Study that shows dogs really can be man’s best friend

Stroking a dog for as little as three minutes could help boost individuals’ concentration and lower stress, a study suggests.

Playing with a well-behaved dog can boost the strength of two types of brainwaves known to improve concentration and make a person feel more relaxed, data show.

Scientists monitored the brain activity of 30 healthy adults as they interacted with a poodle in a variety of different ways, such as grooming, playing with a toy and stroking.

Participants claimed to feel less fatigue, depression and stress after all of the activities, according to the scientists.

The study, conducted by researchers at Konkuk University in Korea, supports the use of dogs as “emotional support animals” as their presence has a detectable effect on brain function.

For the study, published in the journal Plos One, scientists measured the brain activity of 15 men and 15 women, aged 20 and above, using an electroencephalogram (EEG).

Benefits measurable after three minutes

They met, played with, fed, groomed, massaged, photographed, hugged and walked with a friendly, well-trained four-year-old female poodle. Each activity lasted around three minutes.

The researchers said the EEG detected stronger alpha brain waves when the participants played with and walked the dog, “reflecting a state of relaxed wakefulness”.

Meanwhile, grooming or gently massaging the poodle saw an increase in beta brainwaves, which are associated with heightened concentration.

The brain has four main types of brainwaves, alpha, beta, theta and delta. Alpha waves are low frequency and occur during relaxed periods of thought, while beta waves are slightly higher energy and occur during most periods of conscious thought.

“This study demonstrated that specific dog activities could activate stronger relaxation, emotional stability, attention, concentration, and creativity by facilitating increased brain activity,” the study authors write.

Findings ‘not surprising’

Commenting on the study, Dr Jacqueline Boyd, a senior lecturer in animal science at Nottingham Trent University, said the findings were “unlikely to be a surprise to canine caregivers”.

She said: “To have quantitative measurement of brain activity in people during direct interactions of different types with dogs, further adds to our understanding of the human-dog relationship.”

Dr Boyd added that recruitment of the study participants was biased towards people who were happy to interact with the dog so “suggestions that all interactions with all dogs will benefit all people are to be viewed with caution”.

She added: “The novelty of involvement in a study with a friendly dog should also be highlighted as a potential limitation of the data.

“However, the reporting of measured physiological responses during canine interactions does suggest that there is some consistency in the biological basis of human-dog interactions that might be beneficial in therapeutic encounters.”