As we covered in the last post, your dog knows you're different. Your dog knows you’re not the same species—which, if you frequently use the term “dog parent,” might feel like a blow. But just because your dog can recognize you’re not a canine doesn’t mean they don’t love you and consider you family!
A study from the University of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna in Vienna, Austria aimed to explore whether dogs exhibited “secure base effect” with their owners. Secure base effect (which is commonly exhibited in human parent/child relationships) is when the child (or, in this case, the dog) uses the parent as a secure base when exploring or interacting with an environment.
Researchers introduced dogs to an interactive toy with a treat hidden inside under three different circumstances—one where the dog’s owner was completely absent, one where the dog’s owner was silent, and one where the dog’s owner was actively encouraging the dog.
Researchers found the dogs were much more motivated to play with the toy and find the treat when their owners were present—even if they were silent. The presence of their owner made them more comfortable to explore their environment. This implies that the secure base effect that exists between parents and children also exists between dogs and their owners—or, in other words, your dog looks to you as their parent, protector, and safety net just as much as a human child would.
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