The bond between dogs and humans continues to surprise science. A recent study revealed that dogs can shed tears when reuniting with their owners, an emotional reaction previously attributed only to humans. These tears are not simple physiological reflexes: they express affection, attachment, and happiness.
The finding was confirmed through tests that measured the volume of tears before and after the reunion. After several hours of separation, the levels increased significantly when the dog saw its owner again. The effect is related to the release of oxytocin, known as the “love hormone,” which also plays a role in the mother-child bond.
These displays of canine emotion reaffirm that animals have a complex emotional life, shaped by thousands of years of living with humans. Researchers argue that dogs not only respond to stimuli, but also experience and communicate deep emotional states.
Furthermore, they observed that the wet faces of dogs elicit an instinctive caregiving response in people, creating an empathetic bond that further strengthens the relationship between them.
Dogs also cry tears of joy.
Other Ways to Show Joy
In addition to tears of emotion, there are also other verbal and visual signals through which canine companions can express their joy. According to experts, these animals express happiness and other related feelings by keeping their tail at a medium and relaxed level. It can also be observed that they have their mouth open with their tongue hanging over their front teeth.
They can also show confidence by standing upright, with their ears raised or by wagging their tail slowly. Additionally, they maintain eye contact with their owners, not to mention typical behaviors such as exaggerated movements, a raised tail and rear end, and front legs lowered, resembling the downward-facing dog yoga pose.
The Importance of Understanding Canine Emotional Language
Dogs are fundamental members of the family, so understanding canine emotional language is important to ensure their well-being. This language is understood as the set of body, vocal, and olfactory signals that dogs use to communicate their mood, needs, and intentions to other dogs and humans.
Generally, it is manifested through postures, tail movements, facial expressions (eyes, ears), barks, growls, licks, and other behaviors. Understanding this language is crucial to establish a good relationship with them, as it allows them to express their emotions genuinely and enables humans to interpret their signals correctly.
A study revealed that dogs also cry tears of joy.
The Bond with Humans
Domestic dogs are the oldest species of companion animals and one of the most popular. Several studies revealed that modern dog breeds integrated into human society over 10,000 years ago.
These studies compared the behavior of dogs and wolves and indicated that dogs show less avoidance and aggression towards familiar humans. Additionally, dogs demonstrate a better understanding of human communicative signals than wolves, and in some studies, dogs even showed the ability to form social bonds with humans.
Although the main driving force behind dog domestication remains unclear, it is true that these behavioral adaptations, including docility and the ability to form social bonds with humans, are important factors that allowed dogs to integrate into human society.
