Josefina Gori: 'Why do we love our dogs so much?'

This week, I want to share a story about Daisy, a Jack Russell who was not just the mascot of Ottery's cycling events but also an exceptional dog with an incredible personality. My daughter and her husband adopted Daisy when her previous owners could no longer look after her due to health reasons. After getting used to the changes in her life with her new owners, Daisy was introduced to all the sports that my daughter and her husband enjoyed, and she became their regular companion when going skiing, cycling, walking, swimming, riding cabins, climbing mountains and more.

Sadly, at the end of the year, Daisy passed away suddenly. Her death brought sadness to everyone who knew of her adventures, enjoyed her pictures, and loved her for who she was. Her loss brought such intense sorrow that it prompted the question: why do we love our dogs so much?

My initial answer was that humans are programmed to accept the unconditional love, absolute loyalty and attachment that a dog gives us. However, as a scientist, I knew there must be a more pragmatic answer.

According to Jeffrey Kluger, an editor at Time who tried to explain the psychology behind why we love dogs, I was not too far from reality: "What began as a mutual services contract between two very different species became something much more like love. None of that makes a lick of sense, but it doesn't have to. Love rarely touches the reasoning parts of the brain. It touches the dreamy and devoted parts— the parts we sometimes call the heart. For many thousands of years, it's there that our dogs have lived."

Similarly, Joe Duncan tries to explain in an article published in 2019 the dynamics of the relationship between humans and dogs this way: "If you were to ask a dog owner why they love their dogs so much, they'd probably tell you that they have a close and enduring bond with their dogs, they care about them on a deep level, and know their dogs care about them in return, offering company, love, and an undeniable loyalty. They will also tell you that they have a relationship with dogs that they simply can't have with human beings. This is part of what makes dogs so lovable, their differences from humans."

Mimi Padmabandu, a scientific writer at Embark Veterinary, seems to have a more scientific approach in an article written under the headline: The Science Behind Why We Love Dogs: "Since Lorenz and his geese, scientists have found that imprinting is a component of the interaction between humans and companion animals. It can even play a role in determining who we love and live with. Oxytocin is integral to mother-child bonding in humans and other mammals. This hormone helps a mother bond with her infant while nursing. Recent studies have shown that if a new mom and an infant look at each other, both people experience a spike in oxytocin levels. That leads to more bonding, creating an infinite loop. According to our brains, we bond with our dogs similarly. When you look at your dog, your brain produces more oxytocin. It works both ways—recent studies have shown that just looking at each other causes your dog's oxytocin levels to go up, too.”

Daisy will always have a special place in my heart. Through her, I learned that the connection between humans and dogs is undoubtedly strong, regardless of future scientific discoveries. Our four-legged companions have become an integral part of our families through years of coexisting and evolving. It is crucial to remember this when deciding whether to bring a dog into our lives, as the emotions we experience with them are not limited to positive ones. Like our relationships with other humans, there will be moments when things don't go as planned, and we will feel a range of emotions beyond love and joy.