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They greet us with tail wags, adoring gazes and unconditional love. In return, we provide food, comfy beds, fancy collars and lots of affection. What is it about this dog-human bond that is so intense, enduring and special?
Turns out our passion for dogs has a biological, evolutionary and emotional basis. Recent scientific studies have proven what we already know: Dogs and humans share a unique inter-species bond.
The look of love
There is actually a chemical reason for this connection. When you look lovingly into your canine’s eyes and the gaze is returned, your body secretes the hormone oxytocin according to a recent study conducted by Miho Nagasawa of Japan’s Azabu University. Oxytocin, also know as the “love hormone," promotes bonding and plays a crucial role in affection. The study showed that gazing increased oxytocin levels in both the dogs and the humans, highlighting the mutual and symbiotic effect of the interaction. Interestingly, this effect was not seen in wolves, who use eye contact as a way to dominate, not bond.
Another researcher, Attila Andics, points out, “Dogs are the only species that when frightened, worried or anxious, run to their humans for comfort, just like children do. They are also the only species that seek eye-contact with their humans.”
Sniffing out affection
The sense of smell also contributes to the intensity of dog-human bond. Scientists at Emory University showed that the reward center of dogs’ brains light up when presented with their owner’s familiar smell. Dogs were trained to stand still during a neuroimaging MRI to determine the brains’ response to odors. When given an article of their owners’ clothing, the MRI showed a change in the dogs’ brain imaging, with the caudate region, the reward center, lighting up. Good boy.
They greet us with tail wags, adoring gazes and unconditional love. In return, we provide food, comfy beds, fancy collars and lots of affection. What is it about this dog-human bond that is so intense, enduring and special?
Turns out our passion for dogs has a biological, evolutionary and emotional basis. Recent scientific studies have proven what we already know: Dogs and humans share a unique inter-species bond.
The look of love
There is actually a chemical reason for this connection. When you look lovingly into your canine’s eyes and the gaze is returned, your body secretes the hormone oxytocin according to a recent study conducted by Miho Nagasawa of Japan’s Azabu University. Oxytocin, also know as the “love hormone," promotes bonding and plays a crucial role in affection. The study showed that gazing increased oxytocin levels in both the dogs and the humans, highlighting the mutual and symbiotic effect of the interaction. Interestingly, this effect was not seen in wolves, who use eye contact as a way to dominate, not bond.
Another researcher, Attila Andics, points out, “Dogs are the only species that when frightened, worried or anxious, run to their humans for comfort, just like children do. They are also the only species that seek eye-contact with their humans.”
Sniffing out affection
The sense of smell also contributes to the intensity of dog-human bond. Scientists at Emory University showed that the reward center of dogs’ brains light up when presented with their owner’s familiar smell. Dogs were trained to stand still during a neuroimaging MRI to determine the brains’ response to odors. When given an article of their owners’ clothing, the MRI showed a change in the dogs’ brain imaging, with the caudate region, the reward center, lighting up. Good boy.
Evolving into man's best friend
Human-dog bonding began 27,000 years ago when wolves were captured, domesticated and trained to help, hunt and herd. Dogs have since become our closest animal companions, remarkably attuned to human behavior, particularly when related to food and affection. Harvard psychologist Brian Hare has studied their evolution and found that dogs are acutely attuned to our moods and emotions. By knowing when we are happy or sad and reacting accordingly, dogs make us think they empathize and understand us. Hare says, "It appears that dogs have evolved specialized skills for reading human social and communicative behavior."
