As a proud dog parent, you do everything you can for your pup. From getting the best dog food to daily walks, you want to make sure that your dog is happy and is living its best life. But this raises the question: does my dog love me the same way that I love him or her?
How can you tell that your dog really loves you?
When a dog looks at you with its big, puppy eyes you may wonder, does this dog actually love me? Or do they just appreciate me when I feed them? How can I truly know if my dog loves me?
According to veterinarians and dog behavioral experts, if your dog loves you, your dog will:
- Bring you presents.
How sweet is it that your dog wants to give you the best?! Your dog may bring you his or her favorite toy. Sometimes, your dog may even bring you an unexpected present, like a random stick from outside, but they bring you things to show their affection.
Your dog may wander off beyond its boundaries to find these random things from outside.
If this is the case, you may want to consider a training collar, so you can ensure your dog stays safe. A training collar with a remote, such as the ones sold by Wiggle Kingdom, will allow you to communicate with your pup from up to 1,000 feet away!
You can train your dog to safely know its barriers without wandering off or from getting into the road. - Want to be close to you.
Your dog will put its head on your shoulder. It also may put its sweet, tiny paw on you. Your dog may want to snuggle.
These are all signs your dog loves you. Similar to a human relationship, they want to show physical intimacy in all the ways that they know how. They want to be where you are, feel close to you, and love you. Your affection is so important to the dogs because they have joined your “pack.” You are part of their family and they are part of yours. They want to be where you are. - Stare lovingly into your eyes.
Would you want to look at someone you didn’t like? No!
If your puppy loves you, then it will look at you sweetly and lovingly. Remember, there’s a reason we call them “puppy eyes!” In fact, the American Kennel Club says that mutual staring between dogs and humans releases oxytocin, the love hormone. This produces love and trust.
So not only does your dog staring at you help your dog, it helps you feel better and more secure, too. - Sleep in your bed or near your bed.
This is a telltale answer to the question "Does my dog love me?"
You see, when dogs were wild they were part of packs. After hundreds of years of domestication, dogs now form these “packs” with their humans. They sleep close to you to watch over and be near their pack leader – you!
If you have a brand new puppy, this also indicates that your puppy is settling in when they decide they need to sleep near you. They have made themselves at home, and they feel safe and warm near you.
- Smile.
Have you ever looked at your dog and thought that it was smiling? Well, it turns out that dogs actually do smile! Of course, a doggie smile isn’t exactly the same as a human one, but when dogs loosen their lips and allow their tongue to hang out, it is because they are fully relaxed and trust you.
When dogs love you they have a “smile” that lights up the room when you get home. It’s a look that lifts your spirits. In fact, it’s been scientifically proven that dogs help lower your blood pressure and relieve your stress when you are happy with them. - Steal your dirty clothes.
Yes, it can be frustrating when you come back home from work and notice that your dog has scattered your clothes all over the place, but did you know that this is actually a sign of love?
While you may not want your dog to have your favorite name brand sweater, they just see it as an item that reminds them of you when you aren’t near them. Think about it: your clothes still smell like you!
With a training collar, if you see your pup grabbing your clothes while you’re at home, then activate your training collar using your remote control. This will help them understand that this behavior is a no-no.
Some dog parents will even give their dogs an old t-shirt to help their dog stay comfortable while they’re away at work. The t-shirt has their scent, so the dog feels comfortable, but it isn’t a valuable piece of clothing. - Want belly rubs.
How do you know your dog trusts you?
They roll over and show all their belly. This shows you that they are part of your family. Dogs typically don’t roll on their back in the wild, because they are exposing their organs to potential predators.
Plus, when they are rolled over, they cannot get away quickly, so this shows you that they trust you and know you will take care of them. Also, many dogs simply really like belly rubs! - Protect you.
This shows a great bond between dog and owner. While this bond might bring us great comfort, it can also lead to problems. If your dog goes outside and sees another dog it might try to protect you. This could lead to a dog fight that could hurt both dogs.
Wiggle Kingdom collars can help you with this problem. You can prevent unwanted aggression with the best shock collar for small dogs. It has sound and adjustable vibration and shock modules so you can find the stimulation level that works best for your dog.
Also, when dogs are protecting their humans, they often bark. Sometimes dogs bark at things needlessly (such as the TV) or your dog might bark all night long. Wiggle Kingdom collars can help with this problem as well.
Wiggle Kingdom collars, specifically made for toy breeds, help you train your dog when it isn’t ok to bark. You can use either sound, vibration, or low shock to stop the barking. You can tell them not to bark, and reinforce that with a sound. - Follow you everywhere.
When your dog is a puppy and they follow you around it means he or she feels safe with you. As your dog matures, they may follow you because they are showing love and devotion.
Toy breeds are especially known to be “velcro-dogs” or one-person dogs. This isn’t always the case, but small dogs tend to be more loyal to a single person compared to larger dogs, who are generally more outgoing and welcoming to a wider variety of people. - Herd you back into the home.
Even if you don’t specifically have a herding dog, some dogs try to keep you with the “pack” by herding you if you try to leave.
Herding is when a dog tries to keep you in a certain area by blocking you or moving you where they want you to go. While herding is a natural instinct for many dogs, it has also been bred into some breeds, as many farmers use dogs to herd sheep or cattle. Even small dogs can have this instinct!
