirius revisited)

[pandrea100]

No: HPFGUIDX 104331

 Bren wrote: 
> I'm afraid I must correct you, Kneasy. Emotions are not simple at 
> all. 

You give a much more scientific argument for this than I could, but 
basically I agree because of how the Patronus works.  Harry has to 
conjure a SPECIFIC happy memory and it has to be a strong enough one 
to have enough power behind it; general happy thoughts (sunshine, ice 
cream, playing Quidditch) don't work.  I don't think an animal (even 
supposing it could do magic) could manage that - the happiness of 
chasing a cat or gnawing a bone is too generic, compared to Harry's 
choice of seeing his much-longed for parents finally.  And 
conversely, animals' bad thoughts are much simpler - physical pain, 
hunger - than humans': grief, embarrassment, disappointment, etc.

Of course, Sirius-as-a-dog still has human thoughts, enough to 
control his actions, but it seems rational to me that they could be 
dampened down, like someone on tranquilisers or something.  As an 
example, let's say Sirius' favourite food normally is sushi.  As a 
dog, is he going to crave sushi, or more doggy type food like steak 
or bones?  I would think the latter.  Or, let's say he sees an 
attractive woman (or man, if you like the slash stories) while in dog 
form - he may realise that she is attractive, but he's not going to 
be attracted TO her, because, well, he's a dog.  So in animal form, 
his animal nature has to override his human one at various points, 
while still allowing him to know that, eg, he has to go to a 
particular place to hide out.

Pandrea