20 Fascinating Dog and Human Relationship Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

Your dog means so much to you. To imagine a world without her is simply impossible.

She stole her way to your heart with her loyalty, cuddles, undying love, and beauty.

After a long day at work, the doggie will jump on you and wag her tail to tell you how much she missed you.

If a member of the family is threatened, she will protect them at all costs, even if it means putting her life on the line.

Ever wondered why dogs and humans share such a special bond?

With all the animals in the world, why is it that canines get to occupy that exceptional place?

Well, the answer comes in many forms. To help you understand more about this remarkable connection, we have detailed 20 amazing dog and human relationship facts.

Let’s dive right in..

1. Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated

The relationship between humans and dogs goes all the way back.

 Studies suggest that domestication happened around 27,000 – 40,000 years ago.

By then, no other animal lived and interacted with humans.

It all started when wolves started showing up in human homes to look for scraps of food. In return, they would help humans with hunting.

Over the next millennia, the wolf had changed into the present dog as we know it.

2. Humans and dogs are alike in many ways

They may not look like us but our dogs are similar to us than we care to admit.

They are social beings, consider us as family members, crave attention, have the emotions we have, just to mention a few.

These things explain why the two species form an intense and inseparable bond.

3. Puppies understand humans than wolf puppies

Although dogs descended from wolves, domestication has totally transformed them.

Right from birth, a normal puppy will get you better than a wolf puppy.

4. Scent-driven beings

While you can identify your doggie by sight and perhaps hearing, she does the same through her nose.

Canines have approximately 300 olfactory receptors in their little noses. Humans only have 4 million.

In addition, the part of a dog’s brain that decodes smells is much greater than ours (about 40 times greater).

Your pup can identify the smell of everyone in the family and differentiate one from the other with relative ease.

5. Their eyes also play a role

Although the smell remains as a dog’s number one way of discerning her owners, she also uses facial recognition.

A study done by Paolo Mongillo of the University of Padua, Italy confirmed the truth to this.

Through their sweet little eyes, they can pick out their owners in a crowd full of people.

6. They can read human emotions

One of the reasons canines make amazing pets is because they are good at reading human emotions.

They combine their senses of sight and hearing to interpret what their owners are going through.

According to the AKC, these beautiful canines can read six different emotions – anger, sadness, surprise, fear, happiness, and disgust.

7. Owning a dog can reduce your stress level

There are plenty of benefits of owning a dog, one of which is reduced stress.

This is based on a study done by John Hopkins Medicine.

Turns out that petting a dog can lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and pump up the production of oxytocin (the feel-good hormone).

This is the very reason doggies have made their way to hospitals to comfort the sick.

8. Dogs also secrete oxytocin

When it comes to oxytocin, humans are the popular species to secrete it.

However, research shows that pooches have the same hormone as well. 

As they share amazing bonds with their human owners, oxytocin is released to make them the affectionate companions we know them to be.

9. A dog can improve your heart health

Speaking of reduced stress, dogs can do so much more for the health of an individual.

Reduced stress means a lower risk of heart disease and heart rate.

In addition, a Fido forces her owner to exercise. Whether you own a German shepherd, whippet, or the lazy bulldog, the truth is that you are bound to work your muscles than your neighbor without a doggie.

Exercise is directly linked to good heart health.

10. Humans fight loneliness through their doggies

Humans were created to be social beings. We love having people or pets to ease the loneliness that creeps up from time to time.

Dogs have, over the years given unparalleled companionship to humans.

 Even the loneliest soul can find a lasting friendship with a dog and get out of the rut.

11. Dogs change the behavior of humans

Many people don’t realize it but dogs have the ability to change the lives of their human owners.

They cause you to calm down, slow your breath, relax your mind, yell less, and just enjoy life.

12. Dogs make humans more social

Research says that 40% of dog owners have an easier time creating friendships.

Pooches help you know strangers and make new friends with ease.

As you walk your dog, you meet people and talk to them.

13. Dogs ease depression in humans

For many dog parents, their furry friends are their ultimate joy-givers.

They can give you a long list of the happiness that their pets add to their lives.

 When going through depression, your dog can help you combat it in many ways.

For one, she makes sure you will leave the house and exercise her.

Being on the move and seeing other people in itself elevates your mood in more ways than one.

Your pet also reduces your stress, gets you to laugh, enjoy some company, and gives you a purpose.

14. Lowered blood pressure

As mentioned before, petting a dog releases oxytocin and reduces cortisol.

Both help you keep your blood pressure low besides giving you a relaxing and tranquil feeling.

15. A sense of responsibility

With owning a dog comes great responsibility and purpose. You have to walk her, feed her, groom her, exercise her, and ensure her wellbeing.

When you do these on a daily basis, you learn responsibility from another perspective.

You understand how to take care of another creature the same way you do human members of the family.

16. Dogs view their owners as a secure base

In your pet’s mind, your presence offers security and protection in a scary and unpredictable world.

The relationship is like that of an infant and its mother. The former views the latter as a constant secure base. The same rings true for your Fido.

When you are around, she is less worried about attacks from other animals, dying of hunger, freezing, etc.

17. The dog-human bond lives on in the absence of the owner

If you’ve ever watched videos of soldiers coming home after the war, you know dogs never forget their owners easily.

Some of the servicemen leave home for months or years only for their pups to welcome them home like they never left.

The exact time dogs take to forget their owners varies but the memories live on for a pretty long time.

18. Your dog knows you love her

When your pet your dog, stare at her with immense love, or just play with her, does she really know what she means to you?

Well, it turns out that happy canines indeed know they are loved by their owners. 

Dr. Brian Hare collaborated with Purina Pro Bright Mind to find out whether dogs have the mental capacity to understand love or not.

As you might have expected, they found that indeed they know what love is.

19. Dogs feel motivated around their human owners

A team of researchers gave treats to dogs – one in front of their owners, another group alone, and the last one in front of strangers.

They discovered that the dogs with their owners were enthusiastic about the treats than the other two groups.

Having their owners in the room motivates and encourages dogs.

20. Unconditional love and acceptance

Dogs, unlike human beings, do not have opinions, verdicts, or critiques. They love without any conditions whatsoever.

Whether you are disabled, broke, rick, smelly, or sick, your pooch will accept and love you for you.

Closing Thoughts

The bond between a dog and its owner is made of covalent forces. It is unbreakable, deep, and beneficial for both parties.

Hopefully, the few dogs and human relationship facts we’ve highlighted herein have illuminated more about this unique relationship.