MRI scans on dogs reveal they view owners as family
We kind of figured that out - and the feeling is mutual, that's why we call them our furry family.
We've heard about research on things such as what dogs dream about and how a study revealed that classical music revealed short-term stress in dogs.
And it is quite fulfilling to hear research that has been done on the way dogs feel about their owners.
We doubt this was the first of its kind, and will definitely not be the last, but learning the way our furry fam feels about us, really is endearing.
In 2014, an article in National Geographic revealed what dogs think about when they are around their humans.
Interestingly enough, it's not just about when you are going to give them food, as Scooby Doo might have us believe.
"A dog encountering its owner’s smell could feel in some way like a person reacting to the perfume or cologne of a loved one, according to study leader Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomist at Emory University in Atlanta." (National Geographic)
In other words, when our furry family members smell their owners - aka their human parents - they experience happiness.
Scientists have delved into the way canines think by performing MRI scans on their brains. By allowing dogs to smell their owners' aromas, scientists found that it activated the reward centre of the dogs' brains.
Dogs don't just get super happy when they see their owners, they also have a good inkling into our feelings.
"In fact, their brains are in tune with the inflections of emotion in our voices in a similar way to humans. Their brains are constantly in tune with their humans, which explains why they're so good at comforting us." (Cuteness.com)
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Safe to say that we're on the same page with our furry family members.
The love is mutual, and we hope we can offer up the same comfort, if not more, in return.
Image Courtesy of Instagram