A gaze melts me,
Its pull surrendering,
As it draws me in
to your tender soul.
Alice Brown
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| Taking off a collar |
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| Loving on her boy |
Recently, my granddaughter visited with her parents. As usual, her main focus centered on Emma and Kiowa. The three of them share a bond of magical proportions. The dogs exhibit a supernatural ability recognizing her even when they haven’t been together for a while. Is it scent or some other remarkable sense that assists them in this recognition? I watch amazed at their interaction. The dogs gentle her into a position of loving, and she, even at 5, shows them the kindness they deserve. This whisper of enchantment made me wonder about the human-animal bond, and how our dogs connect to us.
Both humans and dogs contribute to the rare bond we share. Dogs unlike other animals connect with humans in a special way. They formed a bond with us
some 14,000 to 17,000 years ago when they first became domesticated. According to Meg Daley Olmert, author of “Made for Each Other, The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond” (Da Capo Press, 2009), a meeting with a wolf pup and a human “kick-started a potent oxytocin hormone feedback system”. This hormone, found in mammals, “suppresses the fear response and lowers blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormone levels”. Also called the “cuddle chemical”, it promotes bonding and social recognition.
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| Enjoying a walk |
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| Feeding the pups |
When your dog gazes into your eyes and you gaze back, you both release the oxytocin hormone producing a bonding behavior. This is probably why we and our dogs have developed into such great companions. We have so much in common with them and loving them comes so easily and naturally. They can read us like a book through our body language and moods, and communicate with us in much the same way. How lucky we are that they accept us no matter what and never have an opinion about our behavior.
Do dogs love us back? A question many of us dog lovers believe we know the answer to. Of course, dogs love us! However, scientists believe that dogs exhibit feelings and emotions, but they may not feel human love as we feel it. Whatever it is they feel for us, I’ll take it. It feels like love to me. When my greys, lay close to me and look up into my eyes, I feel a sweet connection that I would never give up.
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| Kiowa and his buddy |
