Emily Chan
These findings suggest that the smell of human stress affected the dogs’ decisions and expectations.
The stress smell may have increased the dogs’ expectations that there was no food to be found in the new location, similar to the empty bowl location.
It appeared that the stress smell made the dogs behave with more caution. The “pessimistic” response could be a way for them to conserve energy and avoid potential disappointment.
Overall, the odor of a stressed human, even unfamiliar, can affect a dog’s emotional state and learning ability.
The team also figured out that the dogs kept improving their learning about the presence or absence of food in the two trained bowl locations. They seemed to learn faster when subjected to the stress smell.
“Understanding how human stress affects dogs’ well-being is an important consideration for dogs in kennels and when training companion dogs and dogs for working roles such as assistance dogs,” Dr. Rooney explained.
The study helps strengthen our bond with dogs and may lead to more effective training and care. It is published in Scientific Reports.
