How Dogs Love Us

Do dogs love their humans like humans love their dogs?  One dog lover and neuroscientist decided to find out.  Gregory Berns' book, How Dogs Love Us is about his research into the canine mind.  To find out how dogs "felt" towards humans, he and his team of researchers had to design and conduct several experiments with their dogs.  The first and hardest part was training a dog to enter an MRI machine, and then, sit still long enough to get an accurate reading.  They measured brain activity when dogs were presented with certain stimuli, such as sweat from their human beings. 

What did they find out?  I don't want to spoil it, but, I think any dog lover will tell you that dogs do love their humans.  They reciprocate certain emotions shown towards them.  For example, the dogs that were presented with sweat samples had parts of the brain activate only when presented with their particular owner's smell.  

As a dog lover and owner of two overly protective corgis, I can corroborate his findings.  If you are a dog lover as well, check this one out to learn more about the ways your dog relates to you.  If you are a cat lover, well, don't hold your breath.

Visit the author's website here