A dose of oxytocin, just for you

Researchers in Japan have determined that playing with pet dogs can release a feel-good hormone associated with infant care.

The hormone oxytocin, also known as the bonding hormone, the cuddle chemical and the love drug, has been known for some time to be released in the body at times of romance, friendship and child care. Research has shown that it counters stress and depression, and breeds trust.

All of these relate to humans and human interaction.

Two Japanese dog lovers who happen also to be research biologists decided to investigate further. They enlisted 55 dog owners, had them play with their pets for 30 minutes, and provide urine samples (from the owners, not the dogs) to measure oxytocin levels before and after the play session.

The sessions were videoed and eye contact time between human and dog was recorded.

It was found that those owners who experienced lengthy eye contact (an average of two and a half minutes) during the play session had a 20 per cent rise in their oxytocin levels during the session.

Those who tended to spend longer periods making eye contact also tended to rate their relationship with their pet as more satisfying.

Mr Kikusui said that an increase in the hormone level could explain why playing with dogs can lift moods and even improve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Oxytocin might have played a part in the domestication of dogs from wolves about 15,000 years ago. Mr Kikusui said: "The reason I did this research is because I am a big dog lover and feel something changes in my body when I am gazed at by my dog. Maybe during the evolutionary process, humans and dogs came to share the same social cues, such as eye contact and hand gestures. This is why dogs can adapt to human society."

The research was published in the latest edition of the journal Hormones and Behaviour.

newscientist.com, telegraph.co.uk

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