Overview

• University studies by Florida, Carroll and Marquette researchers measured that stroking dogs reduces cortisol levels and stabilizes heart rate and blood pressure.
• Petting behavior correlates with personality features such as heightened empathy, emotional sensitivity and openness to nature.
• Interactions with street dogs may reflect emotional projections, including fears of abandonment and the impulse to nurture.
• Coverage highlights oxytocin release as a calming pathway but notes the evidence for this mechanism remains less conclusive.
• Clarín, TN.com.ar and ámbito.com have distilled these academic findings for general audiences without presenting new research.