Your Dog Feels Everything You Do
The CARE System – The Science of Nurturing
The bond between humans and dogs runs deeper than we often realize. On the surface, it may feel like shared experiences, mutual comfort, and companionship. But at its core, this connection is supported by powerful neurochemical systems, which help both humans and dogs forge and maintain emotional bonds. One of the most significant systems that govern these attachments is the CARE system, as identified by neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp.
Panksepp’s research revealed that mammals—including humans and dogs—have seven core emotional systems that shape behavior, but the CARE system is particularly key to understanding the nurturing behaviors that arise from emotional bonding. It governs the feelings of love, caregiving, and attachment. More than just a reaction to external stimuli, the CARE system is responsible for forming emotional ties, promoting nurturing behaviors, and creating emotional comfort in times of distress.
Neurochemicals Behind the CARE System
At the heart of the CARE system is a trio of powerful neurochemicals: oxytocin, prolactin, and endogenous opioids such as endorphins. These chemicals work together to promote caregiving behaviors and emotional bonds between individuals—whether between a mother and her pup, or between a human and their dog.
Oxytocin: The Love Hormone Oxytocin has often been called the "love hormone" because of its role in promoting feelings of attachment and trust. It plays a crucial role in social bonding, and its release is triggered by physical contact, such as petting or cuddling your dog. When oxytocin is released in both dogs and humans, it fosters a sense of closeness, reinforcing the bond and making both parties feel connected and secure.
Studies have shown that when humans interact with their dogs—especially during eye contact or touch—both experience a spike in oxytocin levels, which leads to feelings of contentment and trust. This neurochemical is fundamental in forming the emotional bridge between you and your dog.
Research Insight: A study conducted by Nagasawa et al. (2015) found that when dogs and humans gazed into each other's eyes, there was a significant increase in oxytocin levels in both species, strengthening their bond (Internet Archive).
Prolactin: Encouraging Nurturance While oxytocin is key for promoting trust and bonding, prolactin enhances caregiving behaviors. Often associated with maternal behaviors in mammals, prolactin encourages nurturing instincts. In dogs, prolactin promotes protective and caregiving behaviors, helping the dog feel responsible for the well-being of their human counterpart.
Prolactin supports the continuation of the emotional bond by promoting caregiving behaviors that are not limited to biological offspring. This means that the protective and nurturing behaviors dogs show toward humans are driven by the same neurochemical processes that govern how a mother cares for her puppies.
Endogenous Opioids: Comfort in Connection The third key player in the CARE system is the role of endogenous opioids like endorphins, which are the brain’s natural painkillers and pleasure inducers. Endorphins are released during moments of connection and caregiving, reinforcing the emotional bond by making nurturing behavior feel rewarding.
When a dog curls up next to you or rests their head on your lap, endorphins are released, creating feelings of comfort and relaxation. This natural chemical response ensures that the act of being close to a loved one becomes associated with emotional and physical well-being.
Opioid Systems and Separation: Panksepp’s research also noted that when a dog experiences separation from a loved one, the sudden drop in endogenous opioid levels mirrors the symptoms of withdrawal. This neurochemical shift explains why separation can cause such distress in dogs, leading to behaviors like whining, pacing, or destructive actions. The reunion with their caregiver restores this opioid balance, leading to feelings of calm and comfort (ASDN).
How the CARE System Shapes Dog-Human Bonds
The CARE system is why your dog curls up beside you when you’re feeling down, and why they show loyalty, protectiveness, and unconditional love. It’s also why you feel soothed by their presence. Panksepp’s work illuminates that these bonds are not merely emotional—they are neurochemical in nature, deeply embedded in the brain’s architecture.
In essence, the CARE system ensures that emotional bonding feels good, both for dogs and humans. This neurochemical interplay fosters loyalty, caregiving, and emotional support, forming a relationship that is as much about biology as it is about love. The release of oxytocin, prolactin, and endorphins creates an emotional feedback loop where closeness leads to the reinforcement of the bond, making the act of caregiving rewarding for both parties.
The CARE system is the invisible thread that ties us to our dogs. It is a complex system driven by powerful neurochemicals that ensure our emotional bonds are not only formed but deeply rewarding. As we continue to explore the deeper emotional worlds of our dogs, we begin to see that their attachment to us—and our attachment to them—is written in the chemistry of our brains.
Your Dog Feels Everything You Do—Are You Ready to Deepen That Bond?
The science of love and connection between you and your dog runs deep. Understanding the neurochemical systems that shape their behavior, like the CARE system, opens the door to an even stronger bond—a bond that nurtures both you and your dog.
Panksepp, J. (1998). Affective Neuroscience: The Foundations of Human and Animal Emotions. New York: Oxford University Press.
This work provides the foundational research on the CARE system and its role in emotional bonding between mammals, including dogs. Panksepp's insights into neurochemical processes such as oxytocin, prolactin, and endogenous opioids are essential for understanding nurturing behaviors.
Nagasawa, M., Mitsui, S., En, S., Ohtani, N., Ohta, M., Sakuma, Y., & Kikusui, T. (2015). "Oxytocin-Gaze Positive Loop and the Coevolution of Human-Dog Bonds". Science, 348(6232), 333-336.
This study demonstrated that mutual gazing between humans and dogs significantly increased oxytocin levels in both species, reinforcing the emotional bond through neurochemical pathways.
Gregory, G., & Kaufeldt, M. (2015). The Motivated Brain: Improving Student Engagement, Attention, and Perseverance. ASCD.
This book provides insights into the neurochemical underpinnings of motivation and emotional attachment, which can be applied to understanding the CARE system in both dogs and humans.