He stays close to you
Tail-wagging isn’t the only clue your dog loves you. Some stand on your feet. They might stay close to you during a walk. And when they take a nap, they might want to cuddle as close to you as possible.
He makes eye contact
Does your dog stare into your eyes? It turns out that’s one of the ways that he says, “I love you.”
He responds to your voice
Sure, your dog runs over when you tell him that dinner is served or it’s time for a walk. But according to NPR, researchers have determined the reward pathways in a dog’s brain light up when they hear praising words and approving intonations. Your dog is listening to what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. Dogs process speech by separating the meaning of the words from the intonation. And they analyze each aspect of speech independently. If your dog runs over to you when you call him or responds positively to the sound of your voice, that’s a pretty good sign that he loves you.
He raises his left eyebrow when you walk into the room
You’ve probably realized if your dog wags his tail or turns his head when you walk into the room he’s happy to see you. But researchers have discovered another interesting behavior. They recorded dogs’ facial expressions with high-speed cameras and found dogs raise their left eyebrows when they see their owners. The dogs didn’t raise their eyebrows to just any positive stimuli. For instance, they didn’t raise their eyebrows when they saw an attractive toy. So the researchers concluded the eyebrow lift likely reflects “the dog’s attachment to the owner.”
He yawns after you do
Another surprising sign your dog loves you? He yawns after you do. Researchers found dogs catch human yawns. They explained that so-called continuous (or contagious) yawning relates to the capacity for empathy. And they demonstrated that dogs yawn in response to human yawns. So if your dog seems to yawn in response to yours, he’s likely demonstrating that he can read your emotional signals and empathize with you.
He prefers a belly rub to a treat
Whether you’re training a young dog or just expressing your love to an adult canine, you might wonder how to best reward your dog. According to Science Magazine, a study found dogs respond more positively to praise than to food. Many dogs even prefer a belly rub from their owners than a treat. Sure, some dogs react more strongly to food. But if your dog wants attention more than he wants a treat, that’s a pretty good sign he values your attention. Science Magazine explains, “The study supports how important social interaction is to dogs — and provides a healthier alternative to treats, too.”
He shows positive emotions toward you
Neuroeconomics professor Gregory Berns wrote in The New York Times that after using an MRI to map dogs’ brain activity, he came to a fascinating conclusion: “Dogs, and probably many other animals (especially our closest primate relatives), seem to have emotions just like us.” Most of us don’t have access to an MRI to check out our dog’s brain activity. But if your dog seems happy to spend time with you or seems to grow attached to your kids, that might be a pretty good sign your dog loves you and your family.
He tries to engage with you
Not sure whether your dog is actually happy to see you or just wants the food and attention you provide? Modern Dog reports five ways your dog tries to engage with you. Does your dog greet you at the door? Perhaps he makes relaxed eye contact with you? Does he cuddle with you when he doesn’t want something? Maybe he chooses to be in the same room as you, even if he’s sleeping or playing on his own? Or does he take his toys over to you? All of these are signs your dog is trying to engage with you and thinks of you as far more than the provider of his food.