True love has four paws

It takes a pet parent to understand what all the fuss is about the bond or perhaps, love shared, between pets and their humans.

As a single pet parent — who has never had any human kids — I should know, right? Perhaps. But many times, in the over 50 years that I have lived with pets, people have found me strange because of the relationship I have with my pets and the things I do for them.

As pet owners (dogs, cats, birds, fish and every other pet in between), we readily acknowledge that we love our pets. But, our love relationships with our dogs may be the most easily recognizable. I mean really, why do we get out of a warm bed and take them outside early in the mornings to go potty? Why do we leave a restaurant before dessert and head home to feed them? Why do we immediately forgive them after they chew our favorite slippers?

I will never forget being asked, in the past — a lingering question that remains to this day — how do I know my pets (dogs) love me back?

The human–animal bond

I read a study from the early 1930s by an Austrian scientist named Konrad Lorenz, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1973. He is considered a founder of modern ethology, the study of animal behavior — imprinting, in particular.

The story goes that he kept a collection of goose eggs and waited until they hatched. When they emerged, the newly hatched goslings followed the first moving object they saw — in this case, Lorenz himself.

Lorenz continued to study this type of animal behavior, which became known as imprinting. Later on, scientists found that there’s often a window of time in which imprinting has to happen in order to stick. In some species, this window may be as short as 30 minutes.

Imprinting in the animal kingdom is so powerful that if a lamb’s mother dies after giving birth, and the lamb is introduced to another mother within 30 minutes, that lamb will bond with the new mother (and vice versa) for the rest of their lives.

After Lorenz’s studies, scientists discovered that the feel-good hormone oxytocin is involved in imprinting. Oxytocin is sometimes called “the love hormone” or “the social hormone,” because it is released when humans bond socially or romantically and triggers feelings of happiness.

Oxytocin is an important part of mother-child bonding in both humans and other mammals. This hormone helps a mother bond to her infant while nursing.

According to our brains, we bond with our dogs in the same way. When you look at your dog, your brain produces more oxytocin. It works both ways—recent studies have shown that just looking at each other causes your dog’s oxytocin levels to go up, too.

On a biological level, our brains use the same neurological pathway to process our love for our pets and our love for our children. It’s the same love hormone. Studies have shown that the same parts of the brain light up when people look at photos of their children and photos of their dogs.

Science tells us that the human —dog bond is mutual: we both experience happiness, and we both benefit.

The ‘happiness’ hormone

Serotonin, became famous in the 1970s because higher levels of this hormone in the brain lead to an elevated mood and less anxiety. This kind of happiness has to do with their relationship to humans—as the human–dog bond became stronger, bringing both parties more happiness.

Today, bonding with dogs benefits humans in many ways, more than just serotonin-induced happiness. Interacting with a dog can lower blood pressure, reduce stress and provide other health benefits. That might be part of the reason why people who own pets tend to live longer.

And, on the subject of love — how can we tell if your dog loves you?

Your dog is happy to see you. Your dog may jump and bark and get overly emotional when you walk through the door. Or perhaps he is more subtle and simply wags his tail to the right at the sound of your greeting.

Your dog puts you second only to food. Dogs live in the “now.” When they are hungry and are presented with a bowl full of food, they will forgo human interaction for the glory of a good meal. However, when the bowl is empty many dogs want to snuggle with their owners after mealtime.

Your dog likes to sleep with you. Do you notice how dogs are alert to threats in their environment and lie in a defensive position when sleeping. If you observe how your dog sleeps,you migh notice that they have their backs to you — in a position to defend you at all costs? Perhaps.

Studies have shown that dogs place their noses to the wind to pick up threatening scents and their backs to other pack members to form a protective circle. And, when they snuggle with you on the couch, it is a sign they feel safe and consider you part of their pack. You are part of their inner family circle.

Your dog looks at you with loving eyes. Making direct eye contact can be interpreted as aggression among dogs. When two dogs meet, one will look away in deference to the alpha dog. When your dog looks at you with eyes that are relaxed and pupils that are normal size, he is gracing you with a loving gaze — with me that normally happens when I am opening the dog treat container.

Your dog does not care about your appearance. If your dog cuddles you when you have stinky morning breath, after a sweaty workout, or when you have a crazy hair day, chances are it is a case of true love. Dogs really do love us unconditionally.

Your dog follows you everywhere. If you feel like you cannot take a step in the house without your dog at your heels, consider yourself loved. Dogs cling to you for more than just security. Unlike other human companions, they cannot get enough of your company.

So, is there a love connection that we experience when with our pets? Who knows for sure? As for me, I remain secure in the way my dog feels for me and how I feel for them — perhaps, that’s all that really matters.

It’s a ruff life and pet love matters — always!