Does Your Dog Love You?
©Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, USA Dog Behavior, LLC
“…sitting in our laps, warmly greeting us at the door and following us from room to room.”
Do dogs have the capacity to love us like we love them? Unfortunately, we can't know what dogs are actually thinking, but we do understand the behavioral side of what motivates them.
Dogs do things that either:
a) bring them rewards, or,
b) help them avoid pain.
Example: If an owner punishes his dog for not coming fast enough to him when called, the dog will learn to avoid coming. However, if that same owner learns to reward his dog for coming to him (e.g., treats, play, praise), that dog will be motivated to repeat that behavior - and even do it faster.
By constantly providing positive experiences for our dogs, we teach them through reinforcement that certain behaviors bring rewards. These behaviors not only include basic commands like sit, stay and come, but also behaviors like sitting in our laps, warmly greeting us at the door and following us from room to room.
I'm frequently asked by dog owners how they can improve their relationship with their dog. There are just two simple rules in my opinion:
Become a predictor of good things for your dog. Consistently condition your dog to know that whenever he is around you, good things happen (e.g., gentle touch, treats, play, praise, etc.).
Spend large amounts of time interacting with your dog. There is no substitute for the time you spend with him.
Do our dogs love us? We can't know for sure, but I know my dogs sure act like they do - and I love them for it.