Your dog’s heart rate decreases and your pet feels less anxious when being close to you. The same happens to you!
It’s no secret that the dog is man’s best friend and there can be no bond stronger than that of canine and owner.
New studies have actually confirmed that there may be a biological reason for this deep connection that we hadn’t previously realized. Unsurprisingly, when greeted by our dogs, our stress levels diminish, our blood pressure drops and our heart rate slows down.
Our dog’s heart rate decreases meaning they feel less anxious as well and thus benefit from this connection too.Pedigree sponsored a small study where three Australian dog owners took part.
The dog owners were selected very carefully due to their deep connection with their dogs and as part of the study, they were separated and then reconnected with the dogs to monitor what actually happened to both bodies.
Several studies showed that dogs decreased the body’s reaction to stress, with a decrease in heart rate, blood pressure and adrenaline-like hormone release when a pet is present as opposed to when a pet is not present,
Dr. Levine, a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine, said.
The results were fascinating but not all that surprising, given the relationship people have with their dogs. When they were first separated, for the first few minutes, both dog and owner felt more anxious and their heart rates became elevated. Upon being reintroduced to one another, those spiked heart rates declined immediately and both parties seemed a lot calmer and happier than they had moments earlier.
This project is a really good illustration of what most owners experience every night when they come home from work and are reunited with their companion, canine scientist and researcher Mia Cobb said when asked about the experiment.
It shows how strong the bond can be between dog and owner, but the study isn’t limited to just canines. According to Mia, the same results could be obtained from any animal that experiences a strong relationship with its owner – whether it’s cats, birds or even lizards.
The research carried out has shown the cardiovascular benefits of having a dog as a best friend and America’s largest cardiovascular health organization recommends having pets as a way to take care of your own health (providing you have the time and resources to take care of the pet too!).
Do you have a dog or any other pet? How would you describe your bond? Let us know in the comments!
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