14 Ways to Know a Dog Likes You

You certainly have a soft spot in your heart for canines, especially for your own pet. Our dogs tend to love us too, so what can they do to show that? How do you know a dog likes you?

Dogs have an innate ability to understand our emotions as well as the tone of our voices. With time, they become attached to their owners and even regular acquaintances, and they will show this adoration in a number of ways.

Here are some of the ways to know a dog likes you:

Your dog is excited to see you
Your dog ranks you next only to food
Your dog enjoys snuggling up next to you as you sleep
Your dog stares at you with eyes filled with affection
Your dog leans on you
Your dog has no interest in how you look
The dog wags its tail
It love your body scent
It may urinate a little in excitement
The dog smiles at you
Your pup follows you around everywhere you go
Your dog seeks out physical contact
They roll onto their back and want belly rubs
Your dog offers you presents

14 Ways to Know If a Dog Likes You

You likely have a good idea of how your dog feels about you at this point, but let’s discuss all these different displays of affection in detail.

1. Your dog is excited to see you

When your dog sees you enter through the door, it’s very likely that your dog starts jumping up and down, barking, and getting extremely excited. It’s also possible that your pup is a bit more understated in its displays of excitement and all they do in response to the sound of your return is make some more discreetly excited body movements.

This is one of the easiest ways to determine if a pup is excited to see you, but some dogs are also excited to see nearly everyone come to pay them a visit, so you’ll need to see if your dog is showing you some of the following signs as well.

2. Your dog ranks you next only to food

When your dog absolutely adores you, the only thing more important to your dog than food is you! Dogs exist only in the “present.” When they are famished and are given a bowl that is brimming with food, they will forego social engagement in order to focus on the pleasures of a delicious meal. (The focus on food is what makes pups so easy to train when treat are involved!)

However, once they’re done, dogs will usually shift their focus right back to you once the bowl is empty. After eating, a lot of dogs just want to curl up next to their humans and enjoy a full belly along with some snuggles.

3. Your dog enjoys snuggling up next to you as you sleep

Dogs are predisposed to be aware of potential dangers in their surroundings and will naturally assume a protective posture while resting in the wild. They turn their backs to the other members of the pack in order to form a defensive circle and turn their noses to the wind in order to detect potentially dangerous odors.

The fact that they are ready to curl up next to you on the sofa is an indication that they regard you to be a member of their pack and that they feel secure in your company. You are a part of the more immediate members of their family once they bond with you, and their instincts tell them to curl up with and protect you during sleep.

4. Your dog stares at you with eyes filled with affection

In the community of dogs, making eye contact might be seen as an aggressive move. When two dogs meet, the more submissive dog will avert his or her gaze from the dominant dog. There’s a difference between aggressive and challenging eye contact and loving eye contact, though.

When your dog gazes at you with eyes that are calm and pupils that are of a typical size, he is giving you the gift of a loving glance. Many dogs will gaze at their caretakers with absolute love and affection and then smile and wiggle closer for some scratches and snuggles.

5. Your dog leans on you

If your dog leans on you while you’re sitting in a chair or on the sofa, this indicates that the dog feels safe, secure, and completely comfortable. When they are frightened or concerned, dogs will sometimes lean upon their people as well, but this version of the behavior just indicates that the dog views its owner as its protection or is willing to protect them in the presence of a threat.

6. Your dog has no interest in how you look

If your dog continues to snuggle with you even when you have a bad hair day, have nasty morning breath, or have just had a particularly strenuous workout, there is a good likelihood that this is a sign of genuine affection on both sides.

Dogs will love us despite the days and times when we smell bad or need a bath. Strangely, some even like the stench! Indeed, our canine companions adore us without condition, though.

7. The dog wags its tail

When your dog loves you, they will give you an entire body wiggle that starts at their shoulders and continues all the way up to the tip of their tail. This will let you know that they are truly happy to be around you.

Their tails will whirl in circles like the propellers on a helicopter (in circular motions). This kind of tail wagging is typically saved for those who hold a particular place in their hearts, and it is most commonly observed in dogs when they visit their owners.

8. It loves your body scent

Puppies that are bonded to their owners also adore the smell of their owners, and they may go through your laundry basket or shoe pile in search of filthy trousers, T-shirts, or even undergarments if they have the chance. It’s not always a good idea for your dog to steal shoes and dirty clothes, especially if your pup likes to chew.

Nevertheless, you may prevent your dog from chewing unsuitable items by providing a large number of stimulating toys as well as safe chew toys. If they are especially stressed or clingy, it will also help to give them a blanket with your scent to curl up with in your absence.

