Since they can't tell you that they love you, your dog is showing you how much they actually adore you in these different ways.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on June 10, 2020. It has since been updated.
It's been a tiring day. You just want to get home, pour yourself a nice hot beverage, and do something relaxing. And if there's one thing every pet owner would do when they want a break or need to relax is play with your pet. You want to snuggle with that four-legged friend whose world revolves around their human. The way we express our affection to them by showering them with love and taking care of them, dogs too have a way of showing just how much they love you.
If your dog displays these seven behaviors, then you know they're actually telling they love and adore you.
A dog that loves you will follow you everywhere, and, I mean everywhere. It might seem like they don't have a sense of boundary, and they don't, at least not in the way we humans do. Your pet may even taking the liberty of sitting in your pants as you are on the toilet. But it's just their way of showing that they can't get enough of you because they love you. Going on a long walk with them and or just sitting with them for an extended period of time can help you show them the feeling is mutual.
If you find your dog trying to cuddle in with you even if it means disrupting your work, they're trying to tell you they want to be as close to you as possible. They trust you to love them and protect them which is why they want to show they feel the same way. And if they do it especially after a meal, it shows that they see you as more than just a food source. You are their main priority.
Dogs can sense when you're not feeling too great. “Dogs are so good at reading [human] emotions that they will often pick up on subtle changes in voice intonation associated with affective state and respond accordingly,” explains Dr. Ragen T.S. McGowan, a senior behavior scientist at Nestlé Purina, according to Huffpost. “For example, [they offer] comfort when an owner is feeling down or [get] excited when their owner is in a joyous mood.” So when your canine comes to sit with you when you're feeling low, it's because they care about you a lot.
If your dog sleeps in your bed and with their vulnerable sides exposed, it means they truly trust you. They like to feel safe when they sleep and by sleeping next to you or at your feet on the bed, it's their way of saying they love you and that they feel protected with you. Of course, sometimes, they can tend to take up positions that can keep you from sleeping comfortably. In that case, placing a dog bed next to your own and letting them sleep there ensures that both of you get a good night's sleep.
This is probably one of the most obvious ways your dog is showing their affection. When they "kiss" your face, it's a sign of trust, the kind that they give their mothers. They recognize you as their loving parent and want to be closer to you, according to Paw Castle. In some cases, their generous, slobbering kisses are a way of showing they appreciate you.
According to a study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society and reported by the Telegraph UK, just like children, dogs adopt a "look and learn" approach indicating that they can't help but mimic your actions when going about their canine business. And that is especially with someone "similar, familiar or socially close". So if your dog yawns when you yawn or sleep in a similar position that you sleep in, it's their way of showing their empathy. And a part of that comes from the love they have for you.
While some dogs tend to become restless when you leave them, if your dog remains calm while you're gone, it's a sign that they trust you to come back to them. And when you do come back, they turn into a furry ball of energy in their excitement to see you again. This is again a display of love. They've missed you while you were gone but knew that they just had to wait for some time to be with the human they love again — you.
Disclaimer: The article is based on the writer's experience and insights gathered from different sources.
References:
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/12/29/dog-psychology_n_8398778.html?ri18n=true
https://pawcastle.com/how-dogs-show-affection/
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.150505
https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/adorable-ways-dog-expresses-love.html/
