Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
United Kingdom, Jan 10. - Two researchers from Queen's University Belfast in Ireland (United Kingdom) conducted a study to determine whether dog owners' stress levels affect their pets. Although experts had previously shown that negative behavior towards dogs during a veterinary visit increased their anxiety, this is the first time that the stress of their owners in an unknown environment has been specifically analyzed.
To this end, Aoife Byrne and Gareth Arnott recruited 28 dogs and their owners and subjected them to a series of experiments during which the heart rate of each was monitored to determine changes and thus measure stress levels. Each person was exposed to stressful tests (arithmetic problems, verbal tasks) and then to a guided meditation video. In addition, they were asked not to interact with their pets during the process, the authors explained in an article published this Tuesday in The Conversation.
"We found that changes in the owner's heart rate before and during the experiment could predict changes in their dog's heart rate […]. Their dog's heart rate was also likely to increase or decrease at the same time," they commented.
"Emotional contagion"
In the opinion of these animal behavior and welfare experts, the stress of owners seems to influence that of their pets in new environments by a process they call "emotional contagion." Dogs seem to have their humans as a "social reference," and it is possible that they recognize their emotions and behaviors, manage to "capture them" and then imitate them, "either consciously or unconsciously."
"Acute changes in the owner's stress levels can produce rapid changes in canine physiological stress parameters," says the study. It is worth clarifying that all the evaluations were carried out without direct communication between owner and pet.
On the other hand, Byrne and Arnott also noticed that the dogs' heart rates decreased throughout the experiment, indicating their ability to adapt or "acclimatize" to strange spaces over time.
Benefits of the study
The researchers consider that these conclusions can be very useful during these animals' visits to the doctor and, therefore, should be incorporated into veterinary practice. If veterinarians help owners feel calmer, it could reduce canine stress and make them feel more at ease and improve their well-being while being cared for. An approach that takes into account the animal, its owner and the environment is likely to give the best welfare results, they believe.
At the same time, stress control can improve the results of veterinary care, because the measurement of parameters, such as heart and respiratory rates, can be elevated as a result of increased stress.
"Dogs are perceptive animals that are influenced by the world and the people around them. People who care for or work with dogs should be aware that their own stress can affect that of their dogs," the authors emphasize. (Text and Photo: Cubasí)
