You have been pouring your heart and soul into your puppy. Showing your undying love to your furry friend is part of your everyday life now that you’re a puppy parent. You wake up at the crack of dawn for your puppy, take him outside to go to the bathroom in sub-zero temperatures, and rush home to feed him and spend time with him. Even if your puppy destroys your favorite shoes or poops in a strange place, you forgive him quickly and love him dearly!
So, how do you know if your adorable fur baby loves you in return?
Here are 7 signs your puppy loves you!
EXCITED TO SEE YOU
Puppies have a ton of natural energy, so they seem thrilled about everything. But there’s no need to play down your puppy’s excitement at seeing you and assume he’s jumping around due to high energy levels alone. The fact of the matter is that your puppy is excited to see you because he loves you!
Whether you just got home at night or just woke up in the morning, when your puppy cannot contain his excitement at seeing you, rest assured that it’s a sign he loves you. He may jump on you, lick you all over, wag his tail with all his might, or even bark for joy, it’s all an expression of how much he loves you.
SNUGGLE REQUESTS
Seeking out physical contact from you is another sign that your puppy loves you. Your puppy may lay his head in your lap, nudge your hand with his snout, roll onto his back to present his belly to you, or otherwise encourage you to start patting him. These snuggle requests are indications he loves you and wants to bond.
Part of this will include following you around everywhere you go in the house. Your puppy wants to be near you and stay in close contact, because he loves you so much that he probably can’t bear the thought of being in separate rooms.
PROTECT YOU WHILE YOU SLEEP
A less obvious sign that your puppy loves you is that he wants to sleep with you or at least sleep as near to you as possible. This could cause him to whine or cry during the crate training phase of his young puppyhood. The reason that your puppy wants to be near you throughout the night is because he has an instinct to protect you while you sleep.
Once your puppy matures into an adult and no longer needs to sleep in his crate, you’ll probably notice that he’ll want to sleep in the bed with you, sleep at the foot of the bed, or sleep right in front of your bedroom door. By positioning himself in these strategic places, your dog can effectively protect you from danger. Just know that he does this out of his great love for you!
HOLDING EYE CONTACT
An interesting fact about dogs and canines in general is that dogs take eye contact as a threat. When another dog or person holds eye contact with a dog, the dog will take it as a threatening challenge. The dog’s demeanor will go from friendly to aggressive by growling and hunching his shoulders.
A major sign that a dog loves a person is that the dog will gladly hold eye contact, and even “gaze” lovingly at the person. This generally only happens between a dog and its owner. When your puppy gazes up at you and holds eye contact with you, it’s a big sign that he loves you! If you were anyone else, he would instead start growling!
CHECKS ON YOU
Domestic dogs have a built-in instinct to keep their owners and families safe. In order to manage this great responsibility, a household dog will “check on” each member of the family to sniff out what they’re up to and make sure that everything is good.
Even though your dog is still just a puppy, the instinct to keep you safe and happy is already strong within him. For this reason, he’ll check on you and will probably settle himself at your feet or in front of you to “keep a lookout” for you. These are all signs that your puppy loves you.
LICKING “KISSES”
In the world of dogs, licks are meant to be kisses. When your puppy licks your face and hands, it’s his way of showing affection and telling you he loves and appreciates you. Dogs are also highly sensitive and intuitive, and you may notice that your puppy will start licking you whenever you’re in a sad or low mood! Giving you a lick or two is his way of cheering you up!
The one caveat when it comes to licking is that if you notice your puppy is licking “excessively” it could be a sign that he’s anxious, distressed, or having a serious problem. If you notice excessive licking that persists for days, we recommend that you schedule an appointment with the vet.
YOU’RE THE TOP PRIORITY… UNLESS THERE’S A BIG BOWL OF FOOD AROUND!
Now that we’ve laid out all the signs that your puppy loves you, we’ll conclude this blog with one final sentiment. In the eyes of your puppy, you are the top priority… unless it’s mealtime! Of course, we’re being cheeky. Your puppy will still love you even if there’s a big bowl of food around, but it might not seem like it. Just know that you are loved and your puppy will resume giving you his full attention as soon as he’s finished his plate!