--- title: How do dogs show their affection? description: "\"Does your dog stick to your side like glue or want a cuddle even on the hottest of days? These are signs of genuine affection. Here are some more...\"" image: https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Cane-affetto-4.jpg --- [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) ![EN](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/country_flags/gb.svg) [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) - Products - [Companion for Life](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life?hsLang=en-gb) - Call for Projects - About us - [Where to buy](https://www.almonature.com/it/trova-un-negozio?hsLang=en-gb) Products - Cat Food - Dog Food - Cat Litter Cat Food - [All Cat Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-gatti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Functional](https://www.almonature.com/it/alimenti-funzionali?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Cat nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-gatto?hsLang=en-gb) Dog Food - [All Dog Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-cani?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Dog nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-cane?hsLang=en-gb) Cat Litter - [All Litter](https://www.almonature.com/it/lettiere?hsLang=en-gb) - [Soft Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-soft-texture?hsLang=en-gb) - [Grain Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-grain-texture?hsLang=en-gb) Call for Projects - [Home Page](https://www.almonature.com/it/re-community?hsLang=en-gb) - [Participating projects](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/projects?hsLang=en-gb) - [International commission](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/re-community-giuria?hsLang=en-gb) - [FAQs](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/faqs-domande-frequenti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Download the call for projects](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/re-community-projects/UK-Companion-for-Life-Call-for-Project-Annex-1-and-2.pdf?hsLang=en-gb) About us - [Brand Profile](https://www.almonature.com/it/manifesto?hsLang=en-gb) - [Our history](https://www.almonature.com/it/la-storia?hsLang=en-gb) - [The company](https://www.almonature.com/it/rendicontazione?hsLang=en-gb) - [Reintegration Economy](https://www.almonature.com/it/reintegration-economy?hsLang=en-gb) ![How do dogs show their affection?](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Cane-affetto-4.jpg) The life of someone who spends time with a dog can be the polar opposite of one spent with a cat: the feline, often unfairly [accused of being an opportunist](https://www.almonature.com/en/learns/are-cats-opportunists/?hsLang=en-gb), is a discrete friend, whereas a dog differentiates itself by its loyalty and total dedication to his owner.Where the cat is a [relational pet](https://www.almonature.com/en/learns/do-cats-choose-an-owner/?hsLang=en-gb), a dog is known and loved for its social nature, which makes coexistence with man a breeze. In fact, both species (human and dog), are inclined to communicate with each other – man primarily through speech and the canine through body language – building an affective relationship. But, which are unmistakable signs of affection in dogs? Dr **Maria Grazia Calore**, veterinary surgeon and expert in behaviour, helps us to recognise them. ### “**I'm happy to see you! Welcome back!**" Wagging tail, barking, jumping, happy look and playful: these are the typical signs used by the dog to express its joy at seeing us again. It matters little if we have been away for some hours or just a few minutes! ### **“I look at you; I ask you how I should behave"** A dog looks at its owner for guidance because it considers them a [social reference](https://www.almonature.com/en/learns/role-pack-leader-dog/?hsLang=en-gb), a trusty friend it can reply on to understand if a situation is dangerous or not. ### **“Can we do something together?"** A dog will, quite often, ask us to interact by either tapping us with its paws, jumping on us or, if it's polite and calm, it may sit and look at us with those puppy dog eyes, possibly even laying its snout on or near our hand. These gestures are also signs of affection: the quadruped considers us a person with whom he can happily spend time, perhaps cooperating to reach a common goal. ### **“I want to be near you!"** There are many dogs that, even in the hottest weather, want to be held in their owners' arms or be literally by their side all the time. Physical proximity gives a dog a feeling of security: the dog considers us a member of the pack whom he can trust and can give him protection and warmth.Finally, let's not forget about the dog's habit of [licking its owner](https://www.almonature.com/en/learns/why-do-dogs-lick-their-owners/?hsLang=en-gb), a sign of affection and more.  #### Related Articles [![Can dogs and cats live together?](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Cane-e-gatto-1-4.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/can-dogs-and-cats-live-together?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [Can dogs and cats live together?](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/can-dogs-and-cats-live-together?hsLang=en-gb) *It's quite common these days that a family home has both dogs and cats: two very different species that share interactions and the living space with human beings.* *In...