Cuddling your DOG can reduce symptoms after a physically painful ordeal, scientists reveal

Whether it’s a parent or our spouse, we often like a loved one to be near when we recover from a painful procedure. 

But new research suggests dogs should be our number one recovery companion instead. 

Scientists in Germany have found that having a canine around reduces feelings of pain during recovery from a physical ordeal. 

Cuddling a dog – or even just having a dog nearby – is a more effective form of relief than having a human present, they report. 

However the researchers stop short of advising people not to take painkillers when required, as their experiments only tested a minor form of pain. 

The new study has been led by Dr Heidi Mauersberger at Humboldt University’s department of psychology in Berlin, Germany. 

‘Social support from family and friends, albeit associated with beneficial health effects, does not always help to cope with pain,’ Dr Mauersberger and colleagues say in their paper. 

‘[We] aimed to test whether pet dogs are a more beneficial source of support in a painful situation than human companions.’ 

The study involved two slightly different experiments focusing solely on physical pain, not emotional pain. 

In the first experiment, 74 women completed a cold-pressor task in the presence of their own pet dog, or a friend, or while alone. 

The cold-pressor task – used to induce pain in many lab experiments – involves immersing the hand into icy water for as long as possible before it becomes unbearable. 

In the second experiment, another 50 women completed the cold-pressor task in the presence of an unfamiliar dog or a human stranger, or while alone. 

The researchers only used women in their experiments for consistency, as ‘gender differences can influence pain perception and coping’, said Dr Mauersberger. 

The cold-pressor task involves immersing the hand into icy water for as long as possible before it becomes unbearable (stock image)

In experiment one, the dogs sat in a corner nearby and there was no physical contact, but in experiment two, participants were allowed to pet the dogs. 

In both experiments, participants reported less pain and showed less ‘pain behaviour’ – such as jaw clenching, grimacing and complaining – in the presence of the dogs compared to the humans.

As expected, having their own pet dog present – rather than an unfamiliar pooch – resulted in a stronger reduction in pain. 

Having a human nearby reduced pain more than being alone – but not as much as having a dog there.  

‘Participants accompanied by their dog reported less pain and showed lower physiological pain reactions, greater pain tolerance, and less intense facial displays of pain,’ the team say. 

‘Pet dogs may help individuals to cope with painful situations, especially if the individual in pain generally feels affectionate towards dogs.’  

Dogs offer ‘unconditional’ and ‘non-evaluative’ support for someone experiencing pain, compared to humans, who tend to ‘socially judge’. 

Having a dog nearby can reduce pain symptoms more effectively than the presence of another human, the study found (file photo)

For example, the person experiencing pain may feel like they’re being judged by their human companion for being dramatic. 

Also, the ‘social demand’ of the presence of a friend may counteract the otherwise soothing effect of their support. 

The team cite prior study where stressed women preferred being alone with their dog when suffering pain, because in the dog’s company ‘no social pretenses were necessary and no social expectations needed to be satisfied’. 

Dr Mauersberger admits that her study – published in the journal Acta Psychologica – focused on the perception of pain as perceived by the participants, which is of course different from the physical phenomenon of pain itself.

‘Participants reported lower pain intensity, felt more capable of coping, and displayed fewer pain behaviors in the presence of dogs,’ she told MailOnline. 

‘While this may not be a direct reduction of pain at a physiological level, it significantly impacts how individuals experience and tolerate pain.’ 

Nevertheless, the team think dogs can improve the quality of life in pain patients by ‘reducing pain-related disability and depressiveness’.