Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 6th December 2024
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Owner stress may influence dog stress levels, study finds
The study found that changes in the owner's heart rate predicted changes in their dog's heart rate.
Vet practices could use findings to help improve welfare, researchers say. 

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) are calling for veterinary practices to be more aware of owner stress after new research showed that it was linked to dog stress levels.

The study, led by veterinary surgeon Aoife Byrne, involved 28 dog owners and their pets. The participants were divided equally into two groups, one of which saw the owners take part in a stressful digital test, while in the other, the owners took part in a relaxing guided meditation.

During the activities, the owners’ heart rates were monitored to assess their stress levels. At the same time, the dogs’ heart rates were monitored to trace any correlation. Heart rate variability was also recorded and the owners completed a short questionnaire about their feelings of anxiety.

The researchers found that changes in the owner’s heart rate predicted changes in their dog’s heart rate, suggesting that the dogs were responding to how their owners were feeling.

They also found that the dogs’ heart rates generally decreased as the experiment went on and they got used to the new environment they were in.

Gareth Arnott, reader in animal behaviour and welfare at QUB, said: “The results of this research indicate that dogs may have the ability to display emotional contagion, which is the mirroring of emotion, and social referencing, e.g. looking for cues to inform their reaction to a situation, towards their owners in novel settings.”

Dr Byrne added: “This research also underlines the importance of incorporating methods to mitigate owner stress in veterinary settings, as this has the potential to also reduce the stress experienced by their dogs.

“The impact of veterinary professionals implementing the results of this research in their practices may improve the welfare of both dog owners, and their dogs.”

The study has been published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.