Dogs and owners share emotional and physiological changes
In the journals
- Reviewed by Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
The study observed 25 dogs and their owners. The dogs represented breeds known for their high cooperation with humans, such as sheepdogs and retrievers. Owners and their dogs wore ECG electrodes to monitor their heart rates during several types of interactions, such as relaxing together, the owner petting the dog, and playing together with the dog's favorite toy. The researchers found that both the owners' and dogs' heart rate variability were likely to match, no matter the interaction. When the owner was relaxed or stressed, so was the dog, and vice versa.
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About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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