5 Signs Your Dog Loves You
We love our dogs as if they are members of our families – because to us they are! We show our dogs we love them in so many ways outside of just their regular care and maintenance, by doing things like buying them special treats and toys. But how do our dogs tell us they love us too? Sometimes it might feel like a one-sided relationship, but dogs love us just as much as we love them!
1. He Makes Eye Contact
In the human world, we usually make eye contact to show that we’re engaged and paying attention. That’s not the case in the dog world. When dogs lock eyes with each other, it’s often considered rude or aggressive. And yet, when dogs stare at their favorite humans, it’s usually out of love, not war. When you look into your pup’s eyes and he gazes back with relaxed eyes showing little to no white, it usually means he’s happy and comfortable with you.
2. Sleeping With You
Dogs are pack animals, and in the wild wolves and other canids sleep huddled together in packs. This helps keep them warm and help them feel safe. It’s also a way for your dog to show you he cares. He wants to be near you, and this is his natural way of showing you he feels comfortable and sees you as family.
3. Gift Giving
If you’re hanging out and your pup brings you their favorite toy, take it as a compliment. But, more importantly, take it and toss it out for them to fetch. Bringing you the gift is a sign of their love and desire to play.
4. Licking your face
Dogs lick people’s faces for a few different reasons, but in many cases it’s a sign of love and affection. Puppies typically lick faces even more than adult dogs. This behavior comes from wolf cubs, who lick their mothers’ faces to signal hunger so they will be fed. Dogs don’t feed their young the same way wolves do, but the licking instinct remains. A dog may also lick you in a submissive way, to let you know that it is not a threat. And of course, your licking dog may also simply be grooming you. Dogs groom each other as a gesture of intimacy when a solid bond is in place, so you can definitely take grooming as a sign of love from your dog.
5. He Wags His Tail
Tail wagging may seem like an obvious sign of love, but this behavior is more complex than you may think. A tail wag can have a lot of different meanings — and they’re not always friendly. Thankfully, when your dog gives a full-body wag with the tail held at mid-height, accompanied by other signs of positive body language, the message is pretty clear: He’s happy and excited to see you. Now, if your dog’s tail wags more to the right side of his rear, it just might be an even better sign he loves you. An Italian neuroscientist and two veterinarians discovered this by using cameras to track the tail-wag angles of 30 pet dogs as they were each shown their owner, a person they didn’t know, a cat and an unfamiliar dog. When the pups saw their owners, their tails wagged most strongly to the right side of the body.
