Staring at Your Dog Could Send Love Hormone Surging, Study Finds

Researchers studying dog-man companionship have found that a lovely long stare is essential to make that unbreakable bond.

The study involved testing oxytocin levels of owners and dogs after spending time with each other in a setting that also tends to be distracting. According to CBC News, 27 people were placed in a room with their pets for 30 minutes and the interaction was video-tapped. Urine samples of pets and their owners were analyzed after the interaction.

Next, researchers placed dogs with their owners and two strangers in a room instructing owners to not touch their pets. Samples urine analyzed again showed that eye-contact caused a higher spike in oxytocin levels in both owners and their pets.

Oxytocin, also called the love hormone, is instrumental in child birth and pair bonding. Parenting emotions are also attributed to it.

"We think that in terms of nurturing or care taking, the human-dog bonding and parent-infant bonding is comparable. Both of them have a same oxytocin-mediated positive loop" co-author Takefumi Kikusui reportedly said.

The study also noted gender specific differences in dogs. Female dogs tend to stare longer at owners which experts said could due their mothering instincts.

Findings of the study could be used to improve relationships between people and therapy dogs that could lead to better treatment outcomes for people with conditions like autism or posttraumatic stress disorder.