We all experience stress at times, whether it’s due to work, personal issues, finances, or health. A certain amount of stress can actually be beneficial. If you’ve ever felt anxious about choosing the best dog food or training your pet effectively, you’ll understand that being a pet parent can also be stressful. Research from Queen’s University Belfast reveals that our stress levels can impact our dogs as well.
While our canine companions live less stressful lives than their ancestors, they can still face stressful situations such as vet visits and long journeys. Studies in France have shown that a dog parent’s behavior at the vet can affect their dog’s stress levels. However, a recent study by Aoife Byrne and Dr. Gareth Arnott at Queen’s University delved into the impact of dog parent stress on their pets in a controlled setting.
In their experiment, 28 owners and their dogs wore heart-rate monitors while undergoing stressful or stress-relieving interventions. The study found that dogs’ heart rates decreased as they acclimated to the vet clinic environment, emphasizing the importance of allowing dogs time to adjust before examinations. Furthermore, changes in the parent’s heart rate correlated with changes in the dog’s heart rate, indicating that dogs can perceive and mirror their owners’ stress levels through “emotional contagion”.
This suggests that dogs rely on their parents to gauge how they should react in new environments. By remaining calm during vet visits and promoting a calm atmosphere, pet owners can help keep their dogs relaxed. The research underscores the significant influence that our stress can have on our canine companions and highlights the need for pet owners and professionals to be mindful of this impact.
“Consider these 32 methods to help your dog relax. Additionally, learn effective ways to soothe a reactive dog.”