Mary Allen
Do you want to be sure that your four-legged companion really loves you? Then pay attention to these unmistakable signals.
As humans, we have endless ways to show our love for a dog, from treats to ear scratches to long dog-friendly outings. But how can a dog express his love? These four signs give him away.
He freaks out when you get home
Most dogs greet people in a friendly manner when they enter the home. However, when you get home, your dog completely freaks out. He wags his tail as much as he can, jumps around you, and may even bring you his favorite toy. Your dog shows his pure love and joy.
His eyebrows and ears give him away
Studies have shown that not only a wildly wagging tail is a sign of a real dog lover. Your animal’s facial expressions also reveal boundless affection.
In the study, dogs were presented with their owners, a stranger, a toy, and an unloved object. When the dogs saw their owner, they immediately raised their eyebrows, especially the left one. When looking at a stranger, there was significantly less movement of the eyebrows.
The study also showed that when the dogs saw their favorite person, the left ear in particular folded back, while the right ear was more likely to be folded back when they saw strangers.
He looks you straight in the eyes
Permanent fixation is a clear dominance gesture in the canine world. But there is a second way of looking, and it says the exact opposite: If your dog looks at you in a non-aggressive way, it is like hugging with his eyes and thus a sign of his endless love.
When your dog looks at you directly, it releases the so-called bonding hormone oxytocin, which strengthens your dog’s love for you. Don’t stare at your dog to strengthen your bond with him. That could upset him tremendously. However, if the opportunity arises in a relaxed situation, seek eye contact with your dog and maintain it for a few moments.
He yawns with you
It’s no secret that yawning is contagious. As has been proven in various studies, this is especially true when someone we like yawns. Then we can hardly help but yawn along.
This is no different with dogs. Scientists have investigated to what extent yawning works as a sign of deep affection in dogs. It has been shown that dogs that have a close bond with their owners are more likely to yawn with them than with a person they do not know.
If your dog shows none of these four signs, don’t be sad. These are just four of the most common signs dogs use to let us know they love us. If your dog always stays by your side, feels your emotions before you even realize them, and cuddles up to you whenever possible, one thing is certain: the heart of this little tail wag belongs 100 percent to you.