Study proves petting dogs has a positive effect on health

Scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University, USA, figured outthat the stress level drops in people after 5-20 minutes of contact with dogs. And it can even be other people's pets.

Study author Nancy Gee, director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction, noted that petting and interacting with dogs allows you to reduce the level of the hormone cortisol, which regulates stress in our body, and increase the level of oxytocin, the hormone of good well-being.

And what's especially interesting is that it's a mutually beneficial activity, since dogs also experience an increase in oxytocin when interacting with a person.

Gee acknowledges that some of the findings in their study are mixed. She attributes this to differences in methodology and the fact that pet ownership studies cannot always prove causation.

Megan Mueller, Associate Professor, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, added, that the act of actually touching a dog can indeed be an important part of their soothing effect. And it confirmed something else. studyheld in Canada in 2021. It showed that students experienced less stress and feelings of homesickness after a short exposure to dogs, and this effect was much stronger for those who actually petted the animals.

Müller believes that dogs encourage us to explore the world just like they do. That is why they always help us discover something new.

Do you pet your dog often? Write in the comments.