Following you around
Since they’re pack animals, dogs always want to be with you. Its part of their genetics to follow you everywhere because they consider you a part of their pack. But, they also do it because they enjoy your company and might suffer from a little bit of FOMO (fear of missing out)!
Bringing you their toys
Does your dog constantly bring you toys? Presenting you with their prized possessions is a major sign of affection! They could be bringing you gifts since they see you as the head of the household. Or, if the toy is broken, they might see you as an intelligent being who is capable of repairing it for them – a sign that they trust you with this important task. Plus, wanting to play is a sign of puppy love!
Dog’s lick people’s faces for several different reasons, but much of the time it’s simply because they love you. Puppies will lick their mother’s faces as an instinctual way of telling them they are hungry and want to eat. Even after they grow out of the need to be fed by their mothers, dogs still maintain the licking instinct.
Yes, dogs really do smile! If you’ve ever thought you’ve seen your dog smiling, you’re probably right. Dogs will mimic human facial expressions; a dog’s smile can signal love and affection just as human smiles do. In fact, research has shown dogs use many facial expressions the way we do, reacting differently to different people depending on how well they know them as well as desirable and undesirable objects.
Soft vocalizations like sighs and groans are signs of contentment in dogs. If your dog snuggles up to you and sighs, it means they feel safe and comfortable by your side.
While we know dogs can learn their own names, you might be surprised to learn they can learn yours as well. Not only can your dog recognize your name, but they will get excited when they hear your name spoken. If they hear your name and get excited, it means they think you might appear.
Dogs may also lick in a submissive way or it can simply be a grooming technique. Dogs groom each other as a gesture of intimacy when a solid bond is in place, so you can definitely take grooming as a sign of love from your dog.
How I Know My Dogs Love Each Other
Valentine’s Day might only be for 24 hours, but we’re celebrating love all month long! We’ve already discussed some of the ways you can say, “I love you” in a way your dog will understand. But have you ever wondered how dogs show they love you? In fact, do they even love at all?
Gregory Berns, a neuroscientist at Emory University, conducted aresearch experiment that challenged the assumption that dogs only pretend to love humans in an attempt to gain access to food. 15 dogs were put in MRI machines and given both praise and hot dogs. Their brains were compared with each stimulus given to see how the dogs responded to them. What did the research tell us about dogs and their ability to love?
Interestingly, 13 out of 15 of the dogs were as much or more excited to receive praise and human interaction as they were to receive food. Would it surprise you to learn that your dog loves you more than they love treats? Well, the next time someone tries to tell you that dogs aren’t capable of love, you can tell them they are and you have the science to back it up!