Understanding how human stress affects dogs’ wellbeing is an important consideration for dogs in kennels and when training companion dogs and dogs for working roles such as assistance dogs. Dog owners know how attuned their pets are to their emotions, but here we show that even the odour of a stressed, unfamiliar human affects a dog’s emotional state, perception of rewards, and ability to learn.
In a study, 18 dogs were trained that when a food bowl was placed in one location, it contained a treat, but when placed in another location, it was empty.
Once a dog learned the difference, it was quicker to approach the location with the treat. Researchers then tested how quickly the dog would approach a third bowl, in a new location positioned between the original two. A quick approach reflected optimism about food being present in these new locations a positive emotional state while a slow approach indicated pessimism and negative emotion.
These trials were repeated, and each dog was exposed to either no odour or the odours of sweat and breath samples from humans in either a stressed, or relaxed state.
According to the findings, the stress smell made dogs slower to approach the new bowl location nearest the trained location of the empty bowl. The scientists also found that dogs continued to improve their learning about the presence or absence of food, and that they improved faster when the stress smell was present.
If this doesn't make you want to run home and hug your furbaby therapist I don't know what will! DM us a pic of you showing love to your emotional support fur baby @YMSRadio!