A study from the University of Jyväskylä shows that emotional bonds between dogs and their owners influence both heart rate variability and physical activity levels, indicating a deep physiological bond similar to that between humans.
Heart rate variability, or the time interval differences between heartbeats, reveals the state of the autonomic nervous system. Higher variability indicates relaxation, while lower variability suggests stress.
The study found that when dog owners showed high heart rate variability, their dogs often showed similar levels, and their activity levels aligned during shared tasks such as play.
During relaxed, unstructured times, heart rate variability between owners and dogs was especially synchronized, suggesting that when neither partner is focused on external activities, they naturally tune into each other’s emotional state.
This association likely reflects emotional synchrony and not just physical activity, as the strongest associations between variability were observed during rest periods, rather than during active play.
The study also found that a dog’s heart rate variability may be related to the owner’s temperament. For example, dogs whose owners had high negative affectivity, a trait associated with a tendency to worry, often showed higher heart rate variability.
These owners’ strong bonds with their dogs can contribute to an increased sense of security in their pets.
Surprisingly, the dogs also influenced their owners. Owner heart rate variability was better explained by dog variability than by other factors such as owner activity level or body mass index. This mutual influence underlines the bidirectional nature of the bond, which goes beyond what was previously understood.
The study, funded by the Research Council of Finland and the Agria & Svenska Kennelklubben Research Fund, involved 30 dog-owner pairs, mainly breeds such as sheepdogs and retrievers, known for their sensitivity to human cues.
Research leader Miiamaaria Kujala notes that simultaneously examining the heart rate and activity of both the dog and the owner provided a unique insight into the interaction between species.
This research highlights that the emotional bonds that strengthen human attachments also strengthen the bonds between dogs and their owners. Such insights deepen our understanding of interspecies relationships and underscore the important role that emotional synchrony plays in interspecies bonding.
