Do Dogs Actually Raise Our Serotonin Levels?

I wish I could bottle the sensation of nuzzling my dog’s little neck. It’s like instant comfort, a quick hit of happiness. If you’re a fellow pet parent, you know the feeling. You may have also seen the many social media posts saying that our pets don’t just make us feel good, they actually raise our serotonin levels. But do dogs really impact our “happy hormones”? There is mounting evidence that interacting with dogs helps reduce stress and is otherwise beneficial for our mental health, but it’s not quite as simple as one dog nuzzle equals one serotonin. 

What exactly is serotonin?

You may know serotonin as a “mood booster.” Technically speaking, it’s a neurotransmitter, one of the chemicals that carry messages between the nerves in your brain and the rest of your body. Serotonin is specifically involved with body functions like sleep, digestion, body temperature, and, most notably, mood regulation.

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Low levels of serotonin have been linked to mood disorders, like depression and anxiety, as well as sleep problems and digestive issues. High levels of serotonin can also be detrimental, leading to an uncommon but serious condition called serotonin syndrome. However, dangerously high levels of serotonin are typically a side effect of medication rather than, say, petting your dog too much.

Is serotonin the same as dopamine? What about oxytocin?

Serotonin is far from the only factor in determining how we feel — lifestyle, stress, and genetics are among the many pieces of our mental wellbeing. Serotonin is one of four hormones colloquially known as the happy hormones, the other three being dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. While these hormones all play a major role in our mood and mental health, their functions are unique. 

Dopamine, for example, interacts with the “reward system” in our brains and throughout our bodies. It gives us a sense of pleasure, motivating us to continue engaging with whatever is giving us that pleasure.

Oxytocin, sometimes called the “love hormone,” helps manage parts of the reproductive symptom including contractions during childbirth and lactation. It can also be triggered by physical touch and social interaction, which is why we associate oxytocin with that lovey-dovey feeling. Like dopamine, oxytocin has a positive feedback loop: when our body releases oxytocin, it stimulates production of even more oxytocin.

Finally, endorphins are often called our body’s natural painkillers. By blocking pain receptors in your brain, endorphins ease stress and boost your mood. They are released when your body feels pain or stress and can be triggered through activities like exercise, eating, and sex.

Do dogs boost our happy hormones?

“When we interact with our dogs, our brains and bodies release a number of hormones [as well as] suppress the release of other hormones,” says Dr. Nancy Gee, a professor of psychiatry and director of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at Virginia Commonwealth University. “For example, when a person is sitting calmly with their dog, gently stroking the dog’s body, the human will release oxytocin,” she says, explaining that we often feel “a hit” of oxytocin from the types of things that makes us say, “Aww.”

Petting a dog also helps suppress a hormone connected with stress: cortisol. As Dr. Gee explains, you experience an immediate increase in cortisol during times of stress, like suddenly slamming your breaks to avoid a car accident. “When we have a relaxed and enjoyable interaction with our dog, it turns out that our cortisol levels drop… indicating relaxation and stress relief,” Dr. Gee says.

In other words, a pet can do a person good. In a 2024 survey by the American Psychiatric Association, 84 percent of pet parents said their pets have a positive impact on their mental health. Dogs, in particular, can have a positive impact on our overall health.

As noted in The Role of Companion Animals in Treatment of Medical Disorders, a book co-written by Dr. Gee, there is an increasing amount of evidence that indicates pets may be beneficial to people experiencing PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Other research shows that having a dog tends to up your activity level, alleviate isolation, and provide a sense of purpose.

“Dogs can be a source of joy, and provide routine and responsibility,” says Dr. Valli Parthasarathy, veterinary behavior specialists and owner of Synergy Veterinary Behavior. Dogs can also help facilitate social interaction, Dr. Parathasarathy adds, which is a key component in our mental wellbeing. 

Is the feeling mutual?

This all begs the question: Do our dogs feel it, too? Does a gentle pat reassure your pup that they are indeed a good boy? According to Dr. Gee, in some ways, yes: “What is interesting is that the dogs also release oxytocin during these types of interactions, indicating that they are bonding with us and we are bonding with them.” Additionally, she says that dogs, like people, experience a reduction in cortisol during these positive human-pet interactions, suggesting that our dogs are also getting a little bit of stress relief. 

Both Dr. Gee and Dr. Parthasarathy express the importance of learning your dog’s individual cues, which will help you understand when your dog is in need of a little happy boost or stress relief.

“I believe that there is still a lot to learn about how dogs and people help each other and affect each others' physiology,” says Dr. Parthasarathy. “In the meantime, we should treat them with respect and strive to understand them.” Petting a dog might not but the cure-all we’d hope it be, but it does do us (and our dogs) some measurable good.