Robin Ganzert Reflects on Dogs' Ability to Connect with Human Emotions

WASHINGTON, DC, March 01, 2014

There is a unique bond that exists between humans and animals and this is something that the American Humane Association (AHA), led by President and CEO Robin Ganzert, has sought to better understand. Just as animals need humans, humans need animals as well. Both play an integral role in the other's life and provide numerous benefits, both recognized and yet unknown.

As many dog owners will attest, it often seems as though their dog knows what they are thinking or feeling. They know just when they are needed and how to respond. While this is generally supported by anecdotal evidence, a recent article on Fox News reveals that researchers may have found scientific evidence to back this notion. So can dogs really detect emotion?

"Almost anyone who has owned a dog feels that emotional connection," says Robin Ganzert. "That your dog knows when you are happy, sad, scared, excited, or hurt. And in turn, many owners can sense changes in their dogs' attitude as well."

A study published in Current Biology shows that dogs are responsive to emotional cues from human voices. In fact, researchers believe that humans and dogs use similar areas and mechanisms in the brain to process their social environment. This could help to explain why vocal communication is so successful between the two groups.

Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanners to analyze the brain activity of humans and dogs while listening to 200 different human and dog sounds. Some were filled with emotion while others were less so. Eleven dogs were trained to sit still in the fMRI during the study. The sounds that both groups heard varied from crying and laughing to playful barking, mixing highly emotional sounds with those that were less charged.

The study revealed that the strongest responses from each group were to noises generated by their own species, and that dogs had a stronger response than humans to non-vocal noises. However, emotionally-loaded sounds were processed in similar ways. The article notes, "For example, both species experienced a greater activation of the brain's primary auditory cortex when hearing happy sounds."

The results offer a glimpse into a more in-depth and detailed understanding of how dogs perceive and tune in to the emotions of their owners. Attila Andics of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Hungary explains, "This method offers a totally new way of investigating neural processing in dogs. At last we begin to understand how our best friend is looking at us and navigating our social environment."

"Dogs, and animals in general, have a powerful influence in our lives," says Robin Ganzert, "and this study serves to further prove what we have long suspected about the emotional connection that exists." Through her work with the AHA, Robin Ganzert has helped to extend research into multiple facets of the human-animal bond in an effort to maximize its potential.

ABOUT:

Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of the American Humane Association, is passionate about exploring the reaches of the human-animal bond and protecting the welfare, well-being, and wellness of animals and children throughout the world. She has played an instrumental role in implementing new platforms and initiatives for greater outreach, education, and support, including: Red Star Rescue, No Animals Were Harmed, Humane Heroes Clubs, Hero Dog Awards, and Wags4Patriots. Dr. Ganzert has spearheaded this nonprofit organization and helped it continue to grow and thrive since 2010.