A dog's life: study reveals people's hormonal link with tail-waggers

[hue]

Source: REUTERS

(Reuters) - Dogs are called "man's best friend" - women's, too - and scientists say the bond between people and their pooches may be deeper than you might think.

Researchers in Japan said on Thursday oxytocin, a hormone that among other things helps reinforce bonds between parents and their babies, increases in humans and their dogs when they interact, particularly when looking into one another's eyes.

They described a series of experiments that suggest that people and their canine companions have mutually developed this instinctual bonding mechanism in the thousands of years since dogs were first domesticated.

Sometimes called the "love hormone," oxytocin is made in a brain structure called the hypothalamus and secreted from the pituitary gland. It is involved in emotional bonding, maternal behavior, child birth, breast-feeding, sexual arousal and other functions.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/16/us-science-dogs-idUSKBN0N728Z20150416

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[shenmue]

1. We need moar research into squee

Squee-search!

[Enthusiast]

7. +1

[url=http://www.freesmileys.org/emoticons.php][img][/img][/url]

[ErikJ]

2. What about dog haters?

and even people who could care less about dogs? With my dog I see all types. THose who go crazy and must pet and those with no reaction whatsoever. It seems to be genetic too. The whole family will love dogs/pups.... or just ignore.

[movonne]

3. They are called rebugs...

[Laffy Kat]

4. My observation about that.

People who weren't exposed a lot to dogs as children don't want them around as adults and they pass that on to their kids. Most everyone I know who just loves dogs to pieces, had them as kids. I suspect it's more conditioning than genetics. My mom used to tell me that I shouldn't trust people who don't like dogs or kids. I can understand not WANTING them but I don't get not LIKING them.

[trof]

13. I was not allowed to have a dog as a kid.

We lived with my grandparents.
Mom was divorced. This was in the early 40s.
Granny had been bitten by a dog when she was young and had a phobia about them.

The first thing I did when I got out on my own (college) was get a dog.
I have always loved dogs.

I got Hilda from the pound in Tuscaloosa.
They said she was a German Shepherd.
She looked like a large rat.
Almost hairless and skin and bones.

I cleared it with my two roomies in our tiny apartment and brought her home.
After a few weeks of decent food she blossomed.
Her coat came in a beautiful silver gray.
Smart as a whip.
Loyal and protective of us to the core.

When anyone dropped by our pad I had to 'introduce' her to them, tell her they were OK, and then she was alright with them.
If you hadn't been 'introduced', you entered at your own risk.
God, I loved that dog.

She was the first in a long line of German Shepherds through 30 or so years of marriage and family.

My daughter, an only child, says "Whenever I see a German Shepherd I feel like it's my brother."

We've gotten too old to properly care for one.
But I still love tham.

[Laffy Kat]

17. THAT is a beautiful story.

I sometimes wonder what we must look like to "aliens" studying us. Here we are, featherless bipeds, often tethered to a four-legged creature--an entirely different species--just walking around, sometimes in circles. The more removed you look at it, the funnier it gets, really. Most of us can't imagine life without our dogs. They bring us such joy.

[ncjustice80]

24. Whats wrong with disliking children?

[Botany]

5. We like looking at each other

[DawgHouse]

11. Oh, that's love right there!

[Botany]

20. From the article

Sometimes called the "love hormone," oxytocin is made in a brain structure called the hypothalamus and secreted from the pituitary gland. It is involved in emotional bonding, maternal behavior, child birth, breast-feeding, sexual arousal and other functions.

"Oxytocin has many positive impacts on human physiology and psychology," said Takefumi Kikusui, a veterinary medicine professor at Japan's Azabu University, whose research was published in the journal Science.

In one experiment, dogs were put in a room with their owners. The researchers tracked their interaction and measured oxytocin levels through urine samples. People whose dogs had the most eye contact with them - a mutual gaze - registered the largest increases in oxytocin levels. The dogs also had an oxytocin spike correlating with that of their owner.

