©Scott Sheaffer, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, USA Dog Behavior, LLC

Of all the creatures on earth, have you ever wondered why humans and dogs seem to really “get each other”? Dogs really enjoy being with us. They appear to read our moods and our motives. They are forgiving of our worst transgressions. Their love is…unconditional.

“Appreciate the fact it took many millennia for dogs and humans to get to the point where we happily and almost seamlessly exist side-by-side.”

I’ve always found it interesting that dog lovers are willing to bring a dog into their life even knowing it will end in tragedy. Since dogs live about 12 years, it is almost guaranteed they will predecease their owners. Yet…we are willing to bring new dogs into our homes over and over again knowing the story will never end happily. We find the tradeoff is worth the ultimate sadness.

I have always said we don’t deserve dogs. How is it that such magnificent loving animals are available to us when, in too many cases, we don’t reciprocate with the same level of affection? With all of that being said, there is actually science behind why dogs and humans coexist so warmly.

First and foremost, dogs and humans are both social creatures. Both species want (need) to be in the presence of others. We are able to fill that social need for dogs and dogs are, to a great extent, able to fill that need for us.

Dogs are keenly able to read our body language; that’s why they know when we’re in a bad mood, happy, tired, etc. almost the moment they see us. They’ve learned this by living with humans for roughly 20,000 years. They do a lot better job of reading our body language than we do of reading theirs. Interestingly, the similarities between human and canine body language are extensive. If you’d like to learn more about canine body language, view this video, Understanding Dog Body Language.

You might be surprised to learn that dogs’ brains are similar to humans and their hormones and neurotransmitters are also similar. In short, they appear to be hardwired to think and have emotions similar to humans. This is demonstrated by the fact that many psychopharmaceutical drugs (i.e., drugs that affect mental status or state) used effectively in humans are exactly the same ones used in dogs.

Dogs get our attention in some of the same ways as humans get our attention. They do things such as touching us with their paws, barking or vocalizing at us and trying to initiate play with us. All of these things are done in an effort to engage with us. Whenever humans want to engage with another human they look directly at that person. Notice the direct eye contact your dog has with you the next time he or she is attempting to engage with you.

Dogs are territorial, just like humans. While it is no longer accepted that our dogs see themselves as a member of some kind of wolf pack where the owner is the “alpha” wolf, they definitely identify with members of their human family as well as the physical home they live in. In short, they understand who their “family” is and what the territorial arrangements are for their “family”. For more information on this subject, please see 3 Words I Wish Dog Owners and Dog Trainers Wouldn’t Use.

Oxytocin. The I’m-in-love and feel-good hormone found in both humans and dogs. Studies show oxytocin levels go up in both humans and dogs when they interact. This is a biochemical process that is essentially out of everyone’s control. To a great extent, we can’t help but love our dogs and vice versa. For more information on oxytocin, please see, Does my dog love me? Scientists vs. Dog Lovers.

We can’t have an article about dog and human interaction without a word about domestication. Because dogs have lived with us for 20,000 years, they have become domesticated. This simply means they have biologically evolved and adapted to living with humans - it’s in their DNA. Puppies don’t have to be taught to work with and coexist with humans; it’s biological. Dogs come out of the womb predisposed to interacting with and cohabitating successfully with humans. A newborn wolf would not be expected to automatically grow up and happily live with humans - they aren’t a domesticated species.

We’re fortunate to have dogs in our lives. Appreciate the fact it took many millennia for dogs and humans to get to the point where we happily and almost seamlessly exist side-by-side.