The One Sweet Way A Dog Only Greets The Person They Love The Most
If your dog does this one thing, it means they really love you.
RK Jajoria / Pexels Ask any dog owner what they love about their pet and they’ll give you a long list of attributes: the silly way their body wiggles when they shake their tail, their soft belly, their soulful eyes.
Doggie devotees know exactly why they love their special fur babies, and they’re not shy about sharing that love with the world.
Dogs are also known to express their affection through specific actions that tell you just how much they care.
There’s one sweet way a dog greets the person they love most.
Maybe this is a familiar scene: You’re in one part of the house and your dog is somewhere else, napping or sniffing or having a chew. You walk into the room and your dog leaps up to greet you, but first, they stretch out in front of you.
Dogs have a special greeting stretch, which is when they stick their adorable, fuzzy tushies in the air and extend their front paws out. The greeting stretch is also known as the “I Love You” stretch, and it’s something your dog saves only for their most special human.
If you find your pup fast asleep in a perfect little donut shape on their perfect little dog beds, only to have them wake up and stretch out right in front of you, it’s more than just a way to get their blood flowing.
Photo: Viktoria B / Pexels
When your dog stretches in front of you, that means they love you, oh so very much, and they're using their body language to tell you exactly how much they adore you.
Dogs only do the ‘I Love You’ stretch if they feel completely comfortable around you.
Dogs are highly communicative creatures, full of physical habits that express the wide range of their emotions and their secret canine wishes.
There are other signs that your dog loves you and trusts you, one of which is that they snuggle up against you or lean on you. Nuzzling their furry snouts into your neck or resting their heads against your feet, shoulders, lap, arms, or literally anywhere on your body is their way of sharing love and affection.
Showing you their belly is another way they say “I love you,” as doing so leaves them vulnerable. It’s their way of showing that they’re being submissive. Much like the love stretch, this action is something they only do with someone they fully trust.
Photo: Dominika Roseclay / Pexels
Your best canine bud also shows their love with their tongue. If they tend to cover you in sloppy kisses, lucky you! You have a serious fan, and it’s your dog.
If your dog brings you toys, it might mean they want to play with you. It could also mean that they like you, like, a lot, and want to share their favorite stuffie with their favorite human.
So the next time you enter a room, wait and see what your doggo does next.
Do they jump off the couch, tail wagging, ready for that one big stretch?
If so, they’re using their puppy language to say, “Hey, I love you, and I’m so glad you’re mine.”
By greeting you with their special stretch, dogs signal how much they love you, and how ready they are to put that love into action. Maybe their next move is to bounce around, smiling and panting. After your dog stretches, they might want to play, which is another sign of how safe and cozy they feel with you.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers dog news, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.