We’ve all heard the saying that dogs look like their owners. But did you know your stress levels can also rub off on your pup?

Two recent studies shed light on the fascinating connection between canine and human emotions.

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Stressful Owners, Stressed-Out Dogs

Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden examined cortisol levels (a stress hormone) in dog hair and compared them to their owners’ levels. Interestingly, they found a strong correlation between the two. Owners with high stress had dogs with high stress, particularly hunting breeds like dachshunds and elk hounds.

The study also revealed that the quality of the owner-dog relationship played a bigger role in stress levels for hunting dogs compared to breeds like huskies or basenjis (considered “ancient breeds” closer to wolves). This suggests a stronger emotional bond might influence how much a dog is affected by their owner’s stress.

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Emotional Contagion: You and Your Pup

Another study by the University of Vienna looked at emotional mirroring between dogs and owners. Over 100 dog-owner pairs participated, with researchers measuring heart rate and cortisol levels. Owners also completed personality assessments.

The results showed that dogs are excellent at picking up on human emotions. Regardless of the dog’s personality, their behavior seemed to adjust based on their owner’s emotional state.

A Two-Way Street – stress and love

The studies highlight a fascinating connection: our stress can impact our dogs, and their happy demeanor can improve our mood. It’s a two-way street where both owner and dog influence each other’s well-being.

After over 30,000 years by our side, dogs have developed an uncanny ability to understand human emotions. They can pick up on subtle cues like facial expressions, tone of voice, and even body language, and adjust their behavior accordingly.  Basically, our dogs know how to cheer us up!

Spoil the dog that makes your joy levels rise!  Bring them to DogFest, the best day out a slobbery mutt could wish for.