Abstract
This study reveals, for the first time, an interspecific synchronization in long-term stress levels. Previously, acute stress, has been shown to be highly contagious both among humans and between individuals of other species. Here, long-term stress synchronization in dogs and their owners was investigated. We studied 58 dog-human dyads and analyzed their hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) at two separate occasions, reflecting levels during previous summer and winter months. The personality traits of both dogs and their owners were determined through owner-completed Dog Personality Questionnaire (DPQ) and human Big Five Inventory (BFI) surveys. In addition, the dogs’ activity levels were continuously monitored with a remote cloud-based activity collar for one week. Shetland sheepdogs (N = 33) and border collies (N = 25), balanced for sex, participated, and both pet dogs and actively competing dogs (agility and obedience) were included to represent different lifestyles. The results showed significant interspecies correlations in long-term stress where human HCC from both summer and winter samplings correlated strongly with dog HCC (summer: N = 57, χ2 = 23.697, P < 0.001, β = 0.235; winter: N = 55, χ2 = 13.796, P < 0.001, β = 0.027). Interestingly, the dogs’ activity levels did not affect HCC, nor did the amount of training sessions per week, showing that the HCC levels were not related to general physical activity. Additionally, there was a seasonal effect in HCC. However, although dogs’ personalities had little effects on their HCC, the human personality traits neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness significantly affected dog HCC. Hence, we suggest that dogs, to a great extent, mirror the stress level of their owners.
Highlights
This study reveals, for the first time, an interspecific synchronization in long-term stress levels
Human hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) had a significant effect on dog HCC for both summer (Fig. 1; N = 57, χ2 = 23.697, P < 0.001, β = 0.235) and winter (N = 55, χ2 = 13.796, P < 0.001, β = 0.027) samples
With an increase in human HCC, there was an increase in dog HCC
Summary
This study reveals, for the first time, an interspecific synchronization in long-term stress levels. Acute stress, has been shown to be highly contagious both among humans and between individuals of other species. We studied 58 dog-human dyads and analyzed their hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) at two separate occasions, reflecting levels during previous summer and winter months. Stress contagion can occur between the two species as measured by cognitive performance[7], but it has been shown that short-term cortisol responses are related within dog-human dyads during the performance of dog sports[9]. The facts that short-term stress seems contagious between dogs and owners and that dogs share their owners’ everyday life could lead to an interspecific long-term stress hormone synchronization within the dyad. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) allow us to study possible long-term stress synchronisation. Synchrony of hair cortisol concentrations has been found between mothers and their children[12,13]
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