How is it that there becomes that one dog (or dogs) that steals our hearts? It turns out that there is actually a scientific reason. Science has proven that when a dog stares into a person’s eyes that it activates the same hormonal response that bonds humans to their babies. As much as people may make fun of the term “fur babies”, in fact, our dogs really do become like our own offspring.
Because of the way dogs interact with humans, they have become considered more like partners than pets to many dog owners. Many dogs take on a great many characteristics of their owners, much like children learn to mimic habits of their parents. The earlier that a dog gets to bond to a particular person, especially as a puppy, the bond becomes stronger. As Science Magazine reports, “human-dog interactions elicit the same type of oxytocin positive feedback loop as seen between mothers and their infants.” This sort of positive feedback is believed to have been a major part in dog’s domestication in the first place. The positive feedback loop is what helps people to relieve stress when interacting with their dogs.
Beyond the scientific reasons, there’s always a particular dog that steals one’s heart. In particular, Australian Cobberdogs are a particularly popular breed that make great partners. They can be so much more than just a pet. Cobberdogs are known to be good with children and easy to train to do special tasks. They also also extremely sociable and very energetic, making for great exercise partners. It’s great to have such an active partner and since they are so friendly, it’s really like having another person in the family.
Whether it’s a Cobberdog or another breed that steals your heart, each dog is an individual each with his or her own quirks and talents, just like a person. And just like with people, even if two personalities don’t seem to mix at first, the difference in temperament between dog and person can actually be a benefit to both. No matter when you meet your dog, near birth or months later, there’s one out there that could steal your heart!
