The science is in: YES! Dogs do love us back. And the various ways they show love might warm your heart or maybe, not so much. Yes, this does include pee.
We’ve all been there. So in love with our pet. So trying to nurture her in every way. And then it happens. In all the excitement there’s, well, pee. For so long we thought our pets were merely nervous wrecks when we returned home. Or we felt we’d failed in the training area. Nope, not always. Our new approach to that little leaking tops our Lucky & Lady® list of the ways we know our pets love us.
Pee
Yep, according to the Spruce Pets, it’s not a sign that your potty training is regressing. “Dogs, especially puppies, may pee a little bit when they get excited” they say, calling it submissive urination. “This little accident is actually a compliment. It means your dog knows you’re in charge.”
Staring
We pet parents might gaze at someone we think is a bit odd, but we wouldn’t necessarily stare into their eyes. Dogs are the same. But what we share is the stare, the glaze over, according to research. If your dog, and some studies suggest your cat, locks eyes with you, it’s a sign of love. Experts say when your dog looks at you, his brain releases oxytocin, a ‘love’ hormone.
Staying so close
Numerous studies show that when our pets lean against us during the day or while we’re sleeping, well, its love… or as near as we can understand. Dogs especially feel safe and secure when they’re leaning or resting on a person – certainly if they experience fear and see us as a protector.
Always checking in
This one, by our Lucky & Lady® standards is a known favorite – pets that check in on us when we’re in a different room or search for us when we’re out of sight. Bottom line, they’re making sure we’re nearby. Many of us have experienced this while walking our dogs.
More independent dogs may not always be right at your side or curled around your feet, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love you. If your dog “checks in” on you from another room, during a walk, or in a new environment, he’s making sure you’re close.
Sleeps with you
This one is tricky. Some pet parents, for training purposes, relegate their beloved four-legged family members to a special pet bed for slumber, one away from the pet parent’s bed and sometimes in a different room. Makes sense, since all rules are seemingly off when the parents are asleep, right? Well, and we’ve experienced this one ourselves… sometimes the ‘rule’ just doesn’t ‘take.’ Meaning to say, the pet just cannot be left alone to sleep. The pet will either cry aloud or lunge onto your bed. According to animal behaviorists, a pet wanting to sleep with a pet parent signals she’s totally loyal and doesn’t want to be separated from the ‘pack.’
According to an American Pet Products Association survey, nearly half of dogs sleep in their owner’s beds. The survey, as published by WebMD, found that 62% of small dogs, 41% of medium-sized dogs and 32% of large dogs sleep with their owners. When it came to cats, the survey concluded 62% of cats sleep with their adult owners, and another 13% of cats sleep with children.
Our conclusion
Our pets love us and we don’t need science to make that determination. But, the science is pretty cool.