Dogs are incredible. Truly, they are. Not only do they recognize when we smile and gaze at them, they know that these are expressions of our love and affection!
Our pups make us so happy, we can’t help but grin and look lovingly at them. And according to new research, our dogs understand the sentiment. (If you have a dog, you probably already had a hunch!)
According to Medical News Today:
“Every time you gaze lovingly into your dogs’ eyes, its levels of oxytocin — the ‘attachment hormone’ — go up. And so do yours.”
The article continues:
“Oxytocin has long been referred to as ‘the love hormone’ and the ‘cuddle hormone,’ because we (and our pets) release it when we hug, touch, or look lovingly into someone’s eyes. This increases our attachment to that person (or animal.)
But researchers already knew this. What they didn’t know was that more oxytocin also makes dogs prefer smiling faces over threatening ones — kind of like we do.”
The article also points out that this is particularly significant because most species are more in-tune with threatening cues – you know, ones that could hurt their chances of survival – rather than affectionate ones. This just further supports what we already know: dogs and humans are simply a match made in Heaven!
So, now there’s proof. Your dog doesn’t just gaze back at you because he knows it makes you happy, it’s because it makes him happy, too!
(h/t: Medical News Today)
