You may want to think about you feel around your dog.
A new study says dogs reflect the stress their owners are feeling, but pets can help calm super-stressed owners. Swedish researchers found a strong and significant correlation in long-term stress levels between dogs and their owners, with one exception. People who considered themselves to be high-strung or neurotic generally had dogs whose stress levels were lower.
The hormone cortisol, when high in owners, was also high in dogs. Having a garden or play area didn’t help the canines lower those levels.
Researchers say dogs can be an important source of social support. The researchers say, over time, this could lead to lower stress levels and better health for people and their pets. The study is published in the latest edition of the journal “Nature.”
Source: New York Post