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A new research has found that the love connection between a pet and an owner is so strong that their hearts beat in sync with each other. For the purpose of the study, sponsored by Pedigree, the Australian research team separated three dog owners from their pets and then reunited them, to find out what effect the separation had on both the pet and the owner's heart rate. The researchers strapped heart monitors on them.

The study found that that despite beating at different rates, the pet, and the owner's heartbeats followed the same pattern. When the master's heartbeat rose, the pet's heartbeat also rose and vice versa.

"There was a really strong coherence in the heart rate pattern of both the owner and dog," said Mia Cobb from Monash University in Australia, Huffington Post Australia reported. "Upon being reunited within the first minute, each heart rhythm became almost directly aligned and we saw a reduction straight away," said Cobb.

In fact, the study also found that both the owner and dog experienced reduced levels of stress when in contact with each other.

"This project is a really good illustration of what most owners experience every night when they come home from work and are reunited with their companion," said Cobb, according to Times Live. What's interesting is that the response is not only limited to dogs, but it is the same with cats, lizards, and birds.

"We could certainly see the same effect with a cat, lizard or bird. It comes back to the kind of personal connection we have with our animals," Cobb said. She added that they would likely experience the same response even with other people's pets, but it is stronger when the animal is known to them.The effect of experiencing a lowered heart rate makes a significant difference to human being's overall well-being.

"If we can decrease our heart rate by hanging out with our animals that is something that can really benefit the community," Cobb said.