- Showing Dogs We Love Them
- January 15, 2022
How To Tell Your Dog You Love Them (12 Ways)
You might know how to tell if your dog loves you, but can your canine understand the things you do when you love them too? For example, wolves don’t necessarily hug each other in the wild, so it’s not in your domestic dog’s instincts to feel loved when you wrap your arms around them. While nice for people, hugging can be uncomfortable for many dogs.
Even though dogs and humans have bonded together for thousands of years, the ways we express our thoughts and emotions are still very different. Don’t worry — there are plenty of simple things you can do at home to get the message across clearly to your pup.
12 Ways To Show Your Dog You Love Them
Your dog’s quality of life will improve if they can understand you and the things you do with them. Not to mention, they’d definitely like to know that you feel the same way for them what they feel for you.
At the end of this article we’ll also cover some things to avoid when expressing love for your dog.
Here’s how to show your dog affection in ways that they can understand.
1. Respond To Their Body Language
Similar to people smiling when they are happy, dogs instinctively do certain things that reflect their thoughts and feelings. This includes facial expressions, tensing and relaxing the muscles in their body, and vocalizing like growling or barking.
Almost every dog does things like wagging their tail (if they have one) when they’re happy, but each individual pup will also have their own way of communicating other thoughts to their family.
Learn your dog’s body language by paying attention to their posture, way they react to things, and what they’re reacting to.
If you can learn to spot what they do when they don’t want to be pet anymore, and you respond appropriately by keeping your hands to yourself, your dog will be able to stay calm in a situation that could have been stressful for both of you.
Your dog will notice every time you listen to the messages they send you. This shows them that they are, and their feelings are, important to you.
2. Teach Them New Things
Making time to teach your dog something new is another great way to show them that they’re important to you — as long as it’s fun.
When dogs learn new ways to behave or respond to certain things, they feel more comfortable and secure. This helps them avoid confusion and tells them that you trust them to do certain things.
Training your dog to do tasks or tricks with treats, toys, or praise could look to your dog like a fun game you play together, deepening the bond between you.
Making time to teach your dog something new is another great way to show them that they’re important to you — as long as it’s fun.
When dogs learn new ways to behave or respond to certain things, they feel more comfortable and secure. This helps them avoid confusion and tells them that you trust them to do certain things.
Training your dog to do tasks or tricks with treats, toys, or praise could look to your dog like a fun game you play together, deepening the bond between you.
3. Praise Them
Our dogs want to know when they’ve done a good job! Celebrating little victories with their loved ones makes anyone happy, whether human or canine. This is also great for training, as it makes a pup want to do the thing that got them praised again.
Do you have a “dog voice”? Don’t be shy; Using the dog voice is highly recommended! Dogs do really enjoy hearing the happy tone you reserve especially for them.
For some canines, your love and praise is even more valuable than food rewards.
4. Talk And Read To Them
Dogs love their human’s voices! If you like to talk or read, know that your dog would be happy to listen to you.
Even if they aren’t doing anything particularly praise-worthy, you can still use words to tell your dog how much you love them. A long rant about what they mean to you will be music to your dog’s ears, or reading aloud to them from any book.
Just be careful to avoid talking about something negative — our dogs can tune in to our feelings and will get confused and stressed if you sound unhappy.
5. Always Have Their Back
Strange noises outside, other pets, and even eating a meal are some things that could make a pup feel vulnerable. Some dogs express this feeling by barking or displaying signs of aggression, whether they act on them or not.
If you assert yourself as your pup’s protector and are always there to get between your dog and danger, they’ll soon begin to trust you to keep them safe.
Inside, being there to respond to uncomfortable situations around the house like a cat’s bullying, a child playing with their toys, or a threat from outside (package delivery at your door) will mean a lot to your dog.
Outside, you can physically get in between your pup and a frightening situation, further proving you are there for them. They’ll really love you for all of this, too.
6. Provide Structure
Whether following a routine seems helpful or boring, dogs are creatures of habit at the end of the day. Having a clear idea of what’s coming next goes a long way in keeping a pup relaxed, happy, and feeling important in your schedule.