9. It may urinate a little in excitement

When dogs are thrilled, especially pups, they may urinate a little amount. As they get older, most dogs outgrow this tendency and can retain their urine even when they are glad to see their owners.

10. Your dog smiles at you

Some canines are taught to “smile” by pushing their lips back and exposing a large, toothy grin to the world. Some dogs just naturally have their facial muscles pull their sweet faces into a happy smile-like gesture.

This is a sign of submission as well as adoration, your dog letting you know that it loves you and that it would never do you harm. Your dog will know that you love it too if you reciprocate its affection with a wide grin and a pleasant voice.

11. Your pup follows you around everywhere you go

Consider yourself loved if you get the feeling that you cannot move around your home without your dog following close behind you at all times. Dogs will attach to their owners for reasons that go beyond simple protection. They are different from other human companions in that they cannot spend enough time in your presence and will even follow you for companionship and protection as you venture into the bathroom or shower.

12. Your dog seeks out physical contact

Although it’s been stated in a few ways above, it cannot be overemphasized that a dog will seek out physical contact and affection when it really likes someone and wants their attention. They may lean on you or curl on on the couch or in the bed, but many dogs will also bump their noses into you to get some head pats. When they get really comfortable with you, they’ll usually begin turning their butts to you to get those elusive base-of-the-tail scratches that all dogs simply can’t live without.

13. They roll onto their back and want belly rubs

Just like with cats, one of the biggest signs of trust and liking someone is when a dog rolls on its back and gives you their belly for rubs. Rarely will an animal expose one of its most vulnerable body parts due to caution, but when a dog rolls over and exposes its belly, this is the ultimate sign of trust and liking a person.

14. Your dog offers you presents

Your dog will also probably offer you presents if they really like you. Your dog may bring you a favorite stuffed toy, and though it may sometimes be for the sake of wanting to play, they may often give it to you as a present as well. When your dog does this, they simply wish for the person they care about to “join” them in enjoying the prized item.

How to Train Your Dog to Love You More

It is common knowledge that a dog will adore a person when they regularly receive affection, treats, and other positive forms of attention. Do you desire genuine love from a dog, and by “genuine love,” we mean the affection of a dog that is content, sociable, friendly, and well-adjusted?

To get this puppy love in your life, it’s really quite simple. Including your canine companion in family activities should be a top priority; welcome them into “pack” activities loaded with fun and adventure. Always offer a secure refuge for your pet, show them love and warmth, and train them via positive reinforcement. Provide your dog with high-quality playthings, nourishment, and snacks. Also, provide him with a cozy bed and a life that is full of health and happiness. Then, without a doubt, you will have won your dog’s love.

What Does Research Reveal About Dog Love?

In the pursuit of finding an answer to this age-old topic, researchers conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans on many canines to examine the activity in their brains. When the dogs were shown a variety of odors, including (most notably) food and the aroma of their favorite person, they became thrilled. This was true regardless of any other scents that were shown to them. According to the findings, some canines value praise more than food, while others seek both equally.

Canine brain activity shot through the sky whenever the animals were exposed to upbeat noises such as praise. The same study also showed that there are a lot of parallels between the ways in which people and dogs interpret sound.

FAQs

Does your dog love you?

The manner in which dogs love their humans is open to interpretation. They can make direct eye contact with us by looking at our faces without aggression. When we come through the door, they either wag their tails or wiggle their butts excitedly and then bring us things to play with. They often wish to sleep in the same room as us a well as many other behaviors (as mentioned above).

In contrast to other animals, they actively seek people out for the purpose of finding solace and protection. They are continuously following us around, and some of them become agitated when we leave, which may even cause them to develop separation anxiety.

However, these are the things that we consider to be “loving.” Simply said, we do not have conclusive evidence due to the language barrier between people and animals. However, we do have science to assist us in comprehending things better, and the results look promising.

What is the history behind dog-loving humans?

Since humans and dogs have worked together for several thousand years to perfect their relationship and accomplish a variety of tasks together, it is only natural that we have evolved some level of affection for one another. Because we now reside in the spaces that their ancestors before occupied, they are more dependent on us for food and shelter and for their comfort than before as well. And there is no doubt that we love them; if that weren’t the case, this article wouldn’t have been written. Thus, it’s possible that they have begun to love us back without conditions, too.

Family Dog Expert Author

Hi there! I’m Stuart, a devoted dog lover and family dog expert with over a decade of experience working with our furry companions. My passion for dogs drives me to share my knowledge and expertise, helping families build strong, loving bonds with their four-legged friends. When I’m not writing for SirDoggie, you’ll find me hiking, playing with my beautiful dog, or studying music.

14 Ways to Know a Dog Likes You