Nottingham:

Dogs have lived alongside humans for thousands of years. They have been used to hunt, guard, herd and perform many other tasks, but today they mainly act as companions. While their lives today may seem easy compared with their ancestors, they still face many stresses – including visits to the vet.

A couple of years ago, researchers in France showed that how a dog owner behaves at the vet affects their pet’s stress levels. The study showed that negative owner behaviour, such as scolding, increased dog anxiety during a veterinary examination.

But before our recent research at Queen’s University Belfast, no one had investigated the effect of owner stress on their dogs in a controlled environment. Our study differs from the research above, as it looks specifically at the effect of owner stress, measured through heart rate changes, on the stress experienced by their dog when at a vet.

Twenty-eight owners and their dogs took part in our experiment. Both owners and dogs wore heart-rate monitors throughout the experiment so that we could monitor and record their heart rate and heart-rate variability – to measure stress levels.

We then exposed the owners to either a stressful or a stress-relieving intervention and monitored the effect it had on them as well as on their dogs. The stressful intervention consisted of a digital stress test, which required owners to perform a mental arithmetic task, as well as a verbal presentation task. The stress-relieving intervention was a five-minute guided breathing meditation video.

We found that dogs’ heart rates decreased as they got used to the veterinary clinic environment. This suggests that vets should give dogs time to get used to the clinic before examining them. Not only will this reduce their stress, it may also improve the validity of any examinations or tests performed, as measures such as heart and respiratory rates can be elevated as a result of heightened stress.

Emotional contagion

We also found that changes in the owner’s heart rate from before the experiment to during the experiment could predict the heart rate changes of their dog. If the owner’s heart rate increased or decreased during the experiment, their dog’s heart rate was also likely to increase or decrease in tandem.

These results suggest that dogs may recognise stress in their owners, and this could influence their own stress levels, through the process of “emotional contagion”. This is a phenomenon where people, and other animals, may “catch” or mimic the emotions and behaviour of those around them, either consciously or unconsciously.

It may also indicate that dogs look to their owners to inform their response to new environments. Owners were asked not to interact with their dogs for the duration of the experiment. So any assessment of owner stress made by their dogs was done without direct communication between owner and pet.

So what does this mean for the average dog owner? If our stress has the potential to influence our dogs, then this should be considered when we visit the vet. If vets help owners feel more calm while attending the clinic, it could help their dogs feel more at ease, too.

A holistic approach to veterinary care, where the animal, their owner and the environment are all taken into consideration, is likely to result in the best welfare outcomes.

While our research primarily focused on the bond between dogs and their owners, a recent study investigating canine behaviour found that the smell of sweat from a stressed human, who was unfamiliar to the dog, affected the learning and cognition of that dog during a cognitive bias test. The test measures whether an animal is in a positive or negative emotional state, and whether they are likely to make decisions with an optimistic or pessimistic outlook. This shows that dogs may be affected by the stress of strangers, as well as that of their owners.

What is clear from our latest research is that dogs are perceptive animals that are influenced by the world and the people around them. People caring for or working with dogs should bear in mind that their own stress may affect that of their dogs.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Industrialist-philanthropist Ratan Tata, who died earlier this month, has ensured “unlimited” care for his dog, Tito, in his will. Tito was adopted roughly six years ago after the death of Mr Tata’s previous dog. He will be cared for by his long-time cook, Rajan Shaw. Setting aside wealth for pets is a common practice in the West, but it remains a rarity in India.

Ratan Tata, who died on October 9 at age 86, was known for his love for dogs. On social media, Tata frequently advocated for the welfare of stray dogs and encouraged others to show compassion towards them. He even dedicated himself to finding homes for abandoned pets and worked to ensure their safety.

According to a report in The Times of India, Ratan Tata, whose estate is estimated to exceed Rs 10,000 crore, also designated assets to various beneficiaries, including his foundation, brother Jimmy Tata, half-sisters Shireen and Deanna Jejeebhoy, and household staff members.

Mr Tata’s will also has arrangements for his butler, Subbiah, with whom he maintained a close bond for over three decades.

The will also mentions Shantanu Naidu, Mr Tata’s executive assistant. According to the report, he has relinquished his stake in Mr Naidu’s companionship venture, Goodfellows, while also covering his educational expenses abroad.

Among his assets are a 2,000-square-foot beach bungalow in Alibaug, Maharashtra, a two-storey residence on Mumbai’s Juhu Tara Road, and fixed deposits exceeding Rs 350 crore. He also holds a 0.83% stake in Tata Sons, the parent company of the $165-billion Tata Group.

In line with the Tata Group’s legacy of donating shares to charitable trusts, his stake in Tata Sons will be transferred to the Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation (RTEF). Beyond shares in Tata Sons, Ratan Tata’s interests in other Tata Group enterprises, including Tata Motors, will also be redirected to RTEF.

The Halekai house in Colaba, where he lived until his death, is owned by Ewart Investments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, which will determine its future. Mr Tata’s portfolio of 20-30 luxury vehicles is currently at his Halekai residence and the Taj Wellington Mews service apartments in Colaba. The future of this collection remains under deliberation, with possibilities, including acquisition by the Tata Group for exhibition in its Pune museum or auctioning.

The Juhu property on a quarter-acre plot, overlooking the beach, was inherited by Ratan Tata and his family following the death of his father, Naval Tata. It has reportedly remained closed for over two decades, with discussions on for its potential sale.

The probate process for his will is expected to take several months. It will be examined by the Bombay High Court.

A Las Vegas woman has reunited with her pet chihuahua, Gizmo, who went missing nine years ago. The surprise came in the form of an email, sending Judith Monarrez to her knees in tears.

In 2015, a faulty gate in the backyard of her family’s Las Vegas home allowed Gizmo, then just 2 years old, to slip away. 

Ms Monarrez launched a desperate search, posting fliers and reaching out to Facebook groups, but her efforts went in vain. For nine long years, Ms Monarrez held onto hope, never giving up on the chance of being reunited with Gizmo.

Now 37, Ms Monarrez has moved into her own home, earned a master’s degree, and started a teaching career. Yet, the memory of Gizmo remained close to her heart. Her persistence paid off when a woman found Gizmo and brought him to an animal hospital, where his microchip was scanned, triggering the notification that changed everything.

Despite his changed appearance and behaviour, Ms Monarrez knew instantly it was Gizmo when they reunited at the vet’s office. “I can’t forget those yellow-amber eyes. I can’t forget them, ever – they’re Gizmo,” Ms Monarrez told KTNV. 

Judith Monarrez called the emotional reunion “a miracle”. She credited Gizmo’s microchip for their reunion, saying, “Hindsight is 2020. I’m so glad I registered his microchip.” 

Gizmo’s return has brought mixed emotions, as he has developed fears and health issues during their time apart.  

He was in an alarming condition, with severe matting, loss of teeth, dental diseases and a debilitating eye infection. “He was severely matted. They had to shave him down,” Ms Monarrez told the outlet. “He’s missing a lot of teeth. They told us that he had teeth falling out of his mouth when they dropped him off.”

Now, Monarrez and her family are focused on addressing Gizmo’s health issues and are dedicated to “showering him with all the love that we were holding onto for all those years.” 

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the substantial medical bills, estimated to exceed $4,000 for initial visits alone.