Does Your Dog Get A Runner’s High? Woof!

If you run with your dog, does your dog get as high as you do? The short answer is “woof,” meaning “yes, that does seem to be the case.” Researchers at the University of Arizona attempted to find out by measuring the amount of endocannabinoids, which our bodies produce after intense aerobic exercise, and which are believed to be the cause of runner’s high, (and yes, they are the same chemicals that are found in marijuana), after both dogs and humans did 30 minutes of brisk exercise on a treadmill.  A University of Arizona news release reports that anthropologist (and runner) David Raichlen found that blood samples for both humans and dogs showed a significant increase in levels of the happy-making chemicals. They “rocked in the blood after a brisk run” said Raichlen, who also noted that the humans reported being much happier after the exercise.