Risking their own health: Researchers found that dogs can absorb their owners' "stress."

For thousands of years, humans and dogs have lived side by side. Animals have been utilized for hunting, guarding, herding livestock, and many other tasks, earning them the title of "man's best friend." While it may seem that modern dogs lead a stress-free life compared to their ancestors, recent research indicates this is not entirely true, according to Science Alert.

A few years ago, French researchers found that a dog's owner’s behavior at the veterinarian significantly impacts the pet's stress levels. The study's findings suggest that negative behavior from the owner, such as yelling, increases the animal's anxiety during veterinary examinations. However, until now, no one had investigated the impact of the owner's stress on the pet in a controlled environment, prompting scientists from Queen's University in Belfast to address this gap.

The authors of the study note that their analysis differs from that of their French counterparts, as it specifically examines the influence of the owner's stress, measured through changes in heart rate, on the stress experienced by the animal during the veterinary visit.

The experiment involved 28 owners and their pets. Both humans and dogs wore heart rate monitors throughout the experiment, allowing researchers to track and record their heart rates and heart rate variability. This setup enabled them to measure stress levels.

In the next phase, owners were subjected to stress, which was then analyzed for its effect on their pets. The stress exposure involved a digital stress test requiring owners to perform mental arithmetic tasks, along with a verbal task. The stress-reducing intervention consisted of a five-minute video featuring breathing meditation.

Results showed that the heart rates of dogs decreased as they acclimated to the veterinary clinic environment. Researchers now believe that veterinarians should allow animals some time to adjust to the setting before beginning the examination. This approach is thought to help reduce stress and improve the accuracy of examination results, as heart and respiratory rates can increase with rising stress levels.

During the experiment, scientists also discovered that changes in the owners' heart rates before and during the study could predict changes in their pets' heart rates. If the owner's heart rate increased or decreased, the same occurred with the dog.

Researchers concluded that dogs are likely capable of recognizing their owners' stress, which in turn affects their own well-being. This phenomenon resembles "emotional contagion"—a state where humans and other animals can mimic the emotions and behaviors of those around them, both consciously and unconsciously.

The findings suggest that dogs look to their owners to gauge their reactions to the environment. It is worth noting that owners were instructed not to interact with their dogs during the experiment. Thus, any assessment of the owner's stress made by the dogs occurred without direct communication between the owner and the pet.

If our stress can influence our pets, it is important for people to consider this, especially when visiting veterinary clinics, where pets are already under stress due to changes in environment and examinations.