When your dog stares directly at you, he/she releases a hormone called oxytocin which is the same hormone that moms release to their babies. When your dog stares into your eyes, he’s basically giving you a big hug.
Go ahead, try this at home but don’t have a staring contest with your pup or he/she will know something is not right. Relax your face. Just maintain natural eye contact during your normal routine and see how your dog reacts.
Rub the ears
Instead of patting your puppy on the top of his head, try gently rