To be perfectly honest anyone who has a dog shouldn't be too surprised by this. A study published yesterday in Scientific Reports suggests dog owners experiencing long periods of stress can transfer the problem to their dogs. The study was done at a university in Sweden. Researchers found that levels of cortisol in the hair of humans and their pets increased or decreased depending on the season. The levels seemed to be in sync. The research also indicates that it's humans who are passing on their stress to their dogs and not the other way around because human personality traits also affect their dog's cortisol levels. I think most dog owners already know their dogs can feel what they're feeling. In the case of my dog Maddie her unconditional love always lowers my stress level.
Source: AP News