Monkey See - Monkey Do
- CJ
- Oct 9, 2019
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 28, 2019
Have you ever had a really low day? One where you just feel like lying in bed and feeling sorry for yourself? Did your dog copy you by lying quietly by your side? Did they sulk around your shadow, without even showing a hint of excitement or a wag of the tail?
Chances are you’re dog was mimicking your low mood.
Bronwyn Orr, a veterinarian and PhD student at the University of Sydney, recently wrote an article for ABC detailing the affect that your mental state could have on your loyal canine. In the article, Orr suggests that recent studies published by Nature’s Scientific Reports examined the hormone known as cortisol in the hair of dogs and their owners. This method was used to measure the long-term trends of stress that was absorbed and circulated from the blood. Their research results showed that the cortisol levels from the participating dogs, matched the cortisol levels in their respective owners; identifying that, ‘owners with higher stress levels tended to have dogs with higher stress levels too.'
Orr uses this study to highlight that our stress can be projected on to our canine counterparts and therefore it is important to be mindful of our own mental state for the benefit of our dogs.
In order to counteract this ‘monkey see – monkey do’ mentality, I have listed 8 positive activities that promote a healthier and happier mental state for both your dog and yourself:
Get an ice cream together – Gelatissimo stores now offer a special peanut butter flavour for you special four-legged friend!
Go on a nice scenic walk around your neighbourhood or try somewhere new
Go to the beach
Sing to your dog – even if you are terribly out of tune he/she won’t judge you!
Teach your dog a new trick
Give your dog a massage – trust me, they will love it!
Tell your dog that you love them – repeatedly!
It is extremely important to be aware of our moods and the affect they have on our beloved companions. Although it seems that the bond we share with our dogs are just that of doting affection, they are actually much more intrinsic and deeper than we could ever imagine.
Please note: This work is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
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