You love your dog more than anything in the world, but sometimes, when they get in the trash, escape the fence, or let out a particularly stinky fart, you might wonder if your dog loves you back.
Are you starting to think that your dog only thinks of you as a food source? Were all those special moments just lies?
Take it from us, your dog loves you and shows you every day… you just might not recognize the signs. Learning to understand your dog is an important part of building a bond with them. Ready to learn your dog’s love language? We have a list of the 17 most common ways your dog shows you how much they adore you.
How does your dog love you? Let us count the ways…
1. You stepped out to check the mail, and now you’re being greeted like you’ve been gone for years. It might not be a dramatic display, just a constant tail wag, but not every dog wears their heart on their sleeve.
2. Your dog likes to lean on you. You could be sitting, you could be standing, but without fail, your pup will lean on you with his full weight. He just wants to be close to you because you’re his favorite thing ever!
3. If your dog hangs onto your every word when you talk to her, it’s because she thinks everything you say is very important. And as soon as she learns English, she wants to tell you how brilliant you are.
4. Does he bring you his very favorite toy, the only one he hasn’t ripped the stuffing out of, and lay it in your lap? He adores you and wants to share his second favorite thing with you.
5. If your dog gives you all the kisses… your face, your hands, you name it… they are infatuated with you and they need to show it with drooly kisses!
6. You go to the bathroom, your dog is there. You go to the kitchen, your dog is there. You walk across the room, yep, right there. Your dog just can’t get enough of you! She wants to be around you all the time even if it means tripping you.
7. Sometimes she ignores you. If you're used to her following your every move and then realize you haven't tripped over her for a few days, don’t worry. She still loves you, she just feels safe with you and knows she doesn’t need to be in your pocket all the time. She’ll be back to following you to every room soon enough.
8. If your dog is being extra silly, then stops to make sure you’re paying attention, she’s putting on a show just for you. Make sure you stop and give her the attention she deserves.
9. On a bad day, he comes up and lays his head in your lap. He knows you’re having a rough time, and he knows that puppy snuggles are the only cure. No one else can comfort you the way your dog can.
10. Does she try to stay between you and other people? Can she get protective if strangers get too close? Your safety is her top priority. This might be even more obvious if your dog is a herding breed… even if they’ve never herded a day in their life.
11. Have you caught her rolling in your sheets or laundry you left on the floor? Has your dog taken your dirty sock just to lie down on it? It's because she thinks you smell so good and if you’re not there, smelling your stuff is the next best thing.
12. Your dog really accepts your fawning and hugs and lets you do things, like touch his feet, that no one else is allowed to do. Secretly, he’s basking in the attention, don’t be fooled.
13. If your dog likes to sleep with or near you, she feels safe and trusts you. She knows that with you, she doesn’t need to be on alert because you have her back, just like she has yours.
14. Does your pup make frequent eye contact with you? That’s her adoring gaze, and she’s trying to communicate that she loves you.
15. If someone says your name when you aren’t there and your dog gets excited, it’s because she knows your name and is hoping you’re about to show up.
16. If your dog has a habit of laying on your feet while you’re eating or sitting next to you but facing away, she’s not begging. She’s protecting you from the dangers in your dining room.
17. If you can’t sit down without your dog coming up and rubbing his face on you, he’s just showing you he loves you by rubbing his scent on you.
18. If you’ve ever stretched out on the floor after an exercise session or after a hard day and your dog immediately comes over sniffing and whining, she's checking on you. She’s worried and needs to make sure you’re okay.
19. Remember that dead gopher your dog brought you the other day? Well, you may think that’s totally gross, but this actually shows that your dog loves you so, so much that they want to share their exciting new trophy with you. They don’t understand that it’s stinky and gross to us, after all.
If your dog shows any of these behaviors, you can rest assured knowing that your dog totally and completely loves you. When it comes to affection from our dogs, it’s not (just) about the food. There are lots of scientific reasons why we bond with our dogs the way we do. They’re pretty interesting, but at the end of the day, the reasons don't matter. What matters is that our dogs love us, and we need to make sure we reciprocate that love by living our best dog friendly lives!
Need more tips and advice on living a dog friendly life, practicing gratitude around your dog, and following a self-care routine that includes your dog? The Dog Friendly Living blog has so many helpful posts. Check it out!