Human–canine bond
Interspecies relationship / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Human–canine bonding is the relationship between dogs and humans. This relationship can be traced back to at least 15,000 years ago, to the Bonn-Oberkassel dog, who was found buried alongside two humans.[1] For centuries, dogs have been considered man's best friend. This is most evident in Western countries, such as the United States, where 44% of households have a pet dog.[2]
The human–canine relationship is not necessarily always a positive one; dogs can be viewed in an extremely negative light depending on the region.[3] On average, females tend to have more positive attitudes toward dogs as opposed to males,[4] and studies have demonstrated that both dogs and humans release oxytocin while spending time together.[5] This release of oxytocin is correlated with the formation of a strong social bond.[5] Canines are capable of distinguishing between positive and negative human facial expressions and will react accordingly.[6][7] Dogs appear in religions all over the world, particularly in Mesoamerican folklore and myth, signifying the deep reverence humans all over the world and throughout history have for them.