- How To Tell If Your Dog Loves You
- January 14, 2022
Does My Dog Love Me?
16 Ways To Tell
Only when you’ve had a dog can you even begin to understand the deep bond between human and canine. For many people, it’s possible to say that their best friend in the whole world has been their loyal pup, past or present.
We can tell our dogs endlessly how we feel about them, but in return, they won’t answer us with words. If we don’t know how to read our furry friend’s signs, sometimes we may even wonder, “Does my dog love me?”
How To Tell If Your Dog Loves You
Throughout thousands of years of domesticated dogs and wild wolves, there have been some constant, tell-tale signs of love and affection between canines.
Dogs are nonverbal communicators, and as such, it’s our responsibility to decode their behaviour and body language to find out what they’re feeling.
Your dog sees you as their pack, so if they display these behaviours in your presence, know that this is how they express their love for you.
1. Glances At You Often
Does your dog look briefly at you from time to time, then look away in a calm or happy state? Tail wagging, floppy/relaxed ears, etc.
If so, your pup may be performing a check-up on you. What are you doing, are you still nearby, are you all right?
When you catch your dog giving you this subtle glance, it’s a sign that they care about your well-being and spending time just hanging around near you.
2. Brings Their Favorite Things To You
Just like people, some dogs grow very attached to random objects that catch their interest. Maybe your dog has a favorite pillow or your sock — whatever it is, it’s clear that they place a lot of value on that particular item.
If your dog sets this special thing down near you or tries to hand it to you, consider yourself a very trustworthy figure in the eyes of your pooch.
Sharing Toys This behavior can also show up in the form of sharing toys: Your dog brings you their favorite stuffed animal or holey old chew toy and sets it down near you without asking you to play.
What does it mean? Maybe your dog wants you to get the same enjoyment from it that they get, maybe they want you to guard it for them while they take a nap.
The point is, your dog trusts you with their most prized possessions — if that doesn’t mean they love you, what does?
Just like people, some dogs grow very attached to random objects that catch their interest. Maybe your dog has a favorite pillow or your sock — whatever it is, it’s clear that they place a lot of value on that particular item.
If your dog sets this special thing down near you or tries to hand it to you, consider yourself a very trustworthy figure in the eyes of your pooch.
Sharing Toys
This behavior can also show up in the form of sharing toys: Your dog brings you their favorite stuffed animal or holey old chew toy and sets it down near you without asking you to play. What does it mean? Maybe your dog wants you to get the same enjoyment from it that they get, maybe they want you to guard it for them while they take a nap.
The point is, your dog trusts you with their most prized possessions — if that doesn’t mean they love you, what does?
3. Likes Your Used Clothes or Pillows
We know that canines have very powerful noses — they use their sense of smell almost constantly, like when finding the best places to mark outside, sniffing your meals, or when smelling you.
Your scent is all over the clothes you wear and the bedding you lie on, so when your dog is missing you they may rummage through the laundry or your bed to pick up an object that carries your smell.
Don’t get mad when your pup steals worn clothes or other things that remind them of you. It means they love you, and they want to feel like you are with them.
4. Stays Nearby When You Eat
Appointing themself as your personal guard dog, your canine companion might be found sitting or laying nearby when you eat. Their attention would be drifting all around the room, whether they appear calm or alert during this surveillance.
You know your dog loves you when they’re ready to protect you from attack while you’re distracted and vulnerable.
However, this is totally different than begging — during which your dog’s gaze is firmly fixed upon something you’re having for dinner. In that case, they just want a bite of your food, and sharing is not recommended because many of our human foods can harm dogs. Plus, this act teaches your dog to repeat bad table manners.
5. Licks You / Your Face
Many dog owners know what it’s like to struggle to keep their face clean and hands dry when their dog gets too happy. Licking is a very common and somewhat curious behaviour in dogs.
Why do dogs lick us so much? There are a lot of reasons, most of them equating to love and respect in the end.
In an instinctual sense, wild wolves and domestic dogs alike will lick the face of their leader. If you’re often assaulted in this way by your dog, it simply means you are loved and respected.
It’s also possible that licking and tasting your skin is calming to your dog, and/or that they are trying to decipher your emotions through the taste of your sweat.
Many dog owners know what it’s like to struggle to keep their face clean and hands dry when their dog gets too happy. Licking is a very common and somewhat curious behaviour in dogs.
Why do dogs lick us so much? There are a lot of reasons, most of them equating to love and respect in the end.
In an instinctual sense, wild wolves and domestic dogs alike will lick the face of their leader. If you’re often assaulted in this way by your dog, it simply means you are loved and respected.
It’s also possible that licking and tasting your skin is calming to your dog, and/or that they are trying to decipher your emotions through the taste of your sweat.
6. Comes To You When They Need Help
A dog who loves you will also trust you, so coming to you for help may be their first thought when a problem arises.