It’s vital to be consistent with feeding times, the rules around the house, playing, walking, etc.
An anxious dog who never knows what you want from them next might not feel as loved or cared for as they could be. When they’ll get their next meal or whether they’ll be told to stay off the couch today are things your pup will stress about in their free time if they don’t have a very clear answer. All rules and routines should be kept the same every single day.
Even things like playing for 10 minutes after every walk or meal will turn into something your dog really looks forward to every day; They want to spend that time with you, and they’ll be happy to know that you want to do it too. Your pup will notice when they’re a permanent part of your daily schedule.
7. Look At Them With A Relaxed Expression
Ever noticed your dog staring at you from across the room with a relaxed expression? If it doesn’t seem like they want something from you, this gesture can be confusing.
What does it mean? Your pup just really likes looking at you. Think of the last time you liked something so much, you really wanted to just keep looking at it.
If you do the same thing to your dog — just look at them, relaxed — they’ll instinctively know that you enjoy their presence too.
Be careful:
It’s vital to be relaxed here. Use your eyebrows! Raise them slightly but keep your eyes and mouth relaxed. Staring at a dog with an intimidating look can come across as aggression, either making your dog fearful or inviting them to be aggressive back at you. Definitely not what you want! Avoid this if you aren’t sure how your dog will respond.
Ever noticed your dog staring at you from across the room with a relaxed expression? If it doesn’t seem like they want something from you, this gesture can be confusing.
What does it mean? Your pup just really likes looking at you. Think of the last time you liked something so much, you really wanted to just keep looking at it.
If you do the same thing to your dog — just look at them, relaxed — they’ll instinctively know that you enjoy their presence too.
Be careful:
It’s vital to be relaxed here. Use your eyebrows! Raise them slightly but keep your eyes and mouth relaxed. Staring at a dog with an intimidating look can come across as aggression, either making your dog fearful or inviting them to be aggressive back at you. Definitely not what you want! Avoid this if you aren’t sure how your dog will respond.
8. Cuddle And Sit Together, Lean On Them
Making physical contact is one universal way to show love. Dogs and humans alike feel the benefits of “happy hormones” when cuddling with someone they love, even between species.
Sitting or laying together for a while can do the trick, deepening your bond and relieving stress in both of you.
Leaning:
In the wild and in your house, canines physically lean on their loved ones. You might have already noticed, especially if you have a bigger dog who seems to lean their body weight or push against your legs sometimes. It’s a sign of affection, and you can do it back to your dog!
Just be mindful of your pup’s comfort if you are much bigger than them, and do it in a way that they can get up if they want to.
9. Briefly Pet Them And Their Ears
Petting your dog or giving them a nice massage shows them loud and clear that you love them — after all, there’s no other reason to do it!
It’s been shown that the areas around dog’s ears are pretty sensitive, and most pups respond really well to petting or lightly scratching behind their ears. Most likely, your dog will love this.
Be careful not too pet your dog too much, though. Absently stroking them while watching tv might seem nice but your dog might learn to demand petting and not appreciate it as much. Small dogs especially might begin to feel uncomfortable alone, developing separation anxiety, if they’re always on your lap with your hand on them.
10. Make Time For Their Needs
Dogs are social animals and need to feel connected to the family setting. Taking time out of a busy day to do something one-on-one with your dog (and if you have multiple dogs, they each need one-on-one time with you) will go a long way in meeting your pup’s important social needs. Try playing a new game with your dog or take a good walk outside together.
Other needs include grooming to prevent painful mats and bathing to keep their fur and skin healthy. Your dog does know when you are doing things to help them and things that make them feel better afterward, like bathing.
Additionally, if your dog really loves playing with their toys, clean them! You can even do this in front of your dog and make it fun. They may really enjoy getting their scent all over the toys again.
11. Play With Them
Everybody wants to have fun. Participating in games with you makes your dog happy, and your smile and happy voice shows that you like to play with them, too. Playing together is one of the most simple, yet effective ways to show your dog affection.
