Research have found that the connection many humans feel with their canine companions is a lot like love.
In one recent study in the journal Science, researchers have discovered that the same hormone associated with maternal love and passionate love, oxytocin, increases in both pups and their owners when the two species do no more than lock eyes.
The same can’t be said for humans and wolves, the researchers found.
The results suggest “a co-evolution between human and dogs,”
“That’s part of the reason why it is very natural to form a bond between dogs and humans.” says lead study author Takefumi Kikusui, a professor in the Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology at Azabu University in Japan.
Stanley Coren, a professor emeritus in the University of British Columbia’s department of psychology says dogs are a man’s best friend because we’ve domesticated them to be that way. Happyho also provide best tarot reading services in Noida and Delhi NCR India area.
“We invented the dog and we invented it to fit in a certain niche in our vlog lives,” says Coren, who’s written a series of popular books on pooches. “And so for at least 14,000 years, we have been creating an animal which understands our communications and we understand its communications and they have a bond with us.”
For example, if a person points to something in a distance, a dog will look in the direction of the finger, just like a human. But if the dog was a wolf? It would simply look at the finger.
Over 54 million U.S. households own more than 77 million dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association. And those pups are pampered: Dog moms and dads spend $83 on grooming, $47 on toys and $330 on food and treats for their furry children each year, according to the association’s most recent survey of pet owners.
Is that healthy? By most accounts, yes. Studies have shown that simply petting “a familiar and friendly” dog can lower your heart rate, make your breathing more regular and relax your muscles.
In one unpublished study, people had significantly lower blood pressure just two months after adopting dogs when compared to pet-parents-to-be who were still waiting for their puppies, reports the American Heart Association. The organization concludes that owning a dog “may have some causal role” in reducing heart disease risk.
Recent research has emphasized how dogs can reduce stress and boost mental health. A 2012 study in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management of a 550-employee company found that workers’ stress levels declined over the course of the day if they brought their dogs to work. The opposite was true for dogless employees and those who left Rover at home.
Can you love your dog too much?n yes, It’s possible that your attachment to your furry friend could go too far.
Say, for example, you use your dog as an excuse to isolate yourself from humans. “If you don’t have anyone in your life, that’s a red flag,” Anderson says. Research shows that weak social connections can be detrimental to physical and mental health, even making you twice as likely to die than being obese.
The good news? Dogs seem to have a similar effect on health as human companions. A 2011 study found that pet owners had better self-esteem, were in better shape and felt less lonely than people without pooches or other pets. It makes sense, Coren says. Simply taking your dog for a walk, for one, facilitates fitness – and human interaction.
That’s particularly important today, when face-to-face social interactions are increasingly replaced with digital ones, Dogs can help fill that void. Even better? Unlike a human pal, a dog will keep your secrets.
