Dogs’ Stress Levels Influenced by Owners’ Emotional State, Study Finds

A study conducted by researchers at Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB) indicates that the stress levels experienced by dogs are influenced by the stress levels of their owners. The study stated, “The experience of stress, particularly chronic stress, can have deleterious effects on canine behaviour and welfare.” The research explored whether fluctuations in an owner’s stress levels impacted their dog’s stress, such as during a veterinary appointment. While acknowledging the importance of veterinary visits for maintaining a dog’s health, the study noted that these visits can also “result in acute stress as a result of confinement, uncertainty, pain, and loss of autonomy.” The study involved 28 dogs and their owners and was conducted at a veterinary clinic located in Dublin. Among the participating dogs, 10 were male and 18 were female, with ages spanning from one to 17 years. During the study, half of the owners engaged in a breathing meditation exercise intended to lower their stress levels and promote relaxation. This exercise also included reading affirmations such as “My dog brings me joy” and “I care for my dog”. The remaining half of the owners completed a “Digital Stress Test,” a procedure capable of inducing moderate stress. Several dog walkers in Ormeau Park, located in south Belfast, commented that their dogs absorbed the surrounding energy. Ivan Armstrong, while giving his black poodle a bowl of water, stated, “If you’re in a bad mood the dog will react to that and generally she will become a little bit more naughty.” He further remarked, “If we’re all very nice and calm she is as well.” Sonia, accompanied by her two rescue dogs, observed, “They’re social animals, if you’re stressed, they’re stressed.” She elaborated, “They pick up everything, that’s just natural for them. If everyone’s laughing they’ll come over an try to play, if anyone’s upset they’ll come over as well.” Geraldine and Claire, while walking their dog Daisy, perceived Daisy as highly perceptive in reacting to their moods, rather than merely mirroring them. Claire commented, “The dog I think is very astute.” She added, “If you’re upset sometimes the dog will come and lie on top of you, and that helps you.” Darren described his dog, Ted, and himself as good friends. He noted, “If the mood was low in the house, or there’s something going on with the wife and me, the dog definitely senses it.” Both the owners and their dogs were equipped with heart rate monitors to track variations in heart rate between beats. Additionally, video footage was gathered continuously to evaluate any alterations in the dogs’ behavior. The research indicated a potential link between changes in an owner’s stress levels and corresponding changes in their dog’s stress levels, suggesting that dogs react to their owner’s stress. Variations in the owner’s heart rate were found to “significantly predicted” changes in the heart rate of their dogs. The paper stated, “This result is in line with our hypothesis that changes in owner stress levels influence canine stress.” It further added, “Changes in human stress levels can have an innate and immediate effect on canine indicators of physiological stress.” The study concluded, “By devising strategies to mitigate owner stress in veterinary settings, canine stress may, as a result of reducing owner stress, also be alleviated.” Furthermore, the findings proposed that allowing dogs sufficient time to acclimate to the veterinary environment, rather than rushing them into examinations, could diminish any fear or stress they experience. The study emphasized, “This research highlights the importance of providing dogs with time to acclimatise to the clinic environment to reduce the stress experienced by dogs in these settings, which may in turn improve the accuracy of any physical examinations or diagnostics performed.” It also put forward a recommendation for veterinarians to endeavor to lessen the stress experienced by dog owners, as this action would consequently benefit their dogs. Nevertheless, the researchers acknowledged the limited number of dogs and owners involved in the study, attributing this to time constraints. This research, conducted by vet Aoife Byrne and Dr Gareth Arnott from the School of Biological Sciences at QUB, has been published in the Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science. In an interview with the BBC’s Good Morning Ulster programme, Ms Byrne stated that, based on the study’s findings, she is advising veterinary clinics to “work more to make the experience [of visiting the vet] less stressful for owners and less stressful for dogs.” She emphasized the study’s observation that dogs’ heart rates generally declined over time as they became accustomed to a new environment. She remarked, “I think that’s very important because veterinary appointments can often be very short, everyone is under pressure, and I think there should be a real incentive to try and slow everything down.” Ms Byrne further explained, “Heart rate is one thing that as vets we are measuring, and if our dogs’ heart rates are elevated because they are stressed, we might be getting a reading that’s not necessarily reflective of how they are day-to-day.” Al Rankin, a dog behaviour consultant, identified emotional contagion and smell as key elements in dogs detecting their owner’s stress. Emotional contagion is defined as the process where the emotions and behaviors of one individual influence those of others. Al also stated, “There are many reasons to point to why dog’s stress levels corelate with their humans – all of these reasons are not fully known yet.” He continued, “However, the excellent sense of smell that canines have allows them to smell the pheromones we humans release when we are stressed.” Al further mentioned that a dog “will get to know its owner over time” and will be able to sense when they are experiencing stress. He explained that dogs exhibit “stress response behaviours” such as lip licking, panting, restlessness, and poor quality sleep, which can be “detrimental” to their overall health. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.