11 Signs Your Dog Actually Loves You

"Kisses mean a lot, even to dogs," says Haeleigh Hyatt, the director of dog training at OnPoint Systems LLC. "Mother dogs lick their puppies as a sign of affection, keeping them clean and well cared for. By licking you, your dog is showing you how much he cares for and respects you."

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Author and veterinarian Dr. Carol Osborne, of Chagrin Falls Veterinary Center & Pet Clinic, likens a dog's full-body lean to a human's full-body hug. "While some leans could signal a bit of anxiety, the affectionate lean is going to be calm and relaxed and loving. They snuggle up beside you because they're safe and comfortable lying next to the one that they love."

The same goes for when a dog stretches out next to their human and lets out a long sigh, says Dr. Carol. "It's just a sign of contentment."

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"Touch is one of the largest signs of love and affection in the human world, and it is much the same in the canine world too," says Jeff Franklin, owner and operator of Cobra Canine. "Whether you’ve had a great day or a really stressful one, when you open the door and walk in and they bound to you to say 'hello, I'm happy to see you'" — that is love.

While this is often seen as a behavioural problem in dogs, "jumping up on people is a dog's way of saying that he's missed you and is very excited to see you," explains Hyatt. "By jumping up, your dog is only trying to get closer to you, and perhaps, lick your face." Messy but adorable.

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"Dogs wag their tails when they're happy and relaxed, just feeling good about everything," says Dr. Carol. So naturally that means they're content and feeling the love.

Dr. Carol explains that eye contact is one of, if not the "most exciting" thing between a dog and its owner. "It's a way to say I love you, it's a sign of intimacy as well as trust and affection," she explains. "When your dog looks at you in their eyes, their brain releases the feel-good hormone, the oxytocin, which is the same hormone new mothers bond through with their babies."

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"For those lucky dogs that sleep with their owners, you'll find they typically are touching you, if not laying on you entirely. That is also a sign of their endearment," says Franklin. "Sleep is a vulnerable time for every living creature. Leaning or laying beside your beloved pack member is a surefire sign of love within their pack."

A dog's world is all about the nose, it's all about the scents. "I'm always telling my clients that when you and I walk in a room, we see the room," says Dr. Carol. "But when pets walk into a room, they smell the room. That's a fact that can't be overemphasized."

Considering a person's undergarments give off the highest scent, that's the first thing a dog's going to go for "because they love your smell." And they love you.

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"When you've had a trying day and your dog comes up to set his or her head in your lap or hands or to lean against you, that is them telling you, 'It will be OK, I'm here,'" explains Franklin. "What is love if not consoling someone you care most about?"

"Some dogs are not into physical affection, and that's OK," says Hyatt. "They will try to be close to you in other ways — like following you from room to room. Just like cuddling, following you means that your dog wants to spend time with you and feels safe in your presence."

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