Does your dog love you?
Do you want to know if your dog loves you? When we love someone, we want to know if he feels the same way about us. So it’s natural that we want to be able to read the signs by which our canine friends show us that they love us. But dogs have different ways of showing their love than we do, and they can’t express “I love you” in words. But they find other ways to show us how much they love us, and it’s easier than you think to recognize these signs. The ability to understand the language of our beloved dogs lies dormant in all of us.
Here are ten signs that will definitely show your dog’s heart is beating and his tail is wagging for you. Above all, it’s important for you to realize that your instincts are a key factor in understanding your dog’s language. Just as our dogs rely entirely on their instincts, our instincts are also a reliable guide when it comes to understanding their language. For this reason, the following list is not meant to be exhaustive, and the following ten points can only be an approximate guideline. Perhaps your dog will find other ways than those mentioned here to show his love for you. The better your relationship with him, the easier it will be for you to interpret the signs of his affection for you.
Your dog is looking deep into your eyes
When your dog anchors his gaze in yours, he shows you that he loves you. Studies have even shown that your dog’s oxytocin levels increase when he looks at you this intensely. This hormone is the one that triggers an intense sense of attachment in dogs and humans alike.
10 signes que votre chien vous aime
He’s always by your side
If your dog loves you, there’s no place he’ll feel better than with you. Unlike a human being, he doesn’t need moments of solitude, but he sees the place where his master is as the most beautiful place in the world. This doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love his basket, or the room where his bowl is. Above all, he likes to accompany you everywhere. It doesn’t matter whether you go for a walk together or just go to the kitchen. Moreover, when you cook, he can hope to recover one or two bites that have fallen on the floor (be careful, however, that this is a digestible food for the dog, which is not the case for many of man’s favourite foods)!
Your dog is worried about you
If he senses that you are in danger, your dog will try to protect you. On the other hand, this behaviour is problematic because it shows that the dog does not see you as a leader who is in control of the situation. You must always be really sure of yourself and show your dog that he can fully rely on you and that you are in control of the situation.
He wags his tail
If your canine companion wags his tail to greet you, he expresses his intense joy. It is a clear sign: he is happy that you are there because he loves you. That’s usually what it means. However, be aware that when a dog waggles its tail, it only means that the dog is excited, and nothing more. The context will tell you if it is a positive wagging. If a dog is scared, it is wagging its tail, holding it down and stiff. The position of the ears also gives information about how the dog is feeling.
You dog licks you
Does your dog lick you as if you were a treat? Licking is synonymous with grooming. It’s a clear sign of affection, it shows that he cares about you. If you don’t appreciate this kind of expression of his love, you can teach him. However, try to make a compromise, such as letting him lick your hand rather than your whole face. Otherwise, he may be offended.
He sleeps with you
If he likes to lie down next to you and sleep with you, this is a very good sign. It shows that he trusts you. And that trust is an indication of his deep love for you. Your dog’s role is normally to look after you: But if you give your dog a sense of security, it means that he accepts you as a leader, and he can calm down beside you. A leader does not need the protection of his dog. But he can scratch him behind the ears from time to time.
Your dog gives you big gifts
Of course, your pet is not going to give you an 18 karat gold ring, but something much better: his favorite bone, of which he is very proud. When your dog gives you his favorite toy, it’s a sure sign of love from him. This is especially true when he leaves his toys with you. If he brings you the toy but does not want to leave it with you, it is more like a request for play.
He is not afraid of losing you
The fact that your dog is afraid you will leave could be misinterpreted as a sign of love. In reality, the opposite is true: if your dog can be left alone and is confident that you will come back, that’s a good sign. Even dogs that are scared at first will eventually become confident. If he can be left alone, it also shows that he accepts his owner as a leader, which is a very positive sign. The dog accepts that the “leader” has decided to leave. Even though your dog is always happy to see you again, it is a good sign if he doesn’t get too excited when he greets you. Overexcitement can also be an expression of overbearing behaviour towards you.
Your dog jumps on you
This sign, which is often interpreted as a sign of love, actually has another meaning: it is a dominating behavior. If the dog displays such behaviour, you should not look too excited or cheerful, otherwise you are signalling to the dog that you are inferior to him. This would cause difficulties in your relationship with each other. Of course, you too can be happy, but you should always know to be calm and sovereign.
He comforts you
Thanks to his developed instinct, the dog knows very well when his master or mistress is feeling good or not. If he feels that something is wrong, he will do everything in his power to cheer you up by being close to you. If your dog behaves like this, you don’t have to wonder if he loves you.
Show your dog that you love him by allowing him to lead a life that is suited to his breed and personality and by being a leader he can rely on. These are the most beautiful expressions of love you can give your dog.