Dog owners, especially those who have taken care of rescue dogs or adopted a senior dog for the first time often ask: “how can I tell if my dog trusts me?”.
If you are one of them, it is totally understandable for you to have this question because your pet did not grow up with you.
They might have been mistreated or neglected by their previous owners, so you don’t know if their behavior means they love you or they are getting annoyed by your presence.
You are pretty much clueless if they love being cuddled or they enjoy their freedom and space. So, to get to know your dog better, here are 6 ways to know if your dog trusts you.
Dogs can’t talk, so they express their feelings in different ways. You would know that your dog has bonded with you and trusts you when they do the following when you are around:
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Rolls over for belly rubs
Most dogs love having their bellies rubbed and their chin scratched, so when your dog approaches you and starts to roll over, this means that they are comfortable with you.
Relaxed facial expression
If your dog doesn’t growl, gnarl, or grunt at you, that is a good sign that your dog trusts you. Dogs often growl before barking to warn others that their presence is not welcome for them.
Handing you their toy as a ‘present’
One of the cutest things that a dog does when they trust you is that they give toys, treats, or any random thing that they got and present it to you as a gift. If your dog does this to you, they definitely like you.
Bows their head at you
If you notice that when you pet your dog or they approach you and they bow their head at you, this would mean that they want to spend time with you and that they like you being around.
Bowing of dogs may also mean that they agree to what you say, which means that they are listening to you and trusts you with their own life.
Lays down or falls asleep beside you
I have owned a rescue dog and a dog whom I bought from a breeder, and I have noticed that first, my rescue dog doesn’t really enjoy being cuddled at night.
You have to respect this since they might have been abused by others so they want some distance, but once they approach you and lay down and take a nap beside you, that’s when you’d know that you have earned their trust.
They are insanely happy when you get home
The best time of a dog owner’s day is when they get to come home to their dog who trusts him or her.
This is because a dog expresses their immense happiness when their owner comes home.
If your dog jumps, spins, and wags their tail non-stop when they see you opening the door, this means love and trust.
There would be a lot of training, quality time and affection to win your dog’s trust.
However, once you’ve had it, it will be one of the most memorable gifts you would ever receive from your furry best friend.
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