Does My Dog Love Me? [quiz + article] | Pupford
Before we answer the age-old question of 'does my dog love me', take our quiz to see for yourself! ⤵️
Does My Dog Love Me Quiz
Have you ever asked yourself, does my dog love me?
Our fur babys, children, puppers, emotional support animals, service animals, doggos, doggeroos, pups, puppies, whatever they are to you, play such an important part in our lives. They can calm our anxiety, provide companionship, love, entertainment, and honestly, they can give us a little bit of a headache from time to time.
I mean, our dogs sometimes control our lives, our schedules, and eat up a good chunk of our paycheck, yet there is almost nothing better than the love your pup gives you and you to them in return… wait... is it, love?
Does your dog love you? How can you know?
Related: Dog Personality Test
5 Signs That Your Dog Loves You (This is NOT an exhaustive list :) )
1. Eye Contact
Before we get into this, we first need to talk about oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that works as a neurotransmitter in the brain. When humans hug others, look into people’s eye, or bond with their newborn child, bursts of this hormone are registered to facilitate bonding between one another.
In this study, researchers found that when dogs and humans engage in eye contact, it can have the same effect and can increase oxytocin levels in your pup and you. Eye contact between you and your dog is a sign of love, trust, and a feeling of safety.
Related Reading: How to Bond With Your Dog
2. They Get Excited When You Come Home
After coming home from a long day of work, I can always count on my dog to be waiting for me at the door.. then he will immediately run off to go and bring me his toy.
Tail wagging, jumping, running around, getting over-emotional, bringing you their favorite toys, or maybe they even pee a little bit out of excitement, are all ways your dog can show their love and affection for you.
3. You Have a Shadow
Do you ever notice your dog following you around? Do you turn around and you almost run into your dog? Have they been watching your every move?
If your dog follows you around it means they love your company, and you could also have a stage five clinger on your hands. ;) Likewise, leaning on you, wanting to sleep in your bed or in the same room as you, or snuggling with you are all good indicators of your dog’s affection for you.
After all, they chose to be near you when there are a lot of other places to go to.
4. They Wag Their Tail When They See You
This one is pretty obvious. Tail wagging just looks like the happiest thing ever. When your dog is relaxed they can more easily wag their tail.
You might have also noticed the more excited they are the more aggressive their tail wags get. They just can’t control their excitement and happiness!
5. Their Facial Expressions
It’s not only the wagging of the tail that is an indicator of your dog’s love for you. Different facial expressions are also signs of this.
In this study, researchers found that dogs were more likely to raise their left eyebrows when seeing their owners compared to when seeing a stranger. Other facial expressions you might notice are moving their ears back or yawning when you do. Ugh, they are excited to see us, isn’t that the cutest?
How Dogs Show Affection and Love
Did you know that dogs are some of the most loyal creatures on the planet? They are pack animals, meaning that they are social creatures who prefer the company of others. And truthfully dogs are talented at showing affection to humans!
Our dogs can pick up on our moods and can tell when we are sad, hurt, happy, angry, or scared. They can comfort us, snuggle us, kiss us, wag their tails at us, and try to protect us.
But it’s also important to remember that not all dogs show love the same way (kind of like humans). I mean we have all heard about the Five Love Languages, right?
Some dogs may like to snuggle more than others, some dogs may get more excited to see you than others, some are more vocal than others, some are more energetic. You get it, they are all different and that is why we love them so much.
So maybe your dog doesn’t like to snuggle with you, but maybe they jump up and down when you get home. Maybe they don’t jump up and down when you come home, but they feel separation anxiety when you are away.
You know your dog best, so trust your gut. Do you feel like your dog loves you?
Does My Dog Love Me? A Recap
Here is my hunch. You took the time to search and read into if your dog loves you, which means that you truly care about your dog, making you a great dog parent. Keep up the good work!
We all know the way to a dog's heart (and love)... treats, of course! 😉
With our full line of treats, chews, and rewards you can pamper your best friend every single day.
PS- While you're here, take our 'What Dog Breed Am I' quiz!
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