Pets too can Feel Love: Study

Your dogs can really love you, confirms a study.

For over thousands of years dogs and humans have shared a special chemistry and lived together harmoniously. Pet dogs are intensely devoted to their masters or care givers and guard them with outright honesty. Researchers from the Claremont Graduate University in California found medical evidence that proved dogs unconditionally love their owners.

 For the study, they examined blood samples taken from a mixed breed-terrier and a goat from an animal shelter in Arkansas. These two animals were friendly with each other and often played together and experts retested their blood 15 minutes after the animals indulged in play.

The tests revealed that the level of love hormone, oxytocin, in the dog's blood increased 48 percent  and the goat had an upshot of 210 percent. The researchers believe the hike in levels of oxytocin in the dog suggests it viewed the goat as its friend while the goat might have been in love with the dog.

"More striking was the goat's reaction to the dog. The only time I have seen such a surge in oxytocin in humans is when someone sees their loved one, is romantically attracted to someone, or is shown an enormous kindness," said Paul Zak, study author and researcher at Claremont Graduate University, reports the Independent.

These findings prove the fondness animals have for other animals and humans and are capable of reciprocating their emotions.

Furthermore, researchers analyzed blood samples from 100 people who played with pet cats and dogs to assess the levels of emotional attachment human have while bonding with animals.

It was observed that only 30 percent of the participants experienced increased oxytocin levels. The individuals who were mostly pet lovers or previously owned a dog were able to bond with the dogs more than cat lovers and those who never had pets. In addition they found these responses are different for different animals.

''For dog people, they will admit to it, but cat people were in the minority and seem to have less of a bond. Dogs are best examples of humans playing god - they will always love their owners, "said Zak reports the Daily Mail U.K.