Why Do Dogs Love People So Much?
Many, many people (if not most) know how a dog is feeling just by looking that them. Think about it. You can see a dog smile and know how they are feeling. You can hear the yap of excitement before you throw a toy or give a treat.
Most people can know what dog is feeling or even what they’re thinking. Can you say the same for birds? Or even for cats? There seems to be a kind of unspoken relationship between humans and dogs. Many people even believe that dogs love their owners.
Today, we look at the incredible relationship that forms between humans and dogs.
Why Do Dogs Love Humans So Much?
Humans and dogs have such a strange relationship that seems impossible to imagine with any other animal. Think of other animals that humans have domesticated. Humans have used cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chicken to make life better, but humans could separate from these animals if we needed to.
But many people would not choose to separate themselves from dogs.
The relationship between dogs and people goes far back. The earliest accounts we have of people and dogs being buried together are about 14,000 years old, but some believe the relationship we have with dogs could go back twice as long.
This early relationship was a symbiosis. Dogs provided us with protection by keeping predators away and creating humans to their presence, and humans repaid dogs with food, shelter and companionship.
Once humans settled down, they didn’t really need the dogs as much, but many people kept them to help on the farm. Today, people keep dogs because they have a real emotional connection with dogs.
Can We Prove Dogs Love Humans?
While people and dogs have “grown up” together, can we prove that dogs love people? Actually, we can. In a 2015 study, a group of researchers test dogs with a functional MRI. These researchers studied the dog’s brain when presented with different scents. They used the dog’s own scent, their human companion’s scent, a stranger’s scent, and an unknown dog’s scent. They found that dogs have a positive association with their human companion.
Dogs are also the only non-primate animal that look people in the eyes. Other animals make eye contact, but dogs look for direction in people’s eyes. This is another attribute that shows how dogs and humans have grown to need each other. We cannot separate the love of dogs from people, and dogs fill a nurturing need that people have.
This may be the reason people do “baby talk” with dogs too. You know, that high pitched voice where people ask who the “good dog” is? It’s something that many people do without even thinking about it.
How Dogs Show Love
A dog’s love is also not something to take for granted. They show their love in the best ways. While their support may inflate your ego, it genuinely feels good to know that your pet cares about you as much as you do them.
Here are a few ways your dog shows how much they love you.
They’re Excited When You Get Home
How many times have you come home from work or the store to a dog that’s too excited for their own good? Heck, how many times have you walked out of the house for a minute only to be greeted by a dog that acts like you’ve been gone for months.
Dog’s certainly love their humans and are excited to see you no matter how long it’s been.
They Sleep with You
Dogs are pack animals, and they always want to nest with their leader. They want to keep tabs on you. They want to make sure you’re safe. Sleeping with you (or in their dog bed at the foot of your bed) shows that they can’t be comfortable without you.
They Snuggle Up
How many times have you given your dog a nice pet only to have them lean heavily into it? It might be their signal to pet a little harder, but it’s also a sign that they totally trust you. If you take a seat on the couch and have your dog grab a spot on your lap or if they’re right next to you, they are showing that they feel safe with you. Even if your dog gets nervous, they may lean up against you for reassurance.
They Bring You Their Favorite Toy
Your dog may just want to play, but chances are that your dog wants to share as well. Dogs really don’t have that much to physically offer you, but if they have a favorite toy that may be generous enough to share.
A dog’s love should never be taken for granted because people and dogs share such a unique bond. This bond makes our lives inseparable. For many, the reaction we can get from dogs is proof enough that dogs truly love us.