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Signs your dog loves you
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Dogs are part of your family and you love them deeply. But can you tell if your dog loves you back?
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There are many ways a dog’s behaviour indicates they love you, but they’re not always the same way a human shows love. Understanding your dog’s language and how they show love is the first step to spotting the signs.
1. They greet you when you get home
If your dog rushes to say hello to you when you walk through the front door, this is a good sign they’re happy to see you and they’ve missed you. They’ve probably been waiting for you and they associate you with fun and companionship. When they see you, they’ll be flooded with the happy hormone, oxytocin.
Even if your dog tends to greet everyone, there may be things they do differently when they see you. Look out for heightened examples of dog body language. They may want to jump up, bark, whine or wag their tails and they may even leave a toy or game they’ve been playing just to greet you.
2. They want to sit or sleep next to you
Dogs are pack animals by nature and they want to be with their pack mates. If your dog loves you, they’ll see you as their pack mate and they’ll want to be near you all the time.
The dog pack looks after each other when they rest and sleep, so it’s your dog’s instinct to sit with you or sleep as close to you as possible. This shows they feel safe with you and want to protect you.
If your dog seems unsettled when in a different room to you, or if they have to stay downstairs when you go to bed, this can indicate that your dog is fond of you. However, if they seem overly distressed, this could be a sign of separation anxiety.
3. They want to play with you
Does your dog share or leave their toys with you? This can show that they see you as fun, enjoy spending time with you and feel relaxed around you. It’s also a good sign that they trust you, too. After all, their toys are treasured possessions and they’d only leave them with someone who would protect them and look after them. All these behaviours signify there’s a strong bond between you and your dog.
If your dog wants to include you in their playtime, this is a good sign of affection between you. When dogs show a bowing motion or they roll over and show their belly, these are indications of their love for you.
4. They wag their tail and want to lick you
Two common examples of body language your dog uses to say “I love you” is licking you, as well as a loose, wagging tail swishing from side to side.
These are behaviours you’ve seen hundreds of times but there are some special differences between a ‘hi’ tail wag and a more loving tail wag. When the wag is so big that it goes from their shoulders right to the end of the tail, making huge movements, this shows your dog really loves you.
Licking is a behaviour dogs use to comfort, soothe, clean and bond with other dogs. So, when your dog licks you, it's their way of being connected with you and showing their love.
5. They make eye contact with you
Making eye contact can be quite complex for dogs. Just as with humans, dogs can easily make eye contact with those they love, but too much eye contact or eye contact with a stranger can feel threatening or unsafe.
If you spot your dog looking at you with soft relaxed eyes, this is a good sign they trust you and love you. It means they recognise they’re safe, there’s a deep bond between you and they don’t have to be on guard for an attack.
Liked this article? Take a look at our guide to understanding dogs' emotions.
Dr Brian Faulkner, MRCVS
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