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Factors of the human-dog relationship

01.03.2017

A team from the Department of Behavioural Biology investigated the relationship between biopsychological parameters and stress management of holders and their dogs.

The project "Factors of the human-dog relationship" aimed at understanding the relationship between man and dog through the integration of behavior as well as psychological and physiological parameters. In a parallel study of the research team, it was shown that the dog's binding pattern is related to stress reactivity. "Certainly bound dogs show a drop in the stress hormone cortisol compared to insecure dogs during the so-called binding test and in the game with the holder," explains Iris Schöberl, the first author of the study. Likewise, the bond pattern of the holder played a role for the stress reaction in the dog. [more]

(c) Iris Schöberl