You probably already know that having a dog does wonders for our physical and mental health. It reduces stress, lessens blood pressure, and lowers the risk of heart disease. But it turns out that when being loved, our beloved canine friends experience similar magic. (As if we didn’t see that already!)

Canine Cottages spoke to behavioral experts for dogs to find out the true meaning behind licks, begging, barking and more. Then, the company from the UK put them to the test and measured the dogs’ heart rate to find out how exactly they react to given scenarios.

Their findings suggested that upon telling your pup “I love you,” their heart rate would increase by 46.2%. The conclusion? We will be showering our furry companions with loving words times ten.

(h/t: My Modern Met)

There’s some pawsome news on puppy love!

Image credits: Marija Bern

Canine Cottages observed that a dog’s heart rate jumps by 46% when their owner says “I love you”

Image credits: caninecottages

The same experiment run by Canine Cottages showed that human heart rates also increase by 10.4% upon seeing their furry friends. So our hearts jumping out of joy is, in fact, a mutual thing! And if your four-legged BFF is having a rough day (and who doesn’t!) you may wanna cuddle him, because that lowers their pulse by 22.7%, according to the same report.

Although canines’ heart rate can indeed shed some light on their emotions, one should remember that the way humans and animals communicate love is totally different. Among 10 signs of affection, Canine Cottages named the following: licking and kissing, cuddling, greeting, begging, showing the belly, jumping up, and more.

As you can see, cuddles aren’t enough, so don’t forget to remind your four-legged friends how much you love them

Image credits: Marija Bern

Image credits: Brukne the dog

If you catch your furball destroying your stuff, don’t get mad instantly. Interestingly, it can also be seen as a sign of love. Dogs do indeed steal and chew your stuff just to get that much-needed attention, especially when you’re not around.

When your dog feels like they’re missing you, they may want to look for an object that smells like you. Chewing on it can release endorphins and your dog will get more relaxed.

Image credits: Marija Bern

Image credits: Mantas Kačerauskas

Shannon Keary, a campaign manager at Canine Cottages, said in a statement that “It’s amazing to see that our dogs’ heart rate increases when they are told they are loved, showing excitement, and decreases when having cuddles, showing contentedness.” So don’t be greedy and let those words of love out. Who knows, they may truly have some magic power.

Image credits: Austėja Akavickaitė

Image credits: Aelita Senvaitytė

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