The Subtle Signs You’re Your Dog’s Person, So You Can Finally End The Debate

Having your dog love you is kind of a badge of honor — they’re good judges of character and all. Maybe you know you and your dog are total besties, and they can even tell when you’re sad or sick. Or, maybe your pup is an equal opportunity snuggle giver, and you’ve never been able to suss out which member of the family is really their favorite. These are the subtle signs your dog loves you and that you’re their person.

Do dogs have a favorite human?

Depends on the dog, says Dr. Carly Fox, senior veterinarian in the emergency and critical care services at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. "Some dogs are more likely to have a favorite person, like small breed dogs. This is typically someone who spends the most time with them, feeds them, and gives them positive reinforcement. However, not every dog is like this, and some dog breeds, like Labs and golden retrievers, are generally very social and enjoy being around anyone and everyone."

As you might expect, the person who does the majority of the dog's caretaking is going to be their favorite person. "If there's one person who takes them out, the person who plays with them, the person who feeds them, the person who trains them, that a lot of times ends up being their person more than anyone," says Robert Haussmann, certified trainer, behavior specialist, and co-founder of DogboyNYC. In households where that responsibility is evenly split, a dog might still gravitate toward the person they communicate with the best, he adds. 'So, dogs do tend to migrate towards one particular member of the household, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they're not into the others."

Think of it like a kid who seeks out one parent for comfort and another for playtime. Or yourself — you might have friends you call when you need moral support, and those you text when you're trying to put together a fun party. Dogs see their family members the same.

There are some dog breeds that really take to one specific person, he notes, while others just love whoever is nearest at the moment. He mentions Labs and goldens, just like Dr. Fox, explaining, "Part of the reason why they do such a good job as service animals is that they can be trained by someone for years and then passed off to someone else, and they're like, 'I love you now.'" Even then, though, a golden who loves the entire family might still hop up to go get the mail with Mom when she leaves the living room.

How to build a strong bond with your dog

When discussing this subject, Haussman is quick to point out something very important: "Our neediness for our dogs to love us should really be more about our ability to take good care of them." Mic drop.

Training is a huge part of cultivating a deep relationship with your dog, Haussman says, but most people stop once their dog is house-trained. "Dogs are very, very smart and emotional, and they can get stressed and anxious if they don't know what to do in a situation. So if your dog is barking at noises in the hallway of your apartment building and you're yelling at them to stop barking, you're not really helping. You need to give them context for what's going on. You need to teach them what the appropriate behavior is. And that also helps build your bond with them."

Playing together, practicing their tricks, and taking walks that allow your dog time to sniff and take it all in also enrich their life and, therefore, your relationship.

How to tell if you’re your dog’s favorite person

So, you want to know if you’re the favorite dog parent. There’s definitely an element of assigning human thoughts and emotions to our pets here, Haussman says, but humans’ relationship with dogs is old enough that we can make some educated guesses about who’s No. 1 in your dog’s heart.

They seek you out.

"Does the dog seek you out?" Haussman says. "Does the dog like to be in the same room as you? My wife and I are always mentioning it. If we go into my daughter's bedroom, all of a sudden, there's my dog. If we go into the office to do some work, all of a sudden, there's my dog. She tends to follow us around, not in an anxious, I-can't-be-separated-from-you kind of way. It's like, 'Hey, I want to be where you guys are.'"

If you sit down and your dog gets up to lay down next to you, or always wants to be touching, it's a good sign that they love you. Maybe they sleep with you at night or lean on you when they enter a room. Your dog seeking you out is perhaps the best way to tell you're their person, says Haussman.

They’re comfortable making eye contact with you.

Dogs typically don't care for eye contact, and it's not advisable to stare a dog you don't know in the eyes, Haussman says. But if yours gazes back at you, it's a sign they trust you. "Do they make eye contact with you and hold eye contact? If your dog is making eye contact with you on the regular, it probably means that they're into you, seeking you out for play, seeking you out for petting, things like that."

They get excited to see you.

Wagging, zoomies, and smiling — there are lots of different ways your dog can express their joy when you get home at the end of the day, Fox and Haussman say. You'll know your dog's personal tells.

"If your dog doesn't do all of those things, it doesn't mean your dog doesn't like you. Every dog is different," says Haussman. For example, he says that if family members are scattered about the house, sometimes a dog will lie in the hallway between everybody. So, just remember that you know your dog best. If you feel their love, it's probably there.