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Can you 'Catch' feelings from your dog?
In this article I am going to explore whether we as dog owners/guardians should prioritise our relationship with ourselves and self care for the betterment of our dog's wellbeing.
Firstly, can we use the word “Catch”? I have seen some dog professionals disregarding these claims because of some confusion around the word 'Catch'.
There are many definitions of the word 'Catch'. We are using Catch as the synonym of Contagious:
(of an emotion, feeling, or attitude) likely to spread to and affect others.
"her enthusiasm is contagious"
How are emotions between dogs and humans a two way street?
Emotional Contagion
Feelings can be contagious because of a phenomenon known as emotional contagion. Emotional contagion refers to the unconscious tendency of individuals to pick up and mimic the emotional states of those around them. This can happen in both positive and negative ways.
When someone is in a positive emotional state, such as feeling happy or excited, it can be contagious and spread to others in their environment. For example, if someone is laughing and having a good time, it can be difficult for those around them not to feel the same way. Similarly, if someone is in a negative emotional state, such as feeling sad, anxious, or angry, it can also be contagious and cause others to experience similar emotions.
One reason for emotional contagion is the mirror neuron system in the brain. This system is involved in empathy and social cognition and is activated when we observe others' emotions or actions. When we see someone expressing an emotion, our mirror neuron system fires as if we were experiencing that emotion ourselves, which can lead us to mimic the emotional state of the person we are observing.
Another factor in emotional contagion is nonverbal communication. Our facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice can communicate our emotional state to others, even without us saying anything explicitly. This can influence the emotional state of those around us and lead to emotional contagion
The Mirror Neuron System
The mirror neuron system is a network of neurons in the brain that is involved in mirroring the actions and emotions of others. It was first discovered in primates and later found to exist in other mammals, including dogs.
Mirror neurons are activated when an animal performs a specific action, such as reaching for a toy or performing a specific behaviour, and also when the animal observes another animal or human performing the same action. This allows the animal to understand the actions and intentions of others, and to imitate them if necessary.
In dogs, the mirror neuron system is thought to play a role in social communication and learning. For example, a dog may observe another dog performing a certain behaviour, such as sitting or shaking, and then imitate that behaviour themselves. Dogs may also use the mirror neuron system to understand the emotional state of their human companions, by observing their facial expressions and body language.
Studies have shown (see citation list at the end of this article) that dogs have a well-developed mirror neuron system, and are able to imitate the actions of humans and other dogs. They are also able to respond to human emotions and intentions, which may be linked to their mirror neuron system.
As a dog behaviourist, what examples of this behaviour do I see?
As my job suggests, I typically see negative examples of emotional contagion between dogs and their family members. A pattern that often emerges is, a dog lacks training in an area or develops a negative behaviour due to their experience and that creates an undesired behaviour that gives one or more of the human family members anxiety. It can often be unclear which came first, the dog’s stress or the human stress, then one reinforces the other, creating a downwards spiral effect.
Examples of where the owner learns from the dog:
A dog pulls on the lead. Over time the human becomes stressed or anxious about having to walk a dog that pulls, this can sometimes compound with environmental stressors and encourage the dog to become anxious being walked on lead outside.
A dog wasn't socialised properly as a puppy and has an inappropriate response to suitcases. Owner prefers to avoid walking past the tube station at rush hour to minimise their stress/anxiety.
A dog has a fear of other dogs, owner becomes anxious when they see a dog, reinforcing to the dog that fear is the correct response.
Examples of where the dog learns from the owner:
A family get a new puppy and are anxious about firework night. Puppy learns to fear fireworks.
Owner is anxious about leaving the dog at home alone. Dog develops separation anxiety.
Owner has an exaggerated startle response to the doorbell, dog develops high reactivity to doorbell, entrances and exits at home and can even continue into the public domain, for example, restaurants.
How can you tell if your dog is anxious?
Subtle behaviours
Whites of eyes showing or 'whale eye', lip/nose licking, yawning, pinned/set back ears, tail may be stiff or tucked under, cowering position, hiding away/ under something (normally dark).
Obvious behaviours
Excessive barking or whining, pacing or restlessness, trembling or shaking, destructive behaviour, excessive chewing or licking, may dig or scratch excessively, Aggression/ lip curling, Avoidance or withdraw, Panting or drooling, Changes in appetite or bathroom habits (having accidents)
What can you do to support your dog indirectly?
