Dogs Feel When You're Upset and They Want to Help 2021

A report in the journal Learning and Behavior says dogs not only understand when you are upset but also want to help you feel better. The study reached this conclusion by conducting research with 34 dogs and
their owners. During tests, owners sat behind a glass door with their dogs on the other side. The owners were told to say “Help!” every 15 seconds, either in an unaffected tone or a distressed one. Based on videos from the trials, researchers found that dogs often went through the door to be with
their humans. However, when the canines were faced with a distressed-seeming owner, they went through the door 40 seconds faster.