More Magic of Dogs

Researchers were interested in the impacts on people of various interactions with dogs.  They had 30 healthy South Korean participants, average age 28 years, perform 8 different activities with a 4-year-old female Standard Poodle for 3 minutes each: photographing, meeting, feeding, walking, grooming, playing, massaging, and hugging the dogs.  The brain waves of participants were measured in the prefrontal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes, and data on mood, stress, and attitude were collected. 

Researchers discovered significant increases in:

• The brain’s relaxation and resting state when participants played with and walked the dog; and

• The capacity to concentrate without stress during grooming, massage, and play;
  as well as

• Significantly lower stress during all the activities.

“This study demonstrated that specific dog activities could activate stronger relaxation, emotional stability, attention, concentration, and creativity by facilitating increased brain activity. In addition, interactions with dogs could decrease stress and induce positive emotional responses.”

Takeaway:  Interacting with dogs is likely to lower your stress, improve your mood and capacity to relax, and empower your attention, concentration, and creativity.  Go play with your dog!

Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.

Sources

Onyoo Yoo, et al., Psychophysiological and Emotional Effects of Human-Dog Interactions by Activity Type: An Electroencephalogram Study, PLOS One, March 13, 2024,  Psychophysiological and emotional effects of human–Dog interactions by activity type: An electroencephalogram study | PLOS ONE

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