What is Oxytocin in Dogs?

Have you ever heard of “oxytocin”? If not, you may have discovered that dogs possess a love hormone. This is oxytocin! Interestingly enough, there is much research on this particular hormone for dogs. We all know that our dogs love us, but many do not realize how much they love us.

Studies show that our dogs love us so much that they may even ignore the danger to see our smiling faces! The more we gaze into our dog’s eyes, the more they will love us. Every time you gaze into your dog’s eyes, levels of the love hormone (oxytocin) go up. You may wonder why this is referred to as the love hormone. Oxytocin is released when we touch, hug, or look into someone’s eyes. This increases a special attachment to the person or animal on the other end.

It is not surprising to know that the nicer you are to your dog, the more love hormone is created. You may wonder how researchers have discovered how dogs genuinely feel about us. Interestingly enough, researchers have studied the size of a dog’s pupils to determine their emotions. For example, if a dog’s pupils are larger, they are in a higher emotional state.

From research, we discovered that dogs like to focus on the most salient aspects of every social situation that they are in, even if it is dangerous. Oxytocin makes the dog override their survival instincts. Dogs show the most interest in a person’s smiling face compared to a threatening look! Please pay close attention to your dog’s behaviors the next time you give them a huge hug, kiss, or stare at them in the eyes. You will be able to see the oxytocin at work, which will make your bond even stronger!