14 Sweet Signs Your Dog Trusts You with Their Life

You love your fur baby with all your heart. You feed them the finest dog food you can buy, make sure they get lots of walkies and one-on-one playtime every day, think of them as part of your own family - you'd give the world for your dog . But does your dog know that they can trust you with their life, and if they do, how can you tell?

You probably have no doubts that your pup loves you, but whether or not they trust you is another question entirely. Thankfully, it's one that's easy enough to answer if you know what to look for. Your dog might not be able to verbally say, "I trust you," but they have other ways of communicating their faith in you! Pay attention to these telltale signs your dog trusts you.

14 Signs Your Dog Trusts You

1. Accepting Kisses and Cuddles

It's a common misconception that all dogs are predisposed to be super cuddly and affectionate with everyone. Some very affectionate dog breeds are cuddlier than others, but even those dogs can get freaked out when an unfamiliar person tries to get up in their personal space. If your dog willingly accepts lots of kisses and cuddles from you - or if they initiate them - it's because they know you're a safe, trusted friend!

2. Showing Their Tummy

Most animals, dogs included, don't like revealing their vulnerable bellies to just anyone. In the wild, an attack on a dog's soft underbelly could quickly prove fatal. So when your pup rolls over and flashes their tummy at you, it's a submissive gesture and a recognition of your authority, according to Wag! Your dog's saying, "You're in charge, and I trust you not to hurt me." Plus, they might also want you to give them some belly rubs!

3. Eye Contact

Among most animals (including other canines like wolves), direct eye contact is perceived as threatening, but that's not so for dogs and their special humans. A 2015 study from the University of Japan found that prolonged eye contact between dogs and their human parents increased levels of oxytocin (the bonding hormone) in both the dogs and the humans.

It's believed that dogs may have evolved this human-like behavior to better communicate with us. The study even likened the gaze between a dog and their human to the oxytocin-producing "mutual gaze" shared by mothers and their infants. So if you and your dog frequently exchange long, loving gazes, it's because you have a genuine connection!

4. Sharing Their Favorite Things

Sure, your dog might drop their favorite toy at your feet to coax you into playing with them, but some dogs also seem to offer up their most prized possessions as "gifts." According to veterinarian Dr. David Tittle , this gift-giving behavior can be a sign of trust. Dogs can be possessive over their "treasures," so by presenting their most well-loved toy or favorite cuddly blanket to you, they're signaling their faith in you. I'd argue that's the best gift of all!

5. Easy, Relaxed Body Language

Dogs are very expressive with their body language , and knowing how to read it can clue you in on how they feel about you. Safe to say, if your dog generally expresses relaxed body language when you're around, they're happy and at ease in your presence. PetMD describes the overall body posture of a chilled-out canine as " soft and wiggly ," with soft eyes, an unwrinkled forehead, ears held naturally, mouth either closed without tension or open in a relaxed pant, and a loosely wagging tail.

6. A Certain Special Tail Wag

Not all tail wags are created equal, and many dog parents already know this. But did you know that even the direction of your dog's tail wags can be telling?

In a 2007 study from Italy's University of Bari, researchers examined how dogs wagged their tails when looking at their human parents as opposed to an unfamiliar human or animal. When looking at their humans, their tails tended to wag towards the right, whereas they'd tend to wag leftward when faced with someone unfamiliar. Further studies support the hypothesis that dogs wag their tails right when they're happy and left when they're anxious. If your pup's wagging tail skews to the right, it's yet another sign that you put them at ease!

7. High Responsiveness to Your Commands

Well-trained dogs will typically follow commands from more than one person. However, if your dog is more responsive to your commands than commands given by others, Kinship suggests that this is a sign they've " imprinted " on you, meaning that they've formed a very deep emotional bond attachment to you. While that's quite the honor, this can be tricky if you need your dog to listen when other people give them commands. Incorporating other people into your training sessions may help!

Related: 5 Telltale Signs Your Dog Truly Loves You

8. Looking to You for Guidance

Has your dog ever shot an uneasy glance over at you in an unfamiliar situation, or run to you when they're scared? A 2013 study from the University of Pisa found that dogs tend to see their special persons as a " secure base ," similarly to how human children view their parents. When faced with a challenging puzzle toy, the dogs in the study worked harder to solve it when their humans were in the room!

Our pups look to us for comfort and direction when navigating new, uncertain situations. Your anxious dog goes to you for guidance because they know they can depend on you to lead the way!

9. "Catching" Yawns From You

You know how yawns are contagious - like if someone next to you yawns, suddenly you'll start yawning, too? Dogs can also "catch yawns,” but not just from anybody. A 2013 study from the University of Tokyo found that not only did many of the dogs tested "catch" yawns , but they did it significantly more frequently when their human yawned as opposed to a stranger!

Contagious yawning is thought of as an empathy-linked behavior in both dogs and humans, and the dogs' tendency to pick up more on their owners' yawns seems to suggest a deep emotional bond. Contagious yawning hasn't been observed in all dogs, but if your pup tends to yawn after you, it could indicate that they're emotionally "tuned in" to you!

10. Following You Around

It's safe to say that if your dog has a tendency to follow you around without being called, it's because they love you. You're a safe, trustworthy, familiar presence, and they enjoy spending time with you, even when you're not actively engaged in playtime together!

But while them merely following you around is a sign of trust and affection, there are cases where it can become problematic. If your dog panics, cries, and acts destructively when you leave the house or separate yourself from them, they're most likely suffering from separation anxiety , and you should consult your veterinarian for help addressing it.

11. Memorizing Your Routine

Your dog somehow knows exactly when you get up, when you go to work, when you come home, and of course, when they're supposed to be fed and taken out on walks. In 2023, veterinarian Dr. Adam Christman told Newsweek that a shared routine between a person and their dog can help solidify their mutual bond, as the dog knows that they can count on their human.

"Your dog is expecting you to hold up your end of the bargain on when you're feeding them, when you're walking them, and when you are engaging with them," Christman said.

12. Sleeping in the Room with You

Many dogs prefer to sleep in the same room as their humans, if not in the same bed, and many pet parents will gladly reciprocate those sleepy snuggles. Dogs want to sleep wherever they're most comfortable, and according to the Better Sleep Council , wild canines prefer to sleep in confined spaces near other pack members, whom they can trust to keep them safe. You're part of your dog's "pack," so naturally they feel safest when sleeping close to you!

13. Stealing Your Clothes

Has your dog ever made off with your dirty laundry or your stinky shoes? This behavior can seem like a nuisance, especially if they tend to chew on your things, but your pup has a reason for doing this beyond mere mischief.

According to the American Kennel Club , your apopcrine glands produce pheromones that give you a unique scent your pup cannot resist. Your dog can learn a lot about you just by sniffing your dirty clothes! Dogs also like rolling around in dirty clothes, and some researchers believe they do this to "meld their smell" with yours - or simply because they want to feel closer to you!

14. Leaning on You

Perhaps it's not enough for your dog to stand next to you - they've gotta lean their whole weight up against you. Some people perceive this behavior as a sign of dominance, but according to vet tech Jenna Stregowski , that's not true at all: in most cases, it's merely a sign that your dog just wants to be close to you. This behavior tends to be more prevalent among large dog breeds . Since small dogs are easier to pick up and cuddle, leaning is a way for big dogs to enjoy more close physical contact with you. You're their special cuddle buddy for life!

And there you have it! If you notice your pup exhibiting any or all of these 14 behaviors, you should be proud. They love and trust you with all their heart!

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