Scientists have made a significant but sweet discovery in which they found that dogs experience “emotional contagion” after smelling the human stress.
Because of this, the dogs tend to make more ‘pessimistic’ choices, as per the scientists.
The study, which was carried out by the University of Bristol, is the first one in which it tested how odours of human stress affect the learning and emotional state of the dogs.
In the earlier evidence, it was found that the smell of a stressed person is affecting subconsciously the choices and emotions of those who are nearby that human.
Bristol Veterinary School’s researchers wanted to study if such experiences are also changing the learning and emotional state of the dogs and how they are reacting to relaxation odours or human stress.
A test of ‘optimism’ or ‘pessimism’ was carried out by the team in animals on the basis of findings which stated that ‘optimistic’ or ‘pessimistic’ choices by people indicate negative or positive emotions.
How the study was carried out?
Around 18 dog-owner partnerships were recruited by the researchers to participate in a series of trials with various human smells present.
The dogs who participated in the test were between the ages group eight months to 10 years. The dogs were two Springer spaniels; two Cocker spaniels; two Labrador Retrievers; two Braque d’Auvergne; a Whippet; a Golden Retriever; a Miniature Poodle and seven mixed breed dogs.
In the trials, the dogs received training by placing a food bowl in one location where it had a treat and then placing an empty bowl in another location.
After the dog found out the difference between the bowl locations they were fast in approaching the bowl which had a treat.
The researchers then checked how quickly the dog approached the new and ambiguous bowl locations which were placed between the original two.
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It was found that a quick approach showed the dogs’ ‘optimism’ regarding food which was present in the ambiguous locations and a slow approach hinted at ‘pessimism’ and negative emotion.
They carried out trials in which every dog was exposed to odours of sweat and breath samples or no odour from humans in either a stressed and arithmetic test or relaxed states.
Researchers discovered that dogs became slower to approach the ambiguous bowl location because of the stress smell, which was not the case with the relaxed smell.
The findings, which were published in the journal Scientific Reports, stated that the stress smell is likely to have made the dogs believe that there is no food in the new location.
(With inputs from agencies)
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