IT may sound like a shaggy dog story, but man's best friend really does ease the stresses and strains of modern-day life.

Dog owners rate themselves as more relaxed than those who are canine free and the more hairy the pooch the more calm their owners are.

Stroking or patting a pet pooch is one of the best ways of unwinding after a hard day, says stress expert David Lewis, with even more benefit if the dog is a long haired breed such as a sheepdog, setter or sheltie.

His study, commissioned by dog food brand Butcher's Superior, found eight in ten dog owners considered themselves to be relaxed compared to just three in ten of those who do not have pets.

Dr Lewis, an independent psychologist, studied a group of volunteers who were deliberately exposed to an unexpected loud noise designed to send their heart rate from 65 beats per minute to an average of 138.

They were studied trying out different relaxation techniques to see which helped bring the heart rate down the most, while also monitoring changes in blood pressure and tension.

Among the techniques was to pat and stroke a lifelike model of different types of dog - long haired, short haired and smooth.