How to Show Your Dog You Love Them (In a Way They Understand)

In honor of National Love Your Pet Day on February 20th, I wanted to share a list of ways you can show your dog you love them in a way that they will understand.

Of course, you show your dog you love them every single day but are you doing it in ways that they understand as love?

Don’t worry, I’m not going to say you need to lick your dog or anything like that.

4 Ways to Show Your Dog You Love Them

Food - the majority of dogs absolutely love food. Even if your dog is one of the rare exceptions to this, you can still show your dog love with food. Simply feeding your dog a healthy meal each and every day is showing your dog you love and care for them.
Playtime - dogs love playtime and who better to play with than you? This is a great way to bond with your dog as well as show them you love them. If you can devote 15-30 minutes of playtime with your pup it will show him that you care about him and want him to be happy.
Head, neck, and shoulder scratches - these are hard to reach places for your dog so they will love the help.
Training - I should specify positive reinforcement training. Training your dog helps to build a bond between the two of you by building trust. Plus this also gives your dog a job to do which most dogs love feeling useful.

4 Ways Your Dog Shows You Love

They bring you their favorite things. This can be anything from their favorite toy to a dead animal. This is actually a sign that they trust you because they are sharing their valuables with you.
They snuggle up and sleep next to you. When they were a pup, they slept in a pile with their siblings and mom for warmth, comfort, and companionship. So when they curl up next to you for a nap it’s the same thing. And when your dog sleeps belly up in front of you, that shows trust. Dogs in the wild sleep curled up in a ball not only for warmth but also protection. When a dog is in a ball, they are hiding their belly, which is one of the easiest targets.
They steal your socks, hat, and other favorite things. Yes, this is an annoyance to you. But your dog is actually doing it out of love. These are things that are handled often by you and smell the most like you.
They make eye contact with you often. This is actually an intimate act and shows affection and attachment. When your dog looks at you their brain releases oxytocin, which is the same hormone that helps new mothers bond with their babies.

puppy love

So maybe next time you try to show your dog you love them, try playing with them instead of holding them against their will saying “just let me love you”.

And next time your dog brings you a dead animal, remember he’s doing it out of love.

How does your dog show you he loves you? Share your stories in the comments!

Related: 35 Relatable Dog Mom Quotes

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