Canine communication

Sir, – Having spoken to trainers, psychologists and anthropologists, Melinda Wenner Moyner fears she’s probably been misinterpreting much of her dog’s behaviours “as most owners do” (“Canine communication: How to tell what your dog is trying to tell you”, Health + Family, May 24th).

She concludes that dogs are really good at reading our emotions but is unconvinced that evolution has worked “as much in the other direction”.

For owners reluctant to accept this, there is some interesting research to suggest that dogs really do reciprocate our feelings.

Recent studies have asked owners to stare into their dog’s eyes for 30 minutes. Researchers have demonstrated that, in this setting, both owners and dogs show very large increases in oxytocin levels, a hormone associated with the most intensely positive emotional feelings. Domesticated wolves show no such effect.