STUDY REVEALS THAT DOGS CAN SMELL THEIR OWNERS STRESS AND IT AFFECTS HOW THEY BEHAVE
Dogs use their sense of smell to perceive the world, and this includes determining how their humans are feeling. Puppies can infer tension from your body language and facial expressions, much as adults can infer stress from your levels of cortisol, the "stress hormone." It's interesting that if they can sense you're stressed, they have a more negative attitude, according to a study.
Scientists had long been aware that dogs can detect if humans are stressed. However, a team of researchers from the University of Bristol, Cardiff University, and the British charity Medical Detection Dogs set out to find out if this information had an effect on them, particularly on their emotions and how they behave. To find this out, the team recruited 18 dogs of different breeds and a group of human volunteers, whom the pups didn't know. They were put under a lot of stress in the name of dog science.
First, while the researchers maintained a serious expression to heighten the stress, the people were forced to give a speech on the spot and complete a math test, which increased their cortisol levels. After finishing, they were able to relax by watching soothing videos of sea and woodland scenes while resting on a beanbag chair. Using pieces of fabric adhered to their armpits, the researchers collected samples of their perspiration during the procedure, both when they were tense and when they were calm.
Food was always present in bowls on one side of the study space, but it was never present in bowls on the other. When they discovered this, they proceeded slowly in the direction of the empty ones and swiftly toward the ones that had food. These markedly different responses cemented a way to log behaviours based on the dogs’ expected results.
Meanwhile, the dogs were being trained on where to find treats. The researchers removed the first bowls and added a third in a neutral, ambiguous scenario after the dogs were successfully trained that bowls in one place had food (which they obviously responded to more positively and excitedly) and bowls on the other end definitely didn't have food (which they responded to more disappointedly).“Do they approach quickly, optimistic that there's going to be a food reward in there, or do they approach more slowly, with a more pessimistic outlook that there might not be food in that bowl?” lead study author Dr. Zoe Parr-Cortes told NPR.
Before giving the dogs the mystery bowl, the sweaty fabric pieces were brought out for them to sniff. The team noticed that the puppies were more reluctant to peek at the bowl when they sensed stress, as though they weren't expecting to find a treat there. However, their conduct appeared to be unaffected by the "calm fragrance." According to Parr-Cortes, "it simply shows that the stress smell might alter how [dogs] behave in confusing situations." "If people believe they will be let down, they may be less inclined to undertake anything dangerous."
In the end, this implies that, whether you are aware of it or not, dogs also experience stress from the same things that stress people. "You're probably more inclined to be tight and less patient if you're under stress," Parr-Cortes stated. "[And it] might actually cause them to behave differently."
So, even if you love your dog unconditionally, you may inadvertently be making things tough for them. Instead, try your best to keep calm and take a break. If you're having a bad time, you can always count on your pet to be there for you, so it’s important to be there for them too.
