11 Ways to Let Your Dog Know You Love Him

by dogtoyadvisor | Last updated on November 18, 2020

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Our dogs show us how much they love us all the time, so the least we can do is make sure they know we love them too.

It’s easy to let life, work, kids, schedules, obligations get in the way to spending quality time with our dogs but what we need to remember is how short their lives are and how we need to make each day count.

And, by the time you finish reading this, you’ll know just how simple and easy it is to make your dog feel loved.

Why it’s Important for Dogs to Know You Love Them

Well, first of all, your dog loves you more than anything in the World.

So, like it is for humans, knowing you love them back makes them happy and balanced.

Also, having a loving relationship with your dog strengthens your bond with him, making it easier to train him and making him very motivated to please you.

What Dogs Understand

The simplest way to put it is to say dogs understand what they show you.

Body language, facial expressions, pack behavior, this is what they know and this is what they’ll recognize.

So the trick here is simple, get to know your dog’s body language and how he reacts and show his feelings and mimic it.

Also, as pack animals (even if they’ve evolved so much) they will respond well to pack behaviors like hunting together, even if it’s just fetching a ball or chewing on a toy, exercising together or physical touch.

Human Signs of Love Your Dog Won’t Understand

We’ll sometimes make the mistake of showing love to our dogs like they’re human, like we like to be shown love.

But dogs work differently and some things we do to show love can be uncomfortable to them.

There are also other things we do that our dogs tolerate, for our benefit, and can’t wait to be over.

Hugging is the biggest one. Dogs feel restrained, nervous and trapped. Some dogs have been known to bite when hugged. One of our dogs whines for as long as we do it. So we don’t!

Kissing is also one of those things dogs just don’t get.

Yes, they know you love to do it so they allow it, but for them it looks terribly similar to nipping, which is used to show dominance or unease.

Surprisingly, dogs don’t understand treats as a form of love.

It’s a reward, something they get by doing something right and that’s it. That’s why they’ll usually take treats from just about anyone, it’s just not that personal to them.

11 Ways to Let Your Dog Know Love Him

Now that we know how important it is for your dog to know how much you love him and how he’ll be able to understand that, we give you 11 easy ways to show your dog some love.

These are all things you can do daily, quick ways to keep your dog happy and healthy.

What more could we ask for?

1 – Use Your Dog Voice

It’s not just you being cute with your dog, having a voice you use only to communicate with your dog makes him feel loved.

Because, when you’re using it, he’ll know you’re talking to him.

Also, dog voices are usually high pitched, which is something dogs understand better than regular toned voices.

And it’s not all jibber-jabber to them either, dogs understand a lot of words, more than previously thought.

So talking in your dog voice and using the words they know like walk, good boy, treat, etc. is the perfect combination as far as your dog is concerned

2 – Learn How to Read Your Dog

Body language is very important for a dog, not only because it’s one of the main ways to let you know how he’s feeling.

If he’s wagging his tail, looking into your eyes or overall looking very excited, you know he’s feeling great.

A tucked tail, big wide eyes, licking his lips or even yawning let’s you know your dog is feeling nervous and uncomfortable.

3 – Make Eye Contact

The way your dog looks at you tells you how much he loves you. Well, than there is no reason to do it too!

Much like humans, long loving gazes release oxytocin, the “love chemical”, the perfect way to let your dog know he’s loved.

But make sure to keep these lingering looks relaxed, happy and loving. Doing it a bit more intensely can cause your dog to feel threatened or challenged.

4 – Leave Him Toys When You’re Away

There is no way around it, you can’t be with your dog all the time and he just hates that.

A way to make him feel loved when you have to leave him home alone is making sure he’s got something to keep occupied with.

If it’s something he absolutely loves, it may even make it a bit better for him to be without you.

You can read our article: 10 Best Ways to Keep Your Dog Happy While Alone to get some ideas!

5 – Let Your Face do the Talking

Since we all know our pets are so great at reading your feelings and your face expressions, why not use them to let your dog know how much you care about him?

As well as the eye contact we’ve mentioned earlier, your dog gets your smiles, your excited expressions and even your raised eyebrows as happiness for seeing him.

6 – Get Close

Dogs do not care for personal space.

They will want to be on or close to the ones they love all the time.

They will lean against their humans or just sleep next to them (or on them, regardless of their size).

So you can do the same and that will let your dog know you love him and feel as safe around him as he does around you.

7 – Let Him Be Around You

Dogs just want to be around their families. Keeping them away makes them feel sad and, yes, rejected.

It makes them think they’re being punished,

You need to understand that you are the center of your dog’s life.

Having unlimited access to you whenever you’re home is the ultimate prize, as far as your dog is concerned.

8 – Cuddle With Your Dog

Dogs have been resting and sleeping around their packs or their humans for as long as they exist.

Also, as we’ve mentioned earlier, dogs love physical contact.

We don’t necessarily say you should sleep every night with your dog.

If it doesn’t work for you, but a nice little nap on the couch or the grass or even on his bed, if it’s a large one, will do the trick of letting your dog know how much you love him.

9 – Walk With Him

Walking your dog isn’t just about potty time.

It’s about bonding, spending relaxed, quiet time walking with your best friend alongside you, making memories and sharing new experiences.

It strengthens your bond and makes your dog feel like he’s a part of your pack and like he’s loved.

10 – Touch Your Dog

We can’t stress enough how physical contact is a big deal for your dog.

Much like the loving gazes we’ve mentioned before, touching your dog also releases oxytocin for the both of you, so make sure to lovingly touch your dog as often as you possibly can.

Petting, massaging, stroking, grooming, anything that he enjoys, that relaxes him, is a great idea for making sure your dog knows you love him.

11 – Take the Time to Train Your Dog

Training creates a very special bond between human and dog.

Taking time out of your schedule to be totally focused on your dog, when you’re teaching him things and praising him is the best quality time you can have with your dog.

It also helps keep your dog more balanced, because training stimulates his mind and keeps boredom at bay.

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