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The Science of Touch: What Happens When You Pet a Dog
Allen Rippy, Veterinarian, Author
Jul 24, 2025
6 min read
Touching or petting a dog is more than a heartwarming gesture—it activates a profound cascade of psychological, metabolic, and neuroelectric effects that improve human health and wellbeing. Research from neuroscience, psychology, and electrophysiology confirms that this simple interaction is deeply therapeutic.
When a person strokes a dog’s fur, several biological systems shift toward calm. The human brain increases oxytocin production—known as the “bonding hormone”—which lowers cortisol, the primary stress hormone. A 2022 study published in PLOS ONE showed that just 10 minutes of petting a dog can significantly lower salivary cortisol levels in stressed adults. Simultaneously, levels of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters associated with pleasure and mood regulation, also rise.
Electrophysiologically, the act of petting a dog shifts brainwave patterns. EEG studies reveal increased alpha wave activity, associated with relaxed, alert states and reduced anxiety. Touch also calms the autonomic nervous system, reducing heart rate and promoting parasympathetic dominance, a biological state linked to healing, digestion, and restoration.
Metabolically, the calming signal cascades into the body. Blood pressure drops. Breathing slows. Blood glucose stabilizes. Petting a dog engages the vagus nerve, which regulates inflammation and communicates directly with the gut-brain axis. This may help explain why frequent pet contact correlates with reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and mood disorders.
In one compelling study from the University of Missouri, participants experienced increased levels of beta-endorphins and prolactin—hormones tied to pain relief and emotional balance—after just a few minutes of dog interaction. The sensory feedback from a warm, responsive living creature grounds the mind in the physical world, anchoring individuals out of ruminative thought spirals and digital disconnection.
In short, petting a dog is not just a feel-good act—it’s a whole-body health event. It’s therapy through touch, triggering neurochemical harmonies that reconnect mind to body, self to world, and biology to belonging.