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Your stress is making your dog more pessimistic, new study shows
Though we have long known that dogs can pick up on our stress, a new study has highlighted how it directly affects their behavior.
Thanks to the marvel of modern science, we are gradually learning more and more about man’s best friend. Recent discoveries include the interesting reason why dogs choose to be left or right-handed.
Dogs can smell your rising stress levels
Dogs have one of the best noses in the animal kingdom, meaning they can pick up on scents that human brains cannot begin to comprehend. This should not be that surprising when you consider the fact dogs know when you’re coming home.
Though we already know that your dog’s favorite smell is you, new research has suggested that the intense connection is sometimes a curse.
The study, which was published by the University of Bristol on Monday, delved into the link between our stress and our dog’s learning and emotional state.
With 18 participants and their dogs on hand, the pooches were taught that one location’s bowl contained treats, while the other contained nothing. Of course, the dogs naturally had more speed and focus when approaching the bowl with the treat.
After enough time, a third location was introduced between the two bowls, with a quick approach allocated as “optimistic” and a slow approach as “pessimistic.”
Finally, the dogs were exposed to stress smells from their humans, excreted either as sweat or breath.
The results painted a troubling picture
Following their research, which was published in the Scientific Reports journal, the scientists were able to see that the dogs approached the ambiguous bowl slower when exposed to stress indicators. This suggested that they expected no treats, whether there was one present or not.
They further suggested that this pessimistic response could be the dog’s way of conserving energy and avoiding disappointment. Essentially, they know you’re less likely to treat them if you are stressed.
Understanding how human stress affects dogs wellbeing is an important consideration for dogs in kennels and when training companion dogs and dogs for working roles such as assistance dogs,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Nicola Rooney.
Dog owners know how attuned their pets are to their emotions, but here we show that even the odor of a stressed, unfamiliar human affects a dogs emotional state, perception of rewards, and ability to learn. Working dog handlers often describe stress traveling down the lead, but weve also shown it can also travel through the air.
