Oxytocin – the love hormone

Oxytocin is often called the love hormone because it is associated with positive feelings. It has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress and positively influences overall psychological stability. This hormone helps us to bond with our loved ones and its main purpose is to enable childbirth. Exercise naturally boosts oxytocin, as does music, especially singing in a group. (1)

Let’s cuddle

Not only does your dog’s oxytocin raise when you interact with him, yours does too! So cuddling your pup has benefits for both of you. The bond between a dog and their human companion is comparable to that of the mother-infant bond. Research has shown that even short term interactions between a dog and their owner impacts not just oxytocin but also cortisol and heart rate. (2)

Look into my eyes

Similar to the bond between a mother and their infant, gaze between an owner and their dog releases oxytocin for both parties. One study concluded that interactions with dogs, especially when the dog has initiated it by looking at their human, can increase oxytocin. (3)

Attachment styles

Dogs form attachments to their owners, which are similar in style to the attachment between a child and their parent. One study investigated whether the way an owner perceives their relationship with their pet is related to how the dog experiences that relationship. This study found that dogs whose owners interact with them more frequently, will come to their owners after they’ve been separated. This was investigated using the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) which is also used to test attachment between a child and their parent. (4) Research has also been conducted into Separation Related Disorder (SRD). SRD is a common issue for many dogs, whereby they experience severe physiological and behavioural stress during the absence of their owner, causing detrimental effects on their welfare. (5)

Tears of joy

Humans shed tears during emotional arousal but this has not been investigated much in dogs. One study found that dogs had increased tear volume when reunited with their owner, when compared to a familiar non-owner. Tears were measured before and after reunions. Researchers also applied an oxytocin solution which generated tears, suggesting that this hormone plays a role in dogs shedding tears. (6)

Owner vs. hotdog

Your dog’s brain prefers to hear you praising them than receiving a food reward. A study was conducted using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) which recorded the brain activities of dogs receiving either food, praise or nothing. This experiment showed differences between individual dogs, with 13 out of 15 choosing social reward from their owner rather than the food. This means that some dogs may prefer praise over food, but it is up to their owners to explore which reward they prefer. (7)