It doesn’t matter if you’re gone for 10 minutes or 10 days. Your dog will always be happy to see you home. To them, you’re the leader, the feeder and the chairman of entertainment.
When you’re gone, he’s hungry and bored since he has no one to play with.
Dogs understand: time and they can hear and smell things from far off so they can easily tell you’re coming when you’re a block away.
Science has demystified why dogs are always happy to see us.
As explained by io9, neuroscientist Gregory Barnes put dogs through FMRI machines to scan their brains. When dogs were exposed to the scent of a human familiar to them, the regions of their brains associated with reward and pleasure would become active.
The reaction that dogs have to a familiar person is very similar to how humans react to their friends. Just like how we all get happy at the thought of hanging out with our friends, that’s just how dogs see us. When they meet someone familiar, they’re excited. However, meeting strangers usually, upsets them as they begin to defend themselves and bark.
Dogs are creatures of the moment. They understand patterns, schedules and routines. Their owners coming home affects both these things: it is the most exciting thing happening in that moment and is the next step in a routine.
The history of humans and dogs goes back thousands of years. While some believe that ancient wolves were domesticated to help with hunting, others believe the reason they got along wasn’t as clear.
Over the years, people selected dogs based on traits that were desirable for certain climates or tasks. In more recent history, dog breeds became prized for aesthetics. This selective pressure took a wolf and shaped it into all of the breeds we see today, from the little chihuahua to the great mastiff.
Despite all this time and all these changes, humans and dogs continue to have a friendship that just won’t quit. If you’re ever feeling down after a long day at work, just remember that your dog has been waiting at home all day to hang out with you. Don’t forget to give them some love!
Calling dogs “man’s best friend” might be truer than we thought!
