Affection and Emotional Communication in the Human–Dog Dyad: A Comparative Ethological Review

Abstract

The human–dog relationship depends on an intricate system of communication through human affection gestures (e.g., stroking, hugging, vocal modulation) and canine affiliative signals (e.g., proximity-seeking, relaxed postures, social gaze) which both parties understand. The analysis of these exchanges serves as a foundation for attachment theory and social cognition and welfare science. The research used PubMed and Scopus and PsycINFO databases to review literature from 2015 to 2025 alongside fundamental earlier studies that included observational field work and cross-modal paradigms and eye-tracking and fMRI. The synthesis process focused on three main areas: (i) attachment and the secure-base model; (ii) canine recognition and decoding of human emotions through multimodal integration (social referencing); (iii) neurobiological mechanisms which support affective communication through oxytocinergic and dopaminergic pathways. The research shows that mutual eye contact leads to oxytocin release while social contact strengthens affiliation and these interactions create physiological synchronization. The main differences between humans and dogs stem from anthropomorphism (hugs provide comfort to humans but create restriction for dogs) and developmental differences in children's ability to detect canine distress signals and cultural variations in what constitutes intimate behavior. The generalizability of findings remains limited due to methodological constraints which include small sample sizes and WEIRD population biases and breed preferences and unverified owner reports and non-preregistered cross-sectional designs. The promotion of communicative literacy helps decrease misinterpretations while creating balanced interactions that lead to better welfare results. Future research needs to focus on cross-cultural comparisons and AI-driven non-invasive behavioral analysis and multimodal physiological biomarkers to assess relationship quality.