Dogs: Cuddling helps against stress – University of Koblenz does the test | Life & Knowledge
They are playful, loyal, fluffy, sensitive. Dogs miss us when we are not there, fetch sticks when they are supposed to and defend us when necessary. But that is not all. At the University of Koblenz, mixed-breed dog Little Joe helps students cope with exam stress.
Learning break with paws
“This Dog is specially trained. You can interact with it, you can play with it, you can stroke it,” explains Hans-Erich Au, press spokesman for the Rhineland-Palatinate State Library Center. It is designed to support young people during particularly stressful exam periods.
His owner Kerstin Heinrich calls the project a “learning break with paws”. She is there during the cuddle sessions and makes sure that the little four-legged friend has fun. The students can run parkour with Little Joe, practice tricks or just cuddle with him.
The idea is not new. In 2019, Middlesex University in London acquired five Labradors to help stressed students relax.
Dogs relieve anxiety and stress
If we spend time with a dog, this alleviates Fear and promotes the release of the cuddle hormone oxytocin. At the same time, the stress hormone cortisol is reduced. This increases well-being, the heart rate calms down and we relax. Dogs are therefore regularly used as therapy dogs in hospitals, nursing homes, facilities for the disabled and schools.
Scientists at Konkuk University in South Korea wanted to find out what exactly happens when we interact with dogs in our Brain happened. To do this, they used EEG to monitor the brain activity of 30 people during different interactions with a female poodle. The test subjects were asked to play with the dog, give it treats, take photos, cuddle it and go for walks.
The EEG showed that certain brain waves are more active during animal interaction: brain waves that indicate that the body and mind are completely relaxed. The study shows that certain dog activities can activate greater relaxation, emotional stability, attention, concentration and responsiveness – explains the research team.