Can your dog be affected if you are under stress?

Absolutely, says a new study that shows owners who experience long-term stress and anxiety can pass it on to their dogs.

Local veterinarian Maggie Brown-Bury says dogs are very tuned in to their owners and are very good at picking up physical and emotional cues.

Brown-Bury has seen it in her own practice. She says if an owner is high-stressed, the dog will react to that. Often, if the owner leaves the room, the dog will immediately become easier to deal with.

Brown-Bury says while she’d like to see similar studies on other species, there is little doubt that dogs are the most receptive to the emotions of the people around them.