Have you ever traveled for a few days and left your dog at home? What was the dog’s reaction when you saw each other after a while? Like human beings, dogs are one of the most emotional pets you can have in your home. Dogs do not only need snacks and food in a bowl but affection and love. Studies prove that dogs tend to have a stronger attachment to their owners than vice versa. As a result, when you are away from them, they miss the love and attention. According to recent data, dogs are likely to shed a tear when they reunite with their parent. Every pet owner should treat their dogs as little kids and not as irresponsible animals. It is because human beings understand the needs and safety of dogs.
Experts experimented to prove the tear phenomenon using 22 dog-owner pairs. Researchers discovered that the emotional state of dogs becomes high during the reunion. Dogs shed tears when they see their parent/owners after a longer period. This scientific behavior is due to the oxytocin hormone in dogs. When a dog spends a decent amount of time apart from the owner, the release of oxytocin occurs. During this time, the pet will be waiting patiently for the parent to arrive. As a result, when the dog and the owner reunite, the oxytocin causes tears release. The studies also show that the tears cause a sparkling effect on the dog’s eyes. Due to this outcome, when humans look at the dog in this state, they develop a desire to care for and love the pet.
How do dogs communicate?
Pet dogs are intelligent and can communicate with their owners. It is because dogs have evolved for decades due to the domestication environment. Researches confirm that dogs use their eyes to pass a message to their owners. The dog tears develop a nurturing and protective behavior on humans. This mutual relationship results in creating a strong bond between the dog and the owner. One thing that you need to understand is that dog tears are not like for humans. Dog tears only make their eyes teary while ours roll down the cheeks. The wet-eye of dogs have a scientific name called the puppy-dog eye effect. Dr. Kikusui agrees that dogs with teary eyes get more attention from owners than ones without.
Results of the experiment
The unique outcome of this test is that the oxytocin level is different in various dog breeds. Dr. Kikusui selected a team of researchers to conduct the tear study of dogs. The experts first measured the tears in the eyes of all the dogs. Afterward, the puppies got sent to dog care for approximately seven hours. When the owners reunited with their dogs, the eyes were wetter than before. Dogs shedding tears is proof of the bond they have with the owners. A second experiment took place but this time the dog’s reunion was not with the parent. In this case, the tearing was relatively less compared to when they see the owner.
The tearing behavior of dogs is an attachment mechanism to communicate with owners. Besides, the experts asked participants to observe different types of teary dog photos. One picture had a dog without tears while the other dog photo was tearing. The outcome confirmed that people had the urge to take care of the dog with tears. Depending on the upbringing of the dog, pet dogs have other responses to a reunion. Some dog behaviors like tail and body wiggling, and jumping up and down are common responses. Dogs communicate in different ways to show excitement, anger, or tiredness. Pet owners should be keen to observe such behaviors to know the mood of their dogs.
The dog-owner attachment has the same effect as the mother-child relationship. Another experiment featured a mother, a child, and an unknown person. The mother sits with the child in a room beside a random individual. Afterward, the mum leaves the room, which leads to the child becoming upset. It is because the child feels unsafe to approach the stranger. But when the mother comes back, the child is brave to bond with the unknown person.
Dogs act the same way as children when they see their owners. If you are wondering whether your dog misses you, observe the teary eyes when you reunite.
