How do I know if my dog loves me?

We really don’t deserve the love that dogs are able to offer us. There’s nothing like coming home from a hard day at work, or watching your favourite sports team lose, and having this tail-wagging bundle of fun and energy laud our arrival like a returning hero. It’s absolutely worth all the dander and slobber that they manage to cover us with, and one of the many signs that your dog adores you. But are there other signs? Are there any more sure-fire ways to know for certain that your pet pooch is totally enamoured by you? Let’s find out.

Signs that your dog loves you

One very strong clue that your dog loves you is if he or she rubs their face on you. In the same way humans show affection through physical touch, dogs do too, and if your puppy is rubbing his or her face on you, you can think of this like a hug, or a kiss on the cheek. It’s one of the sweetest things they can do, and they often have a dreamy look on their face when they do it. And then, of course, there’s the licking – they might sniff everyone, but a good licking is a sure sign that you’re their favourite.

There’s also the classic look of love. Dogs have some of the most expressive eyes in the animal kingdom and we often think we know what they’re thinking when they look at us. That’s not necessarily hard – if you’ve just sat down to enjoy a steak or some roast chicken, you can be almost certain what look they’ll have on their face (and it’s worth remembering that a naughty treat is ok now and then) but if you find them dreamily staring into your eyes, it really is likely that they are doing this because they love you. Even when you don’t have a piece of meat in front of you.

Times of the day

Another clue that a dog loves you is if they appear to get agitated when you lie down, especially if it’s not at night. An afternoon nap might be just what you need, but they know it’s not something you usually do so this can bother them. It’s easily remedied with some reassuring words and an invitation for them to do the same, but it’s also very much a good indicator that they care.

And returning to meal times, have you ever noticed that your dog (once it’s stopped giving you that look we spoke about earlier) gets protective of you when you sit down to eat? Dogs are pack animals, and they instinctively know that we’re all more vulnerable when we’re concentrating on our food, so a dog that isn’t begging for scraps that stays close to you as you eat, definitely loves you enough to be your mealtime protector. 

Are there any other clues?

There are lots actually, and probably more than we have time to run through here. But here’s a brief list of some of the behaviours that dogs can display that mean they’re totally in love with their owners:

• They bring you things to fix – they know you make everything better, so if their favourite toy needs patching up, they’ll bring it to you so you can do your magic
• The tail – It’s really the most obvious sign but if their tail starts wagging like there’s no tomorrow just because you shot them a glance, you know they think you’re the best
• Them cuddling you – We may love to give our dogs a cuddle, but when they choose to cuddle you, you know it’s love
• Mimicking you – ever thought your dog might be smiling at you? Sometimes dogs will mimic our behaviour – even smiling!

Like we said, there are many more signs of your dog loving you, and as long as you treat it right, feed it well and play with it, a dog is wonderfully easy to please. And to help out, the occasional treat goes a long way, and if you’re looking for a good treat, we’ve got some great treat recipes that your pooch will gobble up with glee.