Your work stress doesn’t always stay at work. A new study published in Nature suggests that emotional stress from your job could be transferred to your dog — potentially affecting their behavior and well-being.
The science of emotional contagion
The research highlights emotional contagion, a phenomenon where individuals unconsciously absorb and mirror the emotions of others. According to Psychology Today, this applies not only to humans but also to animals — particularly dogs.
Dogs are especially sensitive to environmental and emotional cues thanks to their powerful sense of smell. VCA Animal Hospitals says dogs have over 100 million sensory receptor sites in their noses compared to just 6 million in humans.
New research reveals pet behavior links
The study surveyed 85 working dog owners to examine how often they thought about work outside of office hours. Findings showed that dogs of highly stressed owners were more likely to exhibit stress-related behaviors.
These included:
- Excessive nose or lip licking.
- Yawning.
- Avoiding eye contact.
- A lowered or tucked tail.
- Crying, whimpering or whining.
- Poor appetite.
The dog-calming market is booming
A separate Nature study finds nearly 73% of dogs have at least one anxiety-related behavior. The rise in dog anxiety is also reflected in the booming pet calming treat industry. Brands like Zesty Paws offer melatonin-based calming bites formulated to help pets relax.
According to Data Insights Market, the global dog calming treat industry is valued at $1.5 billion in 2025, with projections pointing to continued growth.
Pandemic pets and new anxiety patterns
The pandemic added another layer of stress for pets. The ASPCA reports that more than 23 million American households — nearly one in five — adopted a dog or cat during that period.
When work-from-home routines ended and pet owners returned to the office, many pets developed separation anxiety. This shift affected even older dogs, who were forced to adjust to new schedules and long hours alone.
Could remote work reduce pet stress?
Additional data from the study shows:
- Most pet owners worked about 40 hours per week.
- About 54% reported working from home at least occasionally.
- Approximately 38% were in supervisory or management roles — a demographic more likely to own pets.
Researchers concluded that flexible work environments may offer ways to reduce the transmission of job stress to pets.
