Dogs have an impressive ability to sense stress in humans, distinguishing stressed individuals from calm ones with remarkable accuracy. A study conducted at the University of Naples Federico II found that dogs can detect subtle changes in human body chemistry that signal emotional states.
Researcher Biagio D’Aniello and his team collected breath and sweat samples from participants before and after a mental math task, which showed significant volatile organic compounds that shift with fast changes in the body. The results revealed that dogs could distinguish between stressed and calm individuals with an accuracy of nearly 93.75%.
This phenomenon is made possible by the anatomy of a dog’s brain, which devotes only about 0.31% of its space to the olfactory bulb – the region responsible for processing smells. In contrast, humans have only around 0.01% dedicated to this function.
Dogs’ sensitivity to human emotions can also be used for healing purposes, such as supporting veterans with PTSD symptoms. A study found that pairing trained psychiatric service dogs with veterans reduced PTSD symptoms and improved psychosocial functioning.
While it’s essential to avoid punishing a dog’s reactions, redirecting with simple tasks and reinforcing calm behavior can help manage tense situations. By teaching children rules that reduce friction, families can protect their dogs from loaded moments.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/if-your-dog-does-not-like-someone-there-is-good-reason-smell-human-stress