A DOG may be man’s best friend, but now there is scientific proof that the feeling is mutual. Stroking pets is known to relax owners. But it appears the dogs also chill out during the experience.
Johannes Odendaal of the Pretoria Technikon in South Africa took blood samples from dogs and owners who’d been relaxing together for up to half an hour. Concentrations of natural substances associated with a happy, relaxed frame of mind, such as endorphins, oxytocin, dopamine and prolactin doubled in the bloodstream of both owners and dogs. And blood pressure fell.
“The increase in plasma dopamine concentrations obtained in this study for both…