* [![A Companion Animal as a Form of Therapy](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/pexels-photo-38867-1-8.jpeg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/a-companion-animal-as-a-therapy?hsLang=en-gb) Companion For Life, [Project stories](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/project-stories) August 11,2015 ###### [A Companion Animal as a Form of Therapy](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/a-companion-animal-as-a-therapy?hsLang=en-gb) Animals are affectionate, playful and loving. For this reason, pets are becoming increasingly recognised as a therapy for adults and children recovering from illnesses... [![Are cats affectionate? 6 signs they love you](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/gattiafetto1140-5.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/are-cats-affectionate-6-signs-they-love-you-3?hsLang=en-gb) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [Are cats affectionate? 6 signs they love you](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/are-cats-affectionate-6-signs-they-love-you-3?hsLang=en-gb) Are cats affectionate? For many non-cat owners, the answer to this question is likely to be the classic stereotype ‘ [the domestic feline is an opportunist](https://www.almonature.com/en/reads/comportamento-del-gatto-e-opportunista/?hsLang=en-gb) that doesn't... [![When cats lick: what does it mean?](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cat-licking1-4.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/cats-lick-mean?hsLang=en-gb) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [When cats lick: what does it mean?](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/cats-lick-mean?hsLang=en-gb) Images portraying [dogs licking their owners and fellow animals](https://www.almonature.com/en/learns/why-do-dogs-lick-their-owners/?hsLang=en-gb) illustrate a classic example of life living with dogs. **But what does it mean when cats lick?** The joyful... [![5 things an explorer cat never forgets!](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/GattoEsploratoreAlmoNature-8.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/5-things-an-explorer-cat-never-forgets?hsLang=en-gb) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [5 things an explorer cat never forgets!](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/5-things-an-explorer-cat-never-forgets?hsLang=en-gb) The cat is certainly a curious animal, [patrolling its territory](https://www.almonature.com/en/reads/a-cat-and-its-territory-from-marking-out-the-area-to-its-space-management-methods/?hsLang=en-gb) to defend it against unwelcome guests, marking the area to stake its claim on the land while - at the... [![Dog or cat? It depends on your personality!](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cane-e-gatto-4.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/dog-or-cat-it-depends-on-your-personality?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [Dog or cat? It depends on your personality!](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/dog-or-cat-it-depends-on-your-personality?hsLang=en-gb) Hands up who has never lived with a pet whether as a child or as an adult. Chance encounters aside,  **the adoption of a dog or a cat** is usually determined by personality... [![How to get a dog to sleep in its own bed](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/cuccia1140-4.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-to-get-a-dog-to-sleep-in-its-own-bed?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [How to get a dog to sleep in its own bed](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-to-get-a-dog-to-sleep-in-its-own-bed?hsLang=en-gb) Is your bed a little overcrowded? Is it a case of ‘two's company, three's a crowd'? Or is your four-legged friend hogging the entire duvet? It's a dilemma that... [![A cat and its territory: from marking out the area to its space management methods](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/territorio1140-5.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/a-cat-and-its-territory-from-marking-out-the-area-to-its-space-management-methods?hsLang=en-gb) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) August 11,2015 ###### [A cat and its territory: from marking out the area to its space management methods](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/a-cat-and-its-territory-from-marking-out-the-area-to-its-space-management-methods?hsLang=en-gb) **Territory is of utmost importance to cats**. In fact, after separation from the mother, which takes place between the seventh and the ninth week of life, a cat will... - [** ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection?hsLang=en-gb) - [** ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection?hsLang=en-gb) - [** ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection?hsLang=en-gb) - [** ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection?hsLang=en-gb) [** ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection?hsLang=en-gb) ![Chat with us](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/icons/chat-icon.png) AlmoNature AI ![Close chat](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/icons/close-icon.png) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Almo Nature", "url" : "https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/author/almonature" }, "dateModified" : "2022-02-06T03:23:22.003Z", "datePublished" : "2015-08-11T22:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "How do dogs show their affection?", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/how-do-dogs-show-their-affection", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg" }, "name" : "Almo Nature S.p.A" } } ```