According to a new study, the bond between an owner and their dog is so strong that their hearts actually beat as one.
An Australian research team found that when a dog and an owner spend time together, their heart rates not only fall, but begin to beat in sync.
So, once again we know that having a dog good for our hearts, it’s good for theirs too.
Three dog owners were separated from their dogs and then later reunited, both humans and dogs were fitted with heart monitors to see how their heart rates were affected.
‘There was a really strong coherence in the heart rate pattern of both the owner and dog,’ lead scientist Mia Cobb told Huffington Post Australia. ‘Upon being reunited, within the first minute each heart rhythm became almost directly aligned and we saw a reduction straight away.’
Three dog owners were separated from their dogs and then later reunited, both humans and dogs were fitted with heart monitors to see how their heart rates were affected.
‘There was a really strong coherence in the heart rate pattern of both the owner and dog,’ lead scientist Mia Cobb told Huffington Post Australia. ‘Upon being reunited, within the first minute each heart rhythm became almost directly aligned and we saw a reduction straight away.’
While the team expected to see the heart rates lowered, they were surprised when they saw that the heart rates mirrored each other so closely.
‘This project is a really good illustration of what most owners experience every night when they come home from work and are reunited with their companion,’ Mia said, adding: ‘This kind of effect of experiencing a lowered heart rate makes a significant difference to our overall wellbeing.’
‘This project is a really good illustration of what most owners experience every night when they come home from work and are reunited with their companion,’ Mia said, adding: ‘This kind of effect of experiencing a lowered heart rate makes a significant difference to our overall wellbeing.’
