Aww! 10 Adorable Signs Your Dog Loves You, According to Experts
You adore your dog, and the feeling seems to be mutual. They wag their tails when you walk in the door. Wait—tail-wagging can also be a sign of stress. Come to think of it, does your dog love you, or are they smart enough to kiss up to the person with the hands that feed them?
"Does my dog love me?" may sound silly, but experts swear it's not. In fact, it's one worth asking. And we have 10 signs your dog loves you to put your mind at ease.
"We love our dogs, and since they don’t talk, sometimes you may wonder if your dog loves you back," says Heather Berst, VMD, a veterinarian with Zoetis. "Learning how dogs express affection can get you started thinking about your dog’s other behaviors and body language, and you can have a better understanding of each other."
So, does your dog love you, or do they love you not? Forget picking petals off of a flower. Experts came out in droves to confirm it's the former. Your dog loves you. Here's how to tell.
Related: 5 Love Languages of a Dog and How To Offer Them Daily
Can Dogs Tell You Love Them?
One way to cozy up to your pet is to show them love. However, can a dog sense love? Experts and research point to yes.
"Not only do physical cues show our dogs' affection for us, but there is research to back this up, too," says Dr. Jessica Hockaday, DVM, a veterinarian at Chewy.
Indeed, one study looked at imaging from brain scans of a dog and found they had the strongest reaction to scents of familiar people.
"This shows how much our dogs have a physiological response to our scent, but this was found when they heard a familiar voice," Dr. Hockaday says. "The same response occurs in humans that show a picture of someone they love."
Do Dogs Pick a Favorite Person?
Some might. "Just like humans, dogs have a sense of preference and, sometimes, the potential for deep, familiar love comes from one person," says Joan Ranquet, an animal communicator, TEDx speaker, educator and author of Emotional Freedom Techniques for Animals.
Ranquet says safety is often at the core of this preference.
"All animals, including humans, kind, need a sense of safety," Ranquet says.
These safe and secure feelings may arise because one person is the pup's primary caretaker.
"This means the person who does the feeding, walks and grooming," Dr. Berst says. "These are providing the dog with things that make it feel safe and protected. Other things like walking, playing and training your dog can help become their favorite person."
Related: 8 Signs Your Dog Is Mad at You
10 Signs Your Dog Loves You
1. A sweet and constant desire for closeness
Is your dog your shadow—even at the risk of bucking social graces? Consider it a sign that they love you big-time.
"They simply want to be around you all the time, and that can even mean following you into the bathroom," Dr. Hockaday says.
Less awkward: Your dog may want to keep the cuddles going in Dreamland.
"Sleeping near them or even sharing the same bed [shows] they feel comfortable with you, love you and want to be by your side," Dr. Hockaday explains.
2. You can always sit with them
Unlike the Plastics in Mean Girls, you're always welcome to park yourself right by your dog—even when you're not at your best.
"Dogs go the extra mile for us in a way that a human wouldn’t," Ranquet says. "They sit with us when we don’t feel well or are blue. They offer companionship at times when other people have left us behind."
3. Just walking in the door brightens their day
We may spend hours pouring over the best toys to purchase for our pets for the holidays (or any day). However, dogs don't need much—just you—and many will show it from the moment you walk in the door.
"Even if you have only gone to the store, they act as if you had been trekking across the tundra for weeks," Ranquet says. "They don’t always do this in the same way for other friends. You are the light of their world. In fact, you are their everything."
It may sound a bit mushy, but another animal expert agrees.
"The excitable greeting, the tail wagging and the whining are all telltale ways to tell your dog is more than just happy to see you," Ellis says.
4. They show you with their body
You may not even have to leave your home and return for your pup to tell you they love you using their bodies.
"Dogs showing affection can be seen with facial expressions, especially if they are relaxed in their eyes and ears," Dr. Hockaday says. "They also may show you a smile with a soft, open mouth where the corners of the mouth are turned up."
Tail wags are also clear signs, but some pups go to the next level.
"Your dog may even take tail wagging a step further with whole body wags, wiggles or a happy dance," Dr. Hockaday says. "They are showing you they’re happy and full of pure joy and love as it takes over their body. This also can indicate they are ready to play."
Share the love by engaging your pup in their favorite game.
5. They only have eyes (or a nose) for you
Even in large crowds, your dog is focused on finding one person: you.
"If you are, let's say, at a dog park, and your dogs make sure they know where you are and come back to check on you from time to time, they love you," Dr. Berst says.
Related: The No. 1 Sign Your Dog Is Stressed
6. Your dog nurtures you
You may be your dog's primary caretaker. However, some dogs may relish a brief role reversal.
"Many dogs are nurturers," Ranquet says. "They will smell wounds to make sure we are healing. They will lick tears away. They will even groom us. This is something that many dogs only reserve for the animals of their own pack."
7. The pup shows impressive patience
When you grab the leash or car keys and tell your dog to come, some may be all, "What took you so long?"
And trust: those dogs totally love their humans. However, some, even in an excited state, will slow down and wait for you to get your act together.
"Sometimes, even when you let a dog outside, they will wait by the door until you get your shoes on," Ranquet says. "They look for that approval from you and then skip along once you acknowledge them. You are their leader."
8. Sharing is totally caring in their book
You bought the ragbone for your dog, but they constantly gift it to you. Don't worry, they're not telling you to return it.
"In many cases, dogs love to share their prized possessions with their human family, too," Dr. Hockaday says. "Playing fetch with a dog's favorite tug toy, bringing a stick they found to show you and even bringing their bed over to play all ways a dog shows affection."
9. They shower you with kisses
Licking isn't always a sign of affection, but it can be.
"Kissing is a universal sign of affection, even among dogs, so when your dog laps up your cheek, consider it a compliment," Ellis says.
10. Your dog is showing love subtly
Tongue baths and full-body wags are obvious signs of affection. However, some pets prefer to display their love more quietly through nosing, eye contact and leaning.
"When a dog nudges their human friend or rests their face on you, it's a way of engaging through contact," Ellis says.
Ellis says a relaxed and calm lean into you is a dog's version of a hug. Finally, the reason for the stare is swoon-worthy.
"When a dog stares into your eyes, it's one of the most intimate experiences an owner and their pet can share," Ellis says. A dog's gaze shows trust, affection and a strong bond."