A wagging tail is mainly a sign that tells us our dog is excited. But did you know there are several other tell-tale giveaways that shows our dogs love us?!
1. They’ll look you in the eye
Much like their human companions, dogs will happily gaze into the eyes of any human they adore. While historically a dog staring into the eyes of their owner was thought to have been a play for dominance (like with wolves in the wild) dogs have actually evolved to mimic this more human trait and experience the same release of oxytocin – the love hormone – just like we do.
2. They like to cuddle
There is nothing more endearing than a pooch coming over for a cuddle or lying down with their head on your lap and not leaving. This is another trait they share with humans; cuddling up means they’re keen to get closer to you, which, again, releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin.
3. They’ll bring you their toy
Bringing over their favourite drool-covered toy or tennis ball isn’t just an invitation for play. It also shows they’re willing to share it with you, and it is the ultimate sign that they love and trust you. It’s also been observed that pooches will bring a toy or object that is broken to their favourite human, trusting that they’ll be able to ‘fix’ it for them.
4. Their herding instinct kicks in
Those of you who own a collie or other herd-dog may have noticed this behavioural trait and pinned it down to breed and instincts. And while this behaviour is more prominent in these breeds, dogs in general ‘herd’ their human family as a way to show affection for the pack by keeping it together.
If you’re out as a group walking your dog and you split up, you may notice your pooch bouncing between you all to make sure you’re all still close by.
5. Their tail is wagging
A dog’s tail is a very important communication tool and an easy way for dogs to show us – and other pooches – how they’re feeling, as long as we know what signs to look out for. When a dog sees you, or even hears your name, an enthusiastic full-body tail wag is a sure sign they’re super excited about you and love having you around.
While the old saying is that a dog is man’s best friend, there’s also no denying that often man is dog’s best friend too.
