Some dog owners treat their four-legged friends like babies. And while this may seem ridiculous to some, a new study published in the journal Science proves that the bond between a dog and its owner can be as emotionally strong as the bond between a mother and her child. And this is just the latest scientific theory on a high pile of similar research that explains how dogs have chosen such an important place in our society.
You've probably noticed a dog owner or caught yourself handling a dog like with a baby. This is not surprising, because there is a completely logical and scientifically supported explanation for this. It is the companionship of the owner and the dog comparable to the companionship of a parent and his little child. Why? The answer is somewhat surprising. Because humans and dogs do not reproduce by themselves. Otherwise, to all dog lovers who have ever looked into those innocent round eyes, the scientists' new finding will not come as a surprise. The previous research already showed that eye contact between humans and dogs in humans increases excitocin level, the hormone of love, trust and relaxation.
Mammals produce excitocin in the brain, and it stimulates an emotional connection between a mother and her offspring. Also, this hormone has its fingers in the partner relationship and in social life. Which is nothing new. Most research so far has shown that this kind of connection works within species. Humans produce excitocin for other people, and dogs for other dogs. What is new is the realization that it is about interspecies connection, that emotions are mutual and that dogs know when we are, among other things happy or angry.
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And how did they come to these conclusions? In the first experiment, the researchers measured excitocin levels in 28 couples before they hung out for 30 minutes. During this time, people talked, petted and looked at their dogs. Then the hormone level was measured again. The result?
Owners and their dogs who are stared at each other, had elevated levels of excitocin. Humans use yawning as way of communication and therefore we are very sensitive to eye contact. Nevertheless, it is surprising that staring, more like a touch, leading to higher levels of excitocin. The level of the latter is therefore extremely dependent on looking into the eyes. And when dogs catch your eye it causes them to look at people more often and the more they look at them, the higher their excitocin levels. Interesting, yes wolves, ancestors of dogs, do not experience the same as pets, because staring into their eyes does not raise the level of this hormone. This means that dogs have picked up this trait during evolution, i.e. through the process of domestication and living among people.