Some examples of a pup needing your help could include
- A broken / ripped toy
- A toy or some food stuck under furniture / rug
- An injured paw, tummy ache, or other physical pain
- Sadness / fear / anxiety
- Another household member sick or in danger
Remember, they trust you to mend their worries, so do your best. If you can’t figure out what’s going on and your dog behaves strangely, it could be time for a vet visit to rule out any hidden medical problems.
7. Prolonged Eye Contact
Prolonged eye contact, or staring, can also mean a great number of things.
Has it ever been difficult for you to look away from something you really like? A deep, fixed gaze with no other purpose might just mean that your dog really loves the sight of you.
Maybe they are waiting for your love and affection too.
8. Leans Or Rubs Against You
Most living beings show affection with physical contact, and dogs are no different.
If your pooch regularly leans against you or rubs their head on you, then it’s settled: You are loved!
9. Follows You Around
Being shadowed by our dogs can prove to be equally adorable and undesirable. Yes, we are all flattered to know that our canine companions want to be near us wherever we may go, but watch out — too much following around can be a sign of separation anxiety.
Often, though, our dogs follow us around the house for harmless fun, companionship and to make sure we’re OK. Hopefully, you can enjoy this behaviour and spend lots of time with your dog.
However, in the event that it becomes a serious problem, try corrective training and/or contact a professional dog trainer.
Being shadowed by our dogs can prove to be equally adorable and undesirable. Yes, we are all flattered to know that our canine companions want to be near us wherever we may go, but watch out — too much following around can be a sign of separation anxiety.
Often, though, our dogs follow us around the house for harmless fun, companionship and to make sure we’re OK. Hopefully, you can enjoy this behaviour and spend lots of time with your dog.
However, in the event that it becomes a serious problem, try corrective training and/or contact a professional dog trainer.
10. Herds You
Some dog breeds are historically hardwired to herd creatures like sheep. The happy owner of a breed like this might sometimes experience being herded by our own pup.
This can show up as pushing against you when you’re too close to the street on a walk, pushing you away from certain objects/places/people while in public, etc.
Many dogs also do this to keep the beloved members of the pack together. So if your child starts to wander off, only to be rounded up by your dog — you’ve got a loving little herder on your hands. Consider it proof that they care about keeping the family safe and whole.
11. Eats Or Sleeps Near You
In the wild, wolves are more likely to survive when they guard each other while in vulnerable states such as sleeping and eating.
At home, it’s no different when your dog chooses to find you before laying down for a nap, or making sure you’re in the same room while eating.
This means you’re trusted to keep your companion safe, and they’d do it for you, too.
12. Comes Close When You're Sad Or Sick
Dogs can use our smells to detect our emotional and physical condition, like sickness and our varying moods.
As such, if your dog exhibits unusual or soft behaviour when you’re sick or sad, then yes, they do know that something is wrong. Dogs can tell when we are sick or sad. Many dogs will try to comfort their human family by staying very close or just lying around until they’re feeling better.
Dogs can use our smells to detect our emotional and physical condition, like sickness and our varying moods.
As such, if your dog exhibits unusual or soft behaviour when you’re sick or sad, then yes, they do know that something is wrong. Dogs can tell when we are sick or sad. Many dogs will try to comfort their human family by staying very close or just lying around until they’re feeling better.
13. Likes Hearing Your Name (Or "Mom," "Dad," etc)
Some intelligent dogs living in a multi-person household will start to pick up on human’s names.
Canines have been observed to get excited when hearing their favorite person’s name (or “Mum, “Dad,” whatever they know you as) when that person is not around.
This is one good reason to start teaching your dog the names of the humans they know!
14. Wags Tail
Instantly recognizable as the dog’s universal sign of happiness, a tail wag when you make eye contact with your dog will confirm all of your suspicions.
Your dog loves your presence and attention!
15. Smiling
Yes, it’s true. Dogs have been observed to learn to curl their lips upward with their mouth open to smile at people, mimicking a human smile!
You might catch your pup performing this cute, relaxed behaviour while panting near you, showing that they’re happy.
Yes, it’s true. Dogs have been observed to learn to curl their lips upward with their mouth open to smile at people, mimicking a human smile!
You might catch your pup performing this cute, relaxed behaviour while panting near you, showing that they’re happy.
16. Cuddling
Science proves that cuddling releases feel-good chemicals in both human and canine brains.
Prolonged physical contact with our dogs leads to overall lower stress levels in both species, and deepens the loving bond between the two of you.
If your dog initiates cuddling, it’s clear that spending time with you just makes them feel better overall.
In Summary
Every move our dogs make can communicate something to us. As non-verbal creatures, these are the primary methods they use to show us how they feel about us.
So next time you see these signs, know that yes — your dog really does love you too.
