London: Dogs will make a speedy effort to comfort their owners if they think they are upset, a study has shown.

Anecdotally, dog owners often say their pets are in tune with their emotions and will offer support in times of crisis, but it has never been scientifically tested.

In a new study, scientists from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, took 34 dogs and positioned them behind a door closed with magnets, with their owners on the other side. The owners were asked to either hum Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or pretend to cry.

They found that many of the dogs nosed their way through the door, but they did it three times more quickly when they thought their owners were upset and needed comforting.

"We found dogs not only sense what their owners are feeling, if a dog knows a way to help them, they'll go through barriers to provide it," said lead author Emily Sanford, a graduate student in psychological and brain sciences.