Small samples with large individual variation.
← Evidence library01 02 Supports
Evidence record
In small experimental studies, the presence of a familiar person or dog was associated with faster physiological recovery after an acute stressor.
Claim clm-social-buffering-stress, version 1.0.0. Reviewed 2026-07-30.
Evidence maturityEmerging
EmergingCanine surrogate evidence
MethodologyWhat this evidence classification meansEarly or indirect evidence makes this a credible hypothesis or a tentative signal worth watching.
- Definition
- Early or indirect evidence makes this a credible hypothesis or a tentative signal worth watching.
- What it does not mean
- It does not mean a real-world health outcome has been demonstrated.
Plain English
What this means in practice.
The owner-facing conclusion comes before the study taxonomy.
A practical synthesis has not yet been attached to this claim. The structured record remains available below.
Structured record
What was actually studied.
Population, comparator, outcome, direction, and consistency remain separate so the claim cannot become broader than its evidence.
- Population
- Small experimental samples of pet dogs
- Factor or intervention
- Presence of familiar company after a stressor
- Comparator
- Alone or with an unfamiliar companion
- Outcome
- Physiological stress recovery
- Direction
- benefit
- Consistency
- single_source
- Directness note
- Canine, but the outcome is a short-term physiological measure rather than health over time.
Uncertainty
Where the conclusion stops.
Limitations are part of the conclusion, not a disclaimer added after it.
Experimental stressors, not household life.
1 source
The source trail.
Supporting, challenging, and contextual records stay visibly distinct.
Horn et al.. (2013). Familiar presence and stress recovery in domestic dogs. Physiology & Behavior.
Source version 1.0.0 · DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.09.022
View sourceInclusion is not endorsement. Commercial relationships must never determine Nara’s conclusions.