Hearing a baby cry makes people uncomfortable and new research has revealed it also stresses out man’s best friend.
A recent University of Otago study has shown dogs, like humans, experience an increase in the stress hormone cortisol when they hear a human baby cry.
Psychology professor Ted Ruffman said the study, by former student Min Hooi Yong (who now lives in England), showed dogs were wired in a similar way to people in their reaction to hearing a baby cry.
The study will be published in the journal Behavioural Processes.
”It looks very much like empathy,” Prof Ruffman said.
By Rebecca Fox
