The connection between a dog and his owner can be extremely strong. In fact, some dogs will pine when their master is away on vacation, and some even act as though they are grieving when their owners pass away. But do dogs exhibit love towards their owners?
According to the folk at Voyager Harness, you might notice that your dog gets extremely excited when he sees you take out your walk kit for dogs or the harness and leash. He might become very affectionate towards you and appear very happy. But does that mean he loves you, or is he just excited to be going for a walk?
What we do know is that dogs are capable of feeling love for their owners. According to an article on VCA Animal Hospitals, scientists at Emory University in Atlanta were able to use MRI scans of dogs’ brains to determine how they reacted to the smell of their owners. It revealed that the reward center of their brains lit up when they detected the familiar smell in the same way that human brains do when they experience pleasurable smells. The scientists found that the dogs reacted more favorably to the odor of humans than they did to other dogs. Furthermore, the activity of their brains was more significant when they detected the scent of someone they knew.
Ways that Dogs Show Love
Now that we know that dogs are capable of loving us, how do they usually show us this. Perhaps the most obvious way to know that your dog loves you is if he seems happy to see you. When you come home from work or even from a quick visit to the grocery store, your dog will likely get emotional and run to greet you. He might even bark with delight and wag his tail vigorously.
Dogs show love by seeking contact with their owners. You might find that your dog has no concept of personal space and tries to sit on you whenever you are trying to chill on the sofa. Some dogs like to sprawl on their owners, while others just like to press against them to know that they are close. This is often their way of showing you affection.
Wild dogs travel in packs and they usually sleep next to each other. Your dog likely sees you as the leader of his pack and will therefore want to sleep beside you. If your dog enjoys sleeping on or near to your bed, it is a sign that he feels safe with you and trusts you implicitly.
A dog might also show love by making eye contact with you. Dogs usually avoid eye contact, particularly with other dogs as it can be a sign of aggression and viewed as a challenge. If your dog is looking into your eyes, it is a sure sign that he loves you.
Dogs move their tails for a variety of reasons, and it is not always a sign that they are happy. They might hold it straight out when faced with a perceived threat or move it to a lower position when scared. However, when a dog wags his tail, it usually means he is happy. When a dog sees his owner however, that wag of the tail will continue up his entire body. He will wiggle his whole body and his tail might spin in a circular motion.
To conclude, dogs do show love to their owners in a number of ways. So, if your dog is overly excited and wiggles his body when you appear or likes to invade your personal space, you can be sure he loves you.
