7 Everyday Signs Your Dog Feels Close to You

You sit down to watch TV for the night, and your dog settles in at your feet. Or perhaps your dog decides to jump up on the couch with you and curl up right next to you. Maybe you just decided to answer a few emails on your laptop, but your dog decided that this is the time to come rest their head on your lap.

It’s little moments like this that we see how much our dogs love us. Dogs can form meaningful bonds with their people. And almost every dog will display it a little bit differently. It can come from just basic interactions to doing something repeatedly over and over again to show you how much they care about you and that “you’re their person.”

Some signs are obvious, but not all of them are. Let’s take a look at some of the most common signs you’ll notice that your dog feels close to you, followed by a couple that just might surprise you.

One of the primary ways a dog will show their owner they feel close is to spend time right next to them. Or in some situations, on top of them!

As a dog owner of six dogs, I can tell you that not all of them react to me the same. In fact, a couple of our pups prefer to go and find somewhere in the house where they can lie by themselves. Or, they simply lie in the sun. They prefer to just have their own space and be able to do their own thing.

But one of our dogs, Uhtred, our English Mastiff, will literally lie directly on top of my feet while I’m working. He’ll sit at my feet while I’m sitting in a chair, or while I’m watching a movie, because he has to be touching me. At a minimum, if I’m home, he has to be around me at all times. It’s actually kind of funny because even when he’s not lying on top of my feet, he has to be lying somewhere near me.

There are times when I’m working on my walking treadmill at my standing desk, and he will literally lie between my standing desk and my walking treadmill.

Just to be right next to me. He follows me room to room if I’m home, and he makes sure to let me know that he needs to be near me pretty much at all times.

If your dog is hovering around you or following you everywhere you go without an incentive to do so (no food or treats), and they seem relaxed, there’s a good chance they simply enjoy being near you and feel safe in your company.

If your dog welcomes you home with an excited or a relaxed greeting, it’s an obvious sign they feel close to you. Some dogs who feel comfortable with their owners will greet them with wiggles all over and they get excited. Occasionally you’ll have the dog who just quietly walks up to you and greets you relaxed.

Both greetings can mean that they feel close to you. They may just have individual differences with their personalities or different traits because of their breed. A greeting doesn’t have to be dramatic to mean your dog loves you.

But a loose body and relaxed expression generally suggest they’re comfortable with the interaction. Most of our own dogs tend to greet us enthusiastically. But, we have one whose greeting is a little bit more laid back, who we know loves us just as much as the rest.

If your dog asks you to pet them and continues to come back looking for attention, that generally means they’re happy to be near you. This is a good sign they feel close to you, especially if they’re always seeking you out for attention.

One of our pups literally will not leave you alone if you sit down anywhere nearby. She’s a Saint Bernard, and her head is on your lap faster than you can get settled in. If you aren’t petting her, she’s nudging your arm to do it. If you start petting her and stop, she’s nudging you to start it again.

Not all dogs love physical affection. And just because your dog doesn’t seek it out, doesn’t mean they don’t feel close to you. That said, if your dog is coming back to ask for more pets and not merely tolerating it, there’s a good chance they trust you and want to be close to you.

When a dog is uncomfortable, they may look away and avoid eye contact. But dogs that are very comfortable will often look you in the eyes and gaze at you directly. Their expression will look happy and relaxed when they are comfortable and feel close to you.

It’s common to see a dog who is comfortable with their owner looking at them like they literally hung the moon. It differs from the look they give you when you’re holding food or preparing for a walk. They might come closer, get settled in, maybe even rest their head on your knee, and share a little relaxed eye contact.

Relaxed eye contact can be part of a connection, but just because they look at you lovingly doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a declaration of affection. So if your dog doesn’t look at you or stare at you, you don’t need to worry.

But if your dog looks at you with a relaxed expression and has other signs that they feel affectionate towards you, then there’s a pretty good chance they feel very comfortable with you and they’re showing you that they care.

If your dog brings a toy to you, brings their favorite ball to you so you can throw it, bows, or bounces around, those are good indications that they’re inviting you to play.

Your dog might have a particular game that they love to play. Or it may just be their favorite game of fetch that they’ll play with you for the entire day.

If your dog wants to chase the ball over and over and over again, or they start a game of tug-of-war and don’t want you to stop, it’s a pretty good indication that your dog enjoys playing with you.

But not all dogs are super playful, and not all dogs need to run and chase a ball. Just because your dog doesn’t do these things doesn’t mean that they don’t feel close to you. But if they do, then it can be a good indicator that your dog feels connected to you and they want to share that activity.

Do you remember if there was a time where your dog wanted to come closer to you because there was something happening that was maybe a bit scary or an unsettling situation? If so, it may mean your dog trusts you and feels very close to you.

I’ve had a situation during a thunderstorm where one of our Saint Bernards felt very nervous due to the sound of loud thunder and was shaking. She would circle around me, and she would lean up against me, looking at me because she was unsure of what was going on.

A few soft pats against her head seemed to make her instantly feel a bit more relieved. She was then able to lie down at my feet and feel comfortable right away.

Support doesn’t always mean physical touch. It might mean that you’re just giving them a little bit of extra space. Or it might mean that you help them move away from a situation that seems to be a bit worrying or unsettling.

Ultimately, if your dog looks to you for reassurance when they’re feeling uncertain about what’s going on in their surroundings, it can be a sign that they trust you and want to be close to you.

If you’ve taken your dog to a new location where they haven’t been before, you might notice them looking back to you before running around to explore. This can be a sign they feel comfortable with you. But also that they trust you to still be there when they come back.

They might just give you a brief glance and go off running. Or, they might give a short run out and then return briefly before investigating further. It’s almost like they’re letting you know that they’re still around and that they feel safe when they’re next to you.

It can also show that your dog feels comfortable being just a little bit more independent. They know that if they go someplace, they can return and you’ll still be there.

Ultimately, if your dog is close with you, your presence may help them feel just a little bit more comfortable about exploring their surroundings and then returning to you.

When Closeness Comes With Distress

For some dogs, closeness comes with distress. You’ll notice it when they start to struggle when you actually leave.

This can be a sign of separation-related distress, rather than simply a close bond. Especially if they have trouble settling when you’re gone.

If your dog suddenly starts avoiding contact, behaving differently when you leave, scratching at the door, or whimpering and crying because you’re gone, it might be time to speak with your veterinarian. They can help check what’s going on and whether a behavioral specialist could help.

With six dogs, we see plenty of different ways they show us they feel close. Your dog doesn’t have to do every single thing on this list. Pay attention to the little things they choose to do with you, whether that’s bringing you a ball or simply settling in at your feet.

Make us part of your pack when you search.

Add Caninely as a preferred source on Google and we'll be right there next time you go searching. Five seconds, and you get straight dog talk instead of the usual fluff.