Herding is yet another way a dog shows they care about you and are protecting you. They want you to stay where they want you with them. They might feel you are safe in the house.
Wiggle Kingdom collars can also help with this. Some people may not want to be herded. With a vibration setting you can teach them to stay down and quit herding your loved ones back into the house. - Know when you need love.
Have you ever had one of those days that you just need puppy love? Was your day at work hard? Were people rude to you when you went to get groceries? Was the traffic frustrating to deal with?
Sometimes your dog senses when you need them after you get home. In fact, scientists tell us that dogs can sense changes in your facial demeanor as well as your pheromones! So if your dog snuggles up to you after a hard day, they don’t just want pets and belly rubs – they want to help you feel better as well! - Rub their face on you.
This is another way to tell if your dog trusts you. Face rubs may not be your favorite way to get affection, but it is love. They also may be showing that you belong to them by rubbing their scent on you. For some dogs, it is also reminiscent of the grooming that they do for their pack members in the wild! - Want you to fix things.
Your dog may bring you a broken toy that it wants you to fix. For example, if your dog’s squeaky toy suddenly stops squeaking because it’s broken, your pup will realize that something is wrong.
Of course, dogs won’t know the mechanics of how to fix a toy, but your pup understands that something is off and trusts that you can make it better! - Constantly checks on you.
Have you been in your room too long? Are you taking too long to pick out your outfit?
You will probably see your little one peeking in to see if you are ok. In fact, it’s not uncommon for parents of toy breeds to report that their fur baby is trying to “check-in” while they’re in the bathroom! - They play with you.
Just because toy breeds are small, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t active! They may run around, chase you, or play fetch.
However, a lot of unwanted activity can happen when your dog is playing outside.
Perhaps your dog has a bad habit of digging through the garden bed. Or maybe your dog always runs into the street and tries to chase after cars.
Regardless of the situation, it’s important that you have the ability to get your dog’s attention no matter what. A quality shock collar for small dogs that has sound, vibration, and shock settings, such as the one from Wiggle Kingdom, is crucial to keeping your dog safe outside!
You can use the collar in all kinds of weather. The collar is water resistant in most situations. If it is rainy or sunny your dog can play safety in the perimeters you decide. - Lick you.
Nothing wakes you up like a wet dog kiss! Most dogs are most likely to do this when you come back home after being home for a long period of time. Dog kisses are a way of saying, “Welcome home!”
Experts believe that in the wild, licking was one of the many ways that dogs welcomed members of their pack. Now that you are part of the pack, your dog welcomes you, too. Again, this could also be a way your dog is trying to “groom” you and keep you clean. - Wag their tails!
Yes! It turns out that wagging tails truly do indicate a happy dog! As soon as you get home if you see their little tail start to wag, you can rest assured that you are your dog’s best friend!
It is their way of saying “I’m so happy to see you!”. Dogs use their tails as a communication tool. Just like we use a smile to say, “Hello,” dogs use their tails to convey greetings of affection. . - Jump on you.
It’s not uncommon for dogs to begin jumping on you whenever you come back home. This is how dogs express their excitement.
However, this can be unwanted behavior. Even if you don’t mind your dog jumping on you, guests you have over might not appreciate the excitement, even if it comes from a loving place.
If you are struggling to stop and prevent unwanted behavior such as jumping, then consider a training collar from Wiggle Kingdom. - Recognize your name.
Did you know that dogs can learn up to 250 words? While most of these words are commands (such as “sit” or “stay”), many of these words are also names. Of course, your dog knows its own name, but it can even learn your name! This is more common in larger households where your dog can witness increased interactions between family members. - Sigh.
Have you ever seen your dog laying on its stomach on the floor, then suddenly give a deep, big sigh? Dogs often sigh when they get all comfy, calm, and feel safe with their loved ones! - Lean on you.
Dogs often lean on the ones they love. It shows they are completely comfortable and with the ones they love. They feel safe because they are touching you and it helps you feel safe and warm too. Some dog parents describe it as “pushing.” If you’re sleeping in bed, for example, you may feel your pup push its body against yours! - Touching you with its nose.
It is sometimes a shocking feeling to feel that cold nose, but it is your dog’s way of saying I love you. This also could be a way of your dog saying “Hey, I need attention.”
Of course, we all know that a dog has a strong sense of smell, but their physical noses are actually very sensitive. In fact, the nose is one of the most sensitive parts of a dog’s body. Some dogs will even appear aggressive if you try to touch their nose, so if your dog touches you with its nose, that is a major sign of trust and love!
How to Show Your Dog That You Love It Just as Much!
As you can see, there are many ways our four legged friends show their affection.
In return, we can show our affection by showing them the best care possible and love.
First, we can show our dog that he or she is a member of our family and that they are loved by interacting with them, playing with them, being close to them, and being social with them. Dogs are pack animals and they love to be social.
Second, you’ll want to keep your pup safe no matter what. The key to keeping your dog safe is to stop unwanted behavior (such as running into the street) and by being able to communicate quickly and effectively with your dog.
Wiggle Kingdom collars are small collars for small dogs and toy breeds. The training collars have three settings: sound, vibration, or a small shock.
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