Any pup is sure to be grateful when you take the time to participate in their favorite games. This shows them clearly that their happiness is worth your time.
12. Let Them Watch You Prepare Their Food
Many pups are food-motivated, but even for dog’s who are more interested in other things like toys or praise, food is a very valuable resource.
Try bringing your dog with you to the kitchen or wherever you prepare their meals so they can see that you provide their food, right from the source. Most dogs will get excited and feel grateful when they know what’s coming, and seeing that you put in the work for them every time will make them feel loved and cared for.
Tip:
Be sure to keep food out-of-reach or locked away from your dog. Very smart pooches will watch and learn as you get it out, then try to get their own snack when you aren’t looking!
Avoid These When Showing Your Dog Affection
Even when we mean well, some human behaviours are confusing for dogs, and some are even a step in the wrong direction. It’s recommended to avoid the following acts when showing your dog that you love them.
1. Hugging
It’s true that some dogs like to be hugged and held closely by their family. These pups do see a hug as a loving gesture, like quick cuddling.
However, some dogs will not understand your arms being wrapped around them, and they will feel trapped or pinned down. These pups won’t realize that you’re showing affection.
So don’t be alarmed if your dog doesn’t enjoy a hug — it’s likely that they still love you, but they just don’t understand what your hug means.
It’s true that some dogs like to be hugged and held closely by their family. These pups do see a hug as a loving gesture, like quick cuddling.
However, some dogs will not understand your arms being wrapped around them, and they will feel trapped or pinned down. These pups won’t realize that you’re showing affection.
So don’t be alarmed if your dog doesn’t enjoy a hug — it’s likely that they still love you, but they just don’t understand what your hug means.
2. Spoiling Your Dog
Showering your pup with gifts and affection, bending the rules and letting them get away with “bad” things might make you happy — after all, it seems like such a comfortable life for your cute puppy. The truth is, your dog doesn’t understand this at all.
Dogs need to learn proper manners with consistent rules and training so they know how to behave in the world. They’ll get confused or bored if they aren’t taught what to do and when, wondering, “What should I be doing now?”
Avoid overstimulating your dog with people’s attention and too many toys. Having access to too many things all at once can cause unnecessary stress for your dog — exactly what you were trying to avoid.
A sheltered dog who is shielded from anything scary or new, or who is constantly being pet and kissed, can quickly develop anxiety that lasts a lifetime.
It’s recommended to give puppies some space to themselves without petting, and cycle through their toys weekly, also taking all toys away at bed time.
3. Kissing Their Face Or Head
Wolves in the wild will lick their leaders on the face, and this is ingrained into every dog’s instincts.
When you kiss your dog’s face or head, you may be unintentionally sending the signal that you see them as the leader.
OR, your dog may think that your kiss is a bite or a nip, which could cause confusion or an aggressive reaction in some dogs.
4. Petting A Small Dog's Head
A giant hand descending upon a small dog’s head can, understandably, be very uncomfortable.
In some cases like with toy dog breeds, the bones in their neck are pretty delicate, so what seems like a gentle and loving stroke to you could actually hurt a tiny dog’s neck.
It’s also just plain scary, because human hands are often bigger then these dogs’ entire heads. It’s best to come toward these dogs from an angle where they can see you, petting their chest gently or down their back.
5. Giving Treats Randomly
In dog training, treats are often used to motivate and reward dogs, confirming that they are doing the right thing.
If you think your dog will know you’re showing love when you walk over with a piece of cooked chicken while they were doing something random — think again. Your dog will probably wonder, “Why did I just get that? Is it meal time?”
Food rewards should be used to reinforce good behavior like chewing on toys quietly, performing new tricks, or ignoring / being neutral toward a scary sound or situation.
It’s recommended to show love with your actions instead of food.
In Summary
Dogs and humans may be very different, but we mesh together well.
Following the steps in this article can help you develop a deep and lasting bond with your pup, where you can learn to understand one another without any words.
Your dog will love you even more for making the effort.
