Can Dogs Understand Human Emotions? The Science Behind Your Dog’s Big Heart

Dog owners seem to instinctively “know” that their dogs understand them. Your dog comforts you when you’re sad and takes part in your joy. But, are they picking up on your emotions or something else? Can your dog tell when you’re happy, sad, or angry? And, do your feelings affect them?

Recent studies show that dogs can recognize expressions in other dogs and people and experience some of the same emotions as humans. Scientists believe this ability is due to the dog’s impressive cognitive abilities, history of domestication, and ability to bond deeply with us.

Here’s a look at what that means for dog owners.

Dogs are masters of emotional recognition

We often consider dogs our best friends, but the connection might go deeper than we realize. Research in animal cognition suggests that domestic dogs can recognize and respond to human emotions using multiple sensory inputs, including sight, sound, and smell, helping them put our emotions into context.

1. How dogs read faces and body language

Dogs don’t just look at us—they study us. They can interpret facial expressions alongside other inputs and respond accordingly.

Studies show that dogs recognize a happy face versus an angry face and can adjust their behavior based on what they see. They also account for vocalizations you make at the same time to help them interpret the expression.

But, it’s not just faces—dogs can read body language, too. Your emotional state influences how you move and interact with others, and dogs pick up on these subtle changes.

Have you noticed your dog seems to feed off your energy, getting excited when you’re happy and avoiding you when you’re mad?

2. How dogs hear emotions

Many dogs respond positively to a cheerful tone of voice because they hear the emotions in our vocalizations. Research shows that dogs process human speech in a way that allows them to distinguish between basic emotions.

Thus, your dog doesn’t respond to what you say; they respond to how you say it. A warm, encouraging voice can reinforce positive behaviors, while a harsh or frustrated tone can induce reactivity or confusion.

3. How dogs smell emotions

One reason dogs are so ingrained in human life is their sense of smell, which helps them perform jobs that we can’t do ourselves—like sniffing out drugs at the airport, finding missing people, or detecting minute changes in a person’s body odor before a blood sugar crash or seizure. With this superpower, it makes sense that dogs can also “smell” our emotions.

Research shows that dogs exposed to sweat samples from anxious humans can distinguish them from neutral samples, and that dog memory is impacted by their owner’s stress level. This suggests that they can smell the change and react to it through a process called emotional contagion. 

Dogs can also detect and produce the hormones cortisol and oxytocin. Cortisol levels rise during stress, while oxytocin is released during bonding moments, such as cuddling or prolonged eye contact.

Do humans impact dog emotions?

Research shows that dogs are so in tune with us that our moods and behaviors can impact their well-being.

As social animals, it benefits them to understand what others around them are feeling. Dogs become stressed when they hear human infants cry but don’t have the same response to babbling or neutral vocalizations, indicating they can experience empathy.

If you’re feeling anxious, frustrated, or sad, your dog might feel that way, too. But the opposite is also true—if you model calm behaviors, your dog is more likely to keep cool in anxiety-inducing situations.

Nature versus nurture: Is emotional intelligence in dogs learned or innate?

Is a dog’s ability to read human faces and respond to emotional cues something they’re born with, or is it a learned behavior? Scientists say it’s a mix of both.

Dogs evolved alongside humans and have undergone a lengthy domestication process. Being attentive to human emotions and cues meant better survival, so dogs fine-tuned their social cognition over time.

Unlike their wild ancestors, dogs are so intertwined with humans that they rely on us for guidance, companionship, and survival.

While dogs’ genes help them understand and live with humans, their upbringing also plays a role. Positive socialization helps dogs learn to recognize emotional expressions in dogs and people, and learn the appropriate responses. Dogs raised without socialization or in a hostile environment can have lasting social difficulties.

How can dog owners support their pet’s emotional well-being?

A dog’s environment and interactions with others influence their well-being. Providing a stable, positive atmosphere can help your dog feel safe and confident.

1. Maintain a calm environment

Dogs immersed in a tense home environment where humans have unpredictable or negative emotions may develop anxiety or other behavior problems. Keeping your household calm helps your dog feel secure.

2. Use positive reinforcement

Punishment-based training methods can harm your dog’s emotional well-being. Instead, pair desired behaviors with a positive tone of voice, treats, praise, toys, or other rewards that encourage your dog to repeat the behaviors.

Instead of punishing bad behaviors, ignore the behaviors you don’t want them to repeat and redirect their attention to positive behaviors.

3. Prioritize physical closeness

Petting, cuddling, spending time together, or simply sitting near each other releases oxytocin, the “love hormone,” in you and your dog. Oxytocin gives your dog warm, fuzzy feelings, deepens their bond with you, and encourages emotional well-being.

4. Recognize and address stress

Your dog carefully watches you to read different emotions—it’s only fair that you learn to do the same. Recognizing stress signals in another species can be tricky, but you’ll get better with practice.

Common stress signals in dogs include:

• excessive yawning
• lip licking
• panting
• pacing
• whining
• looking away
• cowering

If you notice these signs, assess and adjust your behavior or remove your dog from the stressful situation.

5. Support yourself

Because dogs sense human emotions, your behavior and emotional state can profoundly impact them. If you’re worried or stressed, your dog will take your cue and become concerned as well.

Taking care of yourself—through exercise, relaxation, or mindfulness—creates a more stable and reassuring environment for your dog.

Connecting with dogs

Dogs are emotionally intelligent beings who can sense our moods, read human facial expressions, and respond to provide emotional support. As dog owners, we can influence our pets’ emotional health by caring for ourselves and managing stress. In return, a dog’s presence may reduce your stress levels and improve your health, so cuddling up with your pup can help you both maintain your emotional health and well-being.

This content is for informational use only and does not replace professional nutrition and/or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is not a substitute for and should not be relied upon for specific nutrition and/or medical recommendations. Please talk with your veterinarian about any questions or concerns.

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