Sometimes I wonder if my boyfriend’s pittie, Thor, loves me. We take late afternoon strolls together, I spoil him with special treats, he tags along for car rides, (despite my concern for my backseat) and he even gets to snooze on my bed. Eventually, I began to think, “Does Thor actually love me?” Admittedly, I wondered if the feeling was mutual since I have grown rather fond of Thor.
This week, we will look at some obvious and surprising signs that your dog absolutely loves you.
First, I want to briefly mention some of the more obvious signs your dog loves you. These are the signs you may have already suspected convey a deep love. These signs include your dog…
Getting so dang excited to see you
Giving you kisses and/or licking you
Rubbing their face on you
Sleeping by you or in your bed
Following you around
Checking up on you
Bringing you a toy or sharing toys
Some of these may be obvious to you or completely new. Like, a pup that gives you a toy does not simply mean he wants to play, your pup trusts you enough with one of his most valued possessions and wants to share it with you. Now that is love!
Now we’ll dig in, looking at 4 surprising signs that reveal your dog’s love for you.
1. STARING AT YOU
If your pup looks you dead in the eye without breaking eye contact, it surely means they love and trust you.
Thor’s love language is to stare. He gazes at me with bright brown eyes, and I used to think, “Why is he staring at me? Does he want a snack?” Now I know, Thor loves me!
2. LEANING ON YOU
A pup that loves you wants to be near you and seek physical contact. The lean is your dog’s equivalent to a big embrace. Physical contact is not limited to “the lean” however. A dog can show his affection by cuddling, snuggling, or nuzzling with the nose. All these gestures are signs of love.
3. SLEEPING ON YOUR CLOTHES
A pup snoozing on your clothes is a sign that he or she really loves you. We discussed the importance of smell in dogs and those smelling powers are used by dogs to envelop themselves in your scent. So the next time you get worried that your pup is wrecking your clothes, remember that he just wants to be near you! Your scent lingers in clothing and your dog loves it.
4. THEY RESPOND TO YOUR NAME
A dog will eventually start to recognize names. If your pup responds excitedly to your name or any other names (grandma anyone?), it is a sign that your pup is head over heels in love.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Circling back to my question “does Thor love me?” I would say yes! He exhibits several behaviors mentioned above such as the stare, leaning on me, and sleeping in my bed, and my heart melts knowing this.
A pup’s display of affection toward you is all over the spectrum. It can come as subtle as a gaze into your eyes or come crashing with jumps, barks, and face licks. Remember, your pup may be showing he loves you in ways you never realized, especially in the form of body language. If you want more great content about your pup, follow the New Life K9s blog.
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