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From the Los Angeles Times:

 

Dogs and humans: Research finds chemistry and gaze deepen the bond

 

The long, loving gazes; the ritualized, often high-pitched, expressions of affection; the heroic self-sacrifice one would readily endure for the other: What is it about the bond between human and dog that is not like the relationship between parent and child?

Now comes evidence that when our dogs gaze into our eyes with that "you are everything to me" look, our bodies -- and theirs as well -- are flooded with oxytocin, the hormone of love, nurture, mutual trust and, above all, bonding that forms between a parent and child.

In a new study, Japanese researchers observed the interactions of 30 dog owners and their canine companions, and found that the more that the owners and their dogs gazed into each others' eyes, the more concentrated was the burst of oxytocin both human and canine produced. And, they found, the more we humans return a pet's gaze and the greater the resulting surge of oxytocin, the more emphatically we believe that ours is the best dog in the whole wide world (yes, she is ...).

 

When the same researchers rigorously measured the spontaneous interactions between wolves and the animal management professionals who had raised, fed and played with them, they saw neither the mutual gaze (not surprising, since wolves generally lock eyes with other wolves as a threatening gesture) nor the surge in oxytocin.

In a separate experiment, the researchers administered dogs a supplemental dose of oxytocin before a half-hour session of interaction between dog and owner. Among female dogs the increase in oxytocin boosted the number of times the dog locked eyes with its owner, which in turn set off an increase in oxytocin released in the dog owner's blood. The same response was not noted in male dogs.

 

More Here:

http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-sn-dog-human-bond-eyes-20150416-story.html

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another iteration of the same study -

 

Kikusui and his colleagues wondered exactly what dogs are getting out of their affectionate gazing at humans. In the new study, which is detailed today (April 16) in the journal Science, the team measured the oxytocin levels of dogs and their owners before and after the pairs spent 30 minutes together.

After the owners spent quality time gazing into their dogs' eyes, petting and talking to the furballs, both the people and dogs showed increases in the levels of oxytocin in their urine. What's more, the more oxytocin rose in humans, the more it did in dogs as well.

In similar experiments with wolves, the researchers found no such interspecies-oxytocin loop — even though the wolves were interacting with people who had raised them from pups.

In a second experiment, the researchers spritzed an oxytocin nasal spray into dogs' nostrils and found that female dogs stared longer at their owners afterward, and that both the pups and the humans showed a rise in oxytocin as a result.

The findings suggest that the oxytocin feedback loop can cross species boundaries, at least between man and his best friend.

 

Entire article here---

http://mashable.com/2015/04/16/puppy-eyes-dogs-bond/#:eyJzIjoiZiIsImkiOiJfZDhnZWNvOHQzYmtsNHB0eSJ9

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The Today show did a small report on this in a segment Friday morning (04/17).

 

They didn't go into much detail but got the gist of it correct.

They also showed a picture of a dog that retain the "cute puppy dog eyes" and mentioned the oxytocin burst that dogs get and eluded that dogs may have developed this over time to help get the "ooowey" gazes from people and receive the oxytocin burst. Oh course they pointed out it works both ways so dogs really are man's best friend and aid our well being. (or something like that). Also that this was a form of bonding.

 

As a footnote they did mention that this study was performed with wolves also and wolves averted gazing into human eyes - they reported that this study concluded the wolf did not want to bond with humans as the reason they did not hold gazes.

 

 

I get both conclusions / reports on wolves.

 

Yes staring is an act of aggression, especially when no pack order established.

I have been around some wolf hybrids and their may be bonding with the person that consider alpha, bur no oxytocin bursts looking at most other people.

 

I had a personal experience with a wolf in the wild. It came upon me when I was out praying in the woods (a national forest) I must have been in it's trail, as it came up over the knoll I was expecting a deer or something and as it crested it stopped in it's tracks and our eyes locked and connected. I swear our souls connected. It was the most awesome experience - a connection that went through my whole being and I was concerted to her (?). It seemed like minutes and then she receded the connection and was off in a flash. It was probably actually 10 seconds or so. I can still feel that connection/knowing whenever I recall it.

I doubt the wolf ever thinks of me - LOL!

 

 

I WONDER HOW ALYSSA IS DOING WITH CHIEF PUP-PUP?

ALYSSA, WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE - once you catch your breath and catch up on sleep as Pup-Pup gets older,

maybe you can provide some insights and your thoughts on these studies and your wolf rehab experience! :)

 

 

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DeniseE: why don't you just Message Alyssa through the forum instead of posting that here? If she is so busy, she probably won't see it on this thread about a different topic...

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Denise that would have been very cool.

 

I got the the oxytocin hit just from looking at the first pictures of Chief Pup Pup. Funny you should mention him in this thread on happy brain juice. Did that happen to you too?

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DeniseE: why don't you just Message Alyssa through the forum instead of posting that here? If she is so busy, she probably won't see it on this thread about a different topic...

 

DONE!

 

Thanks! Sometimes I don't see the obvious - if Alyssa has not been on the forum lately she probably wouldn't see my post.

 

I find this place invaluable, and love the different perspectives of all the owners on the forum, and of course I forget that I get busy and was off the forum at the beginning of my puppy adventure!

 

Thanks for bringing me down to Earth!!!!!! Great suggestion!

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Denise that would have been very cool. I got the the oxytocin hit just from looking at the first pictures of Chief Pup Pup. Funny you should mention him in this thread on happy brain juice. Did that happen to you too?

 

Actually the picture of Chief Pup-Pup that melts me is the one of him sleeping curled in between Alyssa's legs!!!!

 

Maybe it's because Tayamni especially as a pup didn't like to gaze at me. I found out from others that the little sneak would watch me and focus on me when I wasn't looking.

 

Around six months when Tayamni went into a new stage of development she has started to "gaze" some, and I catch her watching me a lot and she watches my body and face and looks at me when I look at her - from a bit of a distance - at least 4 - 6 feet.

 

I was worried in the beginning that we weren't bonding but she is bonded with me and waits for affection from me and somehow knows when I am calling home to speak with Kelli. She barks when the phone rings when I'm calling a lot of the time and does not bark at the phone at all when it's some one else calling. No we don't have different ring tomes, I still have a land line :)

 

If I had the gazing bond early I'm sure I wouldn't have all the distraction recall problems I have now at the dog park and swim park (at least not as much).

 

I think if I let her sleep on my bed when she was a pup it would have helped. I did keep the crate next to my bed ....

I have to keep gates up so she can't get to the litter boxes and also the cats still aren't ready for her to sleep on the bed with us. There would be repercussions from at least one of the cats .... :(

 

Tayamni is who she is and I am who I am and we'll just keep working on it. :)

My sister has commented recently that she can see Tayamni gets her sense of humor from me!

 

No wonder why she doesn't come when called at the unleashed parks - I wasn't the best listener either when I was having fun - maybe I should teach her "the count" - LOL!

 

 

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