6 Things Your Dog Waits For You to Do (But You Rarely Do)

Your dog is quietly waiting for you to do six simple things, and most owners almost never do them. None of them cost money, and each takes only a few minutes. In this video, we look at what science has measured when we do them: brain activity, stress hormones, oxytocin, and even how optimistic a dog feels about the future. In this video: • Why dogs' brains respond to both your words and your tone of voice • The study showing sniffing makes dogs more optimistic • The "eureka effect": why dogs enjoy solving problems • How the way you play changes your dog's stress hormones • The simple 3-second consent test every owner should know • The homecoming mistake most owners make, and what a Swedish study found Which of these six things does your dog want the most? Tell us in the comments! This video is for educational and entertainment purposes only. For behavior problems such as separation anxiety, please consult a veterinarian or a qualified animal behaviorist. SOURCES 1. Andics, A., Gábor, A., Gácsi, M., Faragó, T., Szabó, D., & Miklósi, Á. (2016). Neural mechanisms for lexical processing in dogs. Science, 353(6303), 1030–1032. 2. Benjamin, A., & Slocombe, K. (2018). "Who's a good boy?!" Dogs prefer naturalistic dog-directed speech. Animal Cognition, 21, 353–364. 3. Duranton, C., & Horowitz, A. (2019). Let me sniff! Nosework induces positive judgment bias in pet dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 211, 61–66. 4. McGowan, R. T. S., Rehn, T., Norling, Y., & Keeling, L. J. (2014). Positive affect and learning: Exploring the "Eureka Effect" in dogs. Animal Cognition, 17, 577–587. 5. Horváth, Zs., Dóka, A., & Miklósi, Á. (2008). Affiliative and disciplinary behavior of human handlers during play with their dog affects cortisol concentrations in opposite directions. Hormones and Behavior, 54(1), 107–114. 6. Rehn, T., & Keeling, L. J. (2011). The effect of time left alone at home on dog welfare. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 129(2–4), 129–135. 7. Rehn, T., Handlin, L., Uvnäs-Moberg, K., & Keeling, L. J. (2014). Dogs' endocrine and behavioural responses at reunion are affected by how the human initiates contact. Physiology & Behavior, 124, 45–53. 8. Purdue Center for Animal Welfare Science – Let Me Sniff! summary: https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.... 9. ScienceNordic – Dogs value shared time above strength of love: https://www.sciencenordic.com/animal-... 10. Psychology Today (Stanley Coren) – What Is the Best Way to Greet Your Dog? https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/... #dogs #dogbehavior #dogscience