Dog owners frequently believe that their dogs can sense their emotions. This isn’t a fabrication of their minds. Behavioral and hormonal cues from people can impact dogs in ways that allow them to not only differentiate between their owners’ fear, excitement, or anger, but also “absorb” these emotions from their human partners. Read along to know the emotional side of dogs you didn’t know about.
Dogs can detect our grumbles, get a boost in cortisol levels when they hear someone screaming, and respond to the emotional tone of our voices, much like humans. People and their dogs release oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone” when they interact or even just look into each other’s eyes, which may increase trust in some situations.
Sensory factors also can affect emotions between people and their pets. But especially dogs, can sense and react to basic human emotions through facial expressions and body odors, although their emotional range is more limited than that of humans.
The relationships we establish with our pets are like those formed between a parent and their child. So, if you’ve ever had the impression that your dog can sense your emotions, you’re probably correct. As dogs scan our facial expressions, use aural cues, and pick up on our body language to determine how we’re feeling.
People and their dogs have a range of emotional connections, from being able to sense and comprehend each other’s emotions to experiencing the same emotions but at the end, it’s crucial to realize that no two dogs are similar, mentally, physically, or socially. All dog owners should pay attention to what their dogs are attempting to communicate with them through barking, vocalizations, and facial expressions.
