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You’re all crazy about your dog, and you’re not afraid to show it. But all the treats, toys, nice collars and comfortable beds can’t let your dog know how special he is to you.
Of course they appreciate all that stuff. But to convey love for your pup, you need to speak their language.
But just because you don’t speak a dog doesn’t mean you can’t convey your love in a way your pup will understand.
Here are a few ways you can express your true feelings to your dog so that there will be no doubt about your love and devotion in their minds.
Ear rubbing makes your dog high with love
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Have you ever scratched your dog’s ears only to find them leaning into your hand and slowly drifting into some sort of doggy trance? That’s because ear rubbing literally gets your dog high.
A dog’s ears are full of nerve endings that send impulses throughout the body, releasing endorphins. These hormones act as pain relievers and are natural “drugs” that are also released when dogs feel love.
When you show your affection for your pups with ear rubbing, you can be sure they get the message.
Try hand-feeding your dog
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Some experts recommend trying to hand feed your dog, especially with puppies.
Not only does this show your dog that you are a food provider and reduces food aggression, but it is also an intimate experience that creates a strong bond between you and your pup.
As your dog gets older, the need to hand feed may diminish, but offering treats during training is still a great way to show your pup that you care. Just don’t overdo it.
Just tell them you love them
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A study published in Science found that dogs actually understand some human speech.
Dogs were studied in an MRI scanner which showed that they experienced the greatest happiness when they heard not only a praise tone, but also words of praise. This suggests that they not only listen to our tone of voice, but also interpret the meaning of words.
So sometimes just telling your dog how you feel is a great way to express your love.
train your dog
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Positive reinforcement is an excellent way to communicate your love, and training your dog will give you that opportunity and only make your bond stronger.
This will allow you to present your dog’s favorite forms of motivation, whether that be food, praise or play, and your dog will come to see you as a purveyor of the things he loves most. They will see that when they work with you, they make you happy, and your rewards will make them happy in return.
When you both work to make each other happy, you both show your love for each other.
Learn what your dog is saying
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Did you know that many dogs don’t like to be cuddled? And sometimes they really hate it when you approach them directly. And sometimes they are not eager to meet your friends or strangers.
Dogs can express a lot through body language if you know what to look for. By learning how dogs communicate, you can reduce the number of times they feel stressed and work on making them feel comfortable. This will increase their trust in you and build your loving relationship.
If you are their protector, guardian and friend, you can be sure that your dog will feel all the love.
How do you show your dogs that you love them? Do you think they know how you feel? Let us know in the comments below!