How your dog sniffs out your mood
Dogs have been known as “man’s best friend” for centuries, and there are several reasons why this phrase has become so popular.
But did you know that dogs can use their sense of smell to understand our emotions?
Dogs have over 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to the 6 million found in humans. This means that dogs have a much more sensitive sense of smell than humans and are able to detect even the slightest odors. For example, while humans can detect the smell of baking bread, dogs can detect the individual ingredients used to make the bread.
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When we experience emotions like fear, anxiety, or stress, our bodies release pheromones, and our body odour changes. These changes are odourless to humans but are detectable by dogs.
Dogs can respond by either becoming more alert and protective or by offering comfort and affection. In some cases, dogs have even been trained to alert their owners to an impending panic attack or other emotional episodes.
That’s why dogs are often used as therapy animals for people with emotional disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
Dogs are also highly attuned to the subtle cues that we give off when we are feeling sad, happy, or angry. For example, a dog may pick up on a person’s sadness by noticing that they are slouching, avoiding eye contact, or exhibiting other non-verbal cues.
In addition to their sense of smell, dogs are also able to provide emotional support to their owners through their presence alone.
Their capacity to sense changes in our emotional state, as well as their ability to read our body language and facial expressions, is truly remarkable. The comfort and companionship that dogs provide is unparalleled, underscoring the vital role they play in our lives.
Do you have dogs? How do you think dogs help your wellbeing? Tell us in the comments below!
Lisa Lawrenson
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