This is how your dog expresses its love for you
Whether puppy, adult, or senior - every dog needs one thing from its owner almost as much as food: love.
To help you understand how important you are to your dog, we have compiled some clear evidence of love that your dog shows you every day.
1. Your dog steals and hides your things
When you have to search for your clothes in the morning because your mischievous dog has once again taken them away, or your laundry basket looks like a raccoon has broken in, then you know: Someone was on a treasure hunt!
Even though it may be hard to accept stolen clothes as a sign of love: Some dogs simply love to snuggle with their owners' worn socks.
Note! However, there is a significant difference between your dog simply taking your things to its bed to sleep with them or chewing them up. If your dog steals shoes, socks, and the like to chew on and destroy them, it is not a true sign of love, but rather boredom or frustration. If you have a puppy that chews on many objects, it could also be due to pain from the →teething.
2. Contact lying
Even if your dog is not one of those that constantly demands cuddles from you: Pay attention to the small signs. Even a gentle touch with a paw on the sofa or a leaning against your feet on the floor is a sign of love from dogs. Some dogs even lie completely stretched out next to you and simply love to snuggle up to you! So-called contact lying is quite wonderful for many dogs and a sign of affection.
Does your dog always want to be close to you?
If your dog constantly hovers around you like a shadow, always follows you, and actually wants to be with you all the time, then that is not a sign of love. Yes, your dog certainly loves you too, but with dogs that tend to "stalk," you should be cautious. Often, this behavior is confused with affection and love, but actually, your dog is monitoring you all the time and/or is afraid that you will leave the house at any moment - without it.
→Separation anxiety and control behavior are behavioral issues that can lead to subsequent problems such as much stress, →constant barking and that your dog →cannot stay alone**. These issues should be addressed and resolved together with dog trainers and behavioral therapists.
3. Your dog seeks eye contact with you
There is often some confusion regarding eye contact with dogs. Here’s the clarification: While long eye contact with "strange" people is often seen by dogs as a threat or provocation, this is less the case with their caregivers (less, not never!).
As long as you haven't trained your dog not to maintain eye contact with people early on, it will be able to look directly into the eyes of people it loves. Because eye contact means attention, and your attention is one of the greatest gifts you can give your dog. The fresher the love, the more timid and shy your dog's glances may be. But when you can finally gaze lovingly at your furry friend, it even releases the "love hormone" oxytocin!
4. Your dog shares its favorite toy with you
When your dog brings you a toy, it’s clear that it wants to play with you. But if it wobbles over with its absolute favorite toy (the shabby, chewed one that hardly makes any noise), you have a VIP spot right next to it in its heart.
Also, if you were away and then come home, does your dog bring you all sorts of toys, socks, shoes, and the like? These are all signs of love and gestures of joy that you are back!
5. Your dog stays relaxed when you leave and is happy when you return
Even though it sounds contrary to point 2, it is a clear sign of connection when you can leave the room and your dog, instead of barking the place down and tearing things apart, calmly retreats and waits for your return.
Because even though it seems strange that your dog relaxes when you leave, it is the best sign of love. It shows that it completely trusts you. That it knows you will come back and can then show you its joy with a wagging tail, cuddles, or a daring little dance.
Again, there are dogs that are "psychologically damaged" and struggle with strong separation anxiety. In such cases, your dog will surely behave differently. There are other ways to interpret its love.
Can dogs smile and is it a sign of love?
Humans smile, monkeys do too, and dogs as well? If your boss tells you a bad joke, you smile it off. However, dogs cannot do that. If the lips are actually pulled back to the ears and resemble a smile, it is a wide-open mouth, with lips pulled far back and squinted eyes, which are clear stress signals from a dog!
This is how you give your dog a piece of love back
Chocolates are taboo, roses are completely overrated! The best way to show your dog how happy you are that it is your companion is through affection. Besides extensive petting, this can also be a very special snack or - better yet - the daily food. By choosing a particularly high-quality and tasty food, you make your dog happy every day (in terms of taste) and also ensure a healthy and long life for your dog. Surprise your favorite with a can of our delicious wet food. We have packed the best ingredients into a recipe and seasoned it with a lot of love!
