Puppies show their love to their owners in a number of ways:
- Eye contact
- Cuddling
- Happy Greetings
- Guarding you
- Licking
- Sharing toys with you
- Excitement around you
Watch how your puppy behaves in various circumstances,then see the difference in the way they show thatthey love you.
People who get a puppy do so because they love pets, but sometimes wonder if their puppy loves them back. Puppies have different personalities just like humans and may be hard to read.
Don’t despair though. In this article, I will show you how to identify the signs your puppy does love and adore you.
Although puppies are different, there are common signs that should let you know your puppy loves you.
1. Soft eye contact
Puppies don’t always feel comfortable making eye contact. They avoid any dangerous situation and won’t look you in the eye if they fear you. If they are angry and hostile to you, they will stare at you with an intensity that isanything but soft.
A puppy who loves you makes soft eye contact. It’s like a gentle gaze behind shiny eyes.
2. Wagging tail
Puppies wag their tails for a number of reasons, but the one reserved for their owner is different. That tail wag is a full-body wag that starts at their hips and works its way up to their shoulders. Sometimes puppies wag so hard, they fall over.
3. Cuddling up to you
Your puppy can lay down wherever they want to, so when they choose to snuggle up to you it shows a level of love that you should be immensely proud of. Often, puppies will fall asleep faster when they are snuggled up to you rather than if they are elsewhere.
4. Happy greeting
Whether you have been gone five minutes or five hours, your loving puppy will give you an ecstatic greeting that shows how much they care for you. Their excitement is a joy to watch.
5. Licking
Licking is a great way for a puppy to get your attention, which they crave. A puppy won’t lick someone they are afraid of or are indifferent about. It’s another sign of affection.
Every Day Ways Your Puppy Shows Their Love
Veterinarians know to look for those little signs
Excitement when you say their name.
If your puppy gets very excited when you mention their name, it’s a sign of their affection toward you. The act of you calling them excites them, and they can’t hide their feelings.
Ask you to Fix something for them.
Puppies love it when they bring you something to fix. It shows you the faith they have in you because they think you can fix their broken toy or dead animal.
Guarding you.
Your puppy will guard you like a full sized guard dog. This shows how they love you because they want to protect you. They do this while you eat and relax. You are the alpha personality, and your puppy shows their understanding of this when they protect you.
Worries for you.
If you lay down and your puppy becomes agitated, they are showing signs of worry for you. Of course, you’re just resting, but your puppy thinks something may be wrong, so it shows signs of distress.
Sharing toys with you.
When a puppy shares their tattered ball, they are showing you how much they love you. Most puppies fight if another animal takes their toys, but you are their special friend.
Cuddling.
When your dog cuddles up to you, it’s not just about snuggling. They are creating a chemical reaction with you. How cool is that?
Puppies have feel-good hormones, and when they are with you, they get excited and feel love.
If you ever wonder if your puppy really loves you, watch them when you get home. They will jump, run, yelp or cry.
Puppy Peeing a Little When They See You
Sometimes your puppy is so excited to see you that they pee a little. This isn’t them being naughty though. This is them showing they know you’re in charge, and they love you for it. Experts call this submissive urination.
When a puppy stares at another dog, it may be considered aggressive by either of the dogs. Funnily enough, it’s the opposite when a puppy stares at you. This shows you their affection toward you and how much they love being with you.
Have you ever yawned, and moments later your puppy yawns too? Studies have shown that if your yawn is copied or followed by your puppies yawn, it’s a sign of affection. This act of mirroring your yawn shows they have empathy and they have connected with you.
Another obscure sign is your dog raising their eyebrow when they see you. It’s said that this act (especially raising the left eyebrow) is a sign the puppy loves you and can’t wait for the playtime to start.
Watch Your Puppy’s Body Language
Like us, dogs exhibit body language, and if you really study it, you will see the patterns, especially when you come home. Look for their ears perking up, whole-body wriggling, or a tail-wagging very fast.
Studies have been done on this, and they actually found that if a puppy is happy and loving toward you, their tail wags predominantly to the right side of its rump.
If your puppy has less positive or negative feelings, they will wag their tails mainly to the left. How cool is that?
Another thing your puppy will do is stick close to you.
Much like us, we don’t particularly want to be close to people we don’t like or are afraid of. We do however, want to be close to those we love and admire, and puppies are exactly the same.
The most common way my dog showed she was bonding with me when she was a puppy, was laying her head on my foot when I stood near her, and leaning on my leg. It was as though the constant contact was reassuring to her.
Subtle Ways to Know Your Puppy Loves You
There are subtle signs from your puppy to know they love you. Some puppies do overtly love, but it’s not always obvious.
Some of the more subtle signs you should look out for are:
They remain calm when you leave
You may think that your puppy is being distant if they don’t make a fuss when you leave them. If your puppy remains calm, it is likely a sign that they love you. They are showing you a deep trust because they know you will be returning.
Whatever the task you’re leaving for, they know deep in their heart you will return, so there’s no need to make a fuss.
Takes your clothes
If you come home and your clothes have been moved or dragged to a spot somewhere on the floor, it’s because your puppy has done it for a reason. They have a keen sense of smell and want to be near you.
Because you’re not there, your clothes covered in your smell are the next best thing. You will often find your puppy quite happily asleep on your clothes.
You get a puppy smile
When you come home or even into the room, your puppy will give you an open-mouth greeting with a relaxed expression. This is a very subtle expression of their love for you.
No matter what they are doing, they will stop and run to you when you return. You may have only been gone for half a day, but they make you feel like a long-lost relative whenever you come home.
Grooming You
Okay, this is not such a subtle act, but the reasons a puppy grooms you might just be because modern puppies have inherited this from their wolf ancestor puppies. They licked their mother’s faces to indicate they were hungry.
Puppies do this to show you they love you and aren’t a threat to you. It is a grooming action. They love you to bits, and they want you to be clean and groomed nicely.
The Bottom Line on Puppy Love
Puppies crave love, and they give you as much as they want you to give them. There are plenty of signs that should give you the confidence that they love you.
Just make sure you enjoy the time you spend with your puppy. They grow up very fast, and before you know it, they are mature and set in their ways.
Writer: Craig Taylor
Sources
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/five-signs-your-dog-loves-you
https://www.insider.com/vets-reveal-how-can-i-tell-if-my-dog-likes-me-signs
https://www.thesprucepets.com/ways-dogs-show-love-4160771
https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/adorable-ways-dog-expresses-love.html/