You know the saying you can't pour from an empty cup? And Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others? Well, this is essentially the point of the article. It matters to your dog that your cup is full.
It may actually do more harm than good to march with your dog through the city when you are feeling anxious or your cup is empty, risking creating or compounding negative experiences for both you and your dog.
I recommend a little check in or body scan when you arrive home to your dog or before taking your dog out to give you a baseline and practice one or more self soothing techniques if necessary. (see below)
A body scan is a mindfulness practice that involves systematically focusing on different parts of the body, bringing awareness to any physical sensations, tension, or discomfort that may be present. Here are some general steps to follow for a basic body scan practice:
Find a quiet and comfortable place to lie down or sit, where you will not be disturbed.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, allowing yourself to become more relaxed and centred.
Bring your attention to the top of your head, and begin to scan down through your body, paying attention to any sensations that you may feel in each area.
As you move through each area, notice any tension or discomfort that you may be holding there, breathe in, hold and tense each body part and breathe out to release and relax.
As you scan through each part of your body, try to remain present and focused, without judging or analyzing any sensations that arise.
If your mind starts to wander or become distracted, gently bring your attention back to the area you are focusing on and continue with the practice.
Once you have completed the scan, take a few moments to rest and simply observe any sensations that may be present in your body.
A body scan can be a helpful way to bring awareness to any areas of tension or discomfort in your body, and to cultivate a greater sense of relaxation and presence. With regular practice, you may find that you become more attuned to your body's sensations and better able to manage stress and tension in your daily life.
What is Self Soothing?
Self-soothing is the practice of calming and comforting oneself during times of stress, anxiety, or emotional distress. It involves taking deliberate actions to manage one's emotional state, and can include a variety of techniques
Self-soothing is an important skill that can help individuals manage difficult emotions and cope with challenging situations. It can help to reduce the intensity of negative emotions, increase feelings of relaxation and wellbeing, and promote overall emotional resilience. Self-soothing techniques can be practiced on one's own, without the need for external support or assistance, making them a useful tool for managing one's mental health and wellbeing.
Self soothing suggestions include:
Short visualisations
Meditation
Journaling
Yoga and exercise
Go for a walk or run
Catch up with friends
Cook yourself a nice meal or make your favourite snacks
Plan a night or weekend away
Bath with candles
Play your favourite music
Dance
Put on your favourite smells
Engage in or start new hobbies
Take yourself for a coffee
Make something or start a creative project
Volunteering
Read a book
Make yourself a photobook
Write a letter regarding an issue that is disturbing you
Write a letter to someone to whom things have been left unsaid or you are not able to say anymore.
Find your voice with a sound or song workshop
Grounding by walking with your feet in the grass
Butterfly hug
Tapping techniques
How can you support your dog directly?
Anxiety products, I like the Thundershirt for helping to bring your dog back into their body
A rough routine and appropriate boundaries at home can help your dog to feel more settled.
Spending time together, spending time apart, both of these are equally important, you can’t have one without the other.
Physical and mental stimulation will need to be tailored to the breed or type of dog you have but generally most dogs will enjoy this Lickimat
Training helps to improve your bond and some working breeds thrive on this.
Grooming and massage can be a nice way for both of you to wind down together in the evening.
Cuddles, obviously, Oxytocin all round!
I hope you have found this article helpful. Head over to my instagram @CanineNeeds to interact with me there and let me know if you have any questions or feedback. I’d love to hear from you!
Studies and reference material for this article
Sundman, AS., Van Poucke, E., Svensson Holm, AC. et al. Long-term stress levels are synchronized in dogs and their owners. Sci Rep 9, 7391 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43851-x
Höglin, A., Van Poucke, E., Katajamaa, R. et al. Long-term stress in dogs is related to the human–dog relationship and personality traits. Sci Rep 11, 8612 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88201-y
Emotional contagion in dogs as measured by change in cognitive task performance
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.09.001
Author: Zsófia Sümegi,Katalin Oláh,József Topál
Publication: Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: November 2014
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wilson C, Campbell K, Petzel Z, Reeve C (2022) Dogs can discriminate between human baseline and psychological stress condition odours. PLoS ONE 17(9): e0274143. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274143