And now for your daily dose of cuteness. We've always known that the bond between a dog and his or her owner is strong but this is news to us: did you know that after time, their heartbeats sync up with yours?
We'll just give you a moment to look at these puppy images and let the fuzzy feelings flourish.
Interested to find out just how far man's best friend will naturally go for the love of their master, Australian researchers undertook a very simple experiment. They separated three dogs from their owners, strapped heart monitors on them and then watched what happened when they were eventually reunited.
Sure to soften even the most belligerent of folks, they then found that despite beating at different rates (needless to say it'll be the dog's heart rate that will sky-rocket), their heartbeats followed the same pattern. When the master's heart rose or fell, so too did the pooch.
Researcher Mia Cobb, of Melbourne’s Monash University, tells the Huffington Post: "I was impressed at how much they came together. "The fact that they shared patterns do closely surprised me. This kind of effect of experiencing a lowered heart rate makes a significant difference to our overall wellbeing. If we can decrease our heart rate by hanging out with our animals, that’s something that can really benefit the community."
Also commenting on the stress relieving benefits of owning a dog, Dr Craig Duncan said: "Stress is a major killer in today’s society and, as we get busier and busier, it is something that is really important for us to try to help with. The Hearts Aligned project aims to show how pet ownership can help us positively deal with the stressors of everyday life."
So, having a dog is good for stress and may even be good for your heart. They're good for everything really, apart from your brand new velvet cream sofa after a nice muddy walk.
