Dogs really can smell your fear, and then they get scared too

[rangerrebew]

19 October 2017

Dogs really can smell your fear, and then they get scared too


By Jake Buehler

Dog owners swear that their furry best friend is in tune with their emotions. Now it seems this feeling of interspecies connection is real: dogs can smell your emotional state, and adopt your emotions as their own.

Science had already shown that dogs can see and hear the signs of human emotions, says Biagio D’Aniello of the University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy. But nobody had studied whether dogs could pick up on olfactory cues from humans.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2150956-dogs-really-can-smell-your-fear-and-then-they-get-scared-too/

[ConstitutionRose]

I have a Great Pyrenees.  They have been bred to protect livestock, but they will protect ANYTHING.  When you live with one awhile, you realize that they are like Homeland Security, they have threat level warnings.

Last Monday evening, my MIL and I were alone in the house.  Her suite of rooms is at the opposite end of the house from our bedroom and office.  Atticus started sounding off like all the Devils in hell were coming.  When I checked on him he was standing by MIL's door. 

When I opened her door she was grey and gasping for breath.   While I called 911, tried to find my husband, etc , Atticus stood in the middle of the great room and barked at the ceiling.

I have to believe that he understood our fear during those moments.

[RoosGirl]

Been known for a long time in the dog world.  If you're going in to a competition and are nervous the advice is to pop a peppermint candy in your mouth to help cover the smell and at least keep the dog, if not you, calm.

[roamer_1]

YEP. One of my Sasquatch stories.
That big ol Malamute wolf cross of mine, who kicked the crap out of griz for fun, scared out of his mind, moanin and whinin and glued to my leg... Though I am not sure if he was pickin up on my fear or I was pickin up on his. Maybe it was the damn bigfoot. 

When the dog is freaked out, you'd better listen. That's a handy thing.

[RoosGirl]