The researchers conducted a similar experiment with wolves, close relatives of dogs, and found that no such thing happened despite the fact that the wolves had been raised by the people.

******

I'll go look at my lab now.

[SheilaT]

6. How about those people whose dogs bark endlessly?

I'm doubting they have a good hormonal connection there, and I sure as hell don't.

I am turning into a real dog hater because of neighborhood dogs who bark constantly. We had dogs when I was growing up, and I've generally liked them or been neutral, but in recent years, well, if I were to say what I really think I'm sure I'd be alerted on it, but suffice to say I wouldn't miss it at all if I never had to see or hear another dog again.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. I am willing to bet that those dogs are tied up outside, yes?

Happily, last year our lil town passed an ordnance against barking dogs..repeated barking of more than 20 minutes at a time can be reported to animal control now.
and there are now rules about leaving a dog tethered outside.

I could never figure out how the owners could stand all the noise that is driving their neighbors nutz.

[murielm99]

9. I had to call the sheriff

a few weeks ago. Two neighbors, about a half-mile from me (I live in the country), were having a terrible shouting match at 3:00 a.m. It was over a barking dog. I was afraid they might harm each other, and possibly the dog. It was a bad argument, since I could hear it from such a distance.

I have not heard any more prolonged barking, or arguing.

[SheilaT]

23. I have no idea if the dogs are tied up. I know almost nothing about the

specific circumstances. All I know is that the goddamm dogs bark and bark and bark, and I'm so freaking tired of listening to them. I've come to the point that I think barking dogs should be confiscated, and if not adopted in a week or so, should be euthanized. A related thing that makes me crazy is that dog owners will take their dogs to places that if other people brought their toddlers, those parents would be harshly criticized. And yet they think everyone should adore their dogs. Excuse me, but not everyone is a dog lover, and you need to understand that. And control your dogs. Don't let them bark endlessly. Don't assume everyone loves your dog as much as you do.

I'm a cat person. I would NEVER assume others adore my cat. I would NEVER take it out to restaurants. I would NEVER let my cat meow for hours on end. And quite frankly, even if my cat did, it's not going to annoy as many people from as far away as your dog does.

I hate dogs. Any wonder why?

[Maraya1969]

12. Report them to animal control. There is something wrong if a dog barks for hours on end.

[trof]

14. Disagree.

I have a few of these yipyaps next door and across the street.
They are tiny and just yap.
Mini Pincer, Toy Daschund, Pappilion (?).
There's nothing 'wrong' with them.
Except that they yipyap.

Large dogs usually don't do that.
It's the tiny toys.
Just a part of the breed I guess.

[Dont call me Shirley]

16. Put the barkers in the house. Respect the neighbors.

We trained our sweetie-pootie only to bark when a threat is near.

[RebelOne]

19. Yes, I have a Chihuahua that barks at everyone,

even people she knows. I have tried disciplining her but to no avail. I had a Rottweiler that rarely barked.

[Thor_MN]

15. I have a house two doors over that has loud barking dogs outside.

But I reserve my negative feelings for the owners... They are loud too, and I'm pretty sure I know why the dogs don't like to go in when the weather is nice.

It's amazing how they can't communicate below a shout when outdoors. Last summer one of the kids was in the "Oh My God!!!" stage. 3 or 4 kids over every afternoon, and the vast majority of the verbal communication was OMG at shouted levels, with varied inflection and timing.

I like dogs and they tend to like me.

[Helen Borg]

10. I love you. Woof.

[tabasco]

18. Man's greatest weakness is his belief that he is better than animals because he is more intelligent

My dog has greater value than many humans on this planet.

[freshwest]

21. Yes, 'the puppy eyes' connection! Read about this years ago. People do it, too! n/t

[Jack-o-Lantern]

22. I prefer the company of my cats to 99% of the people I’m obliged to share the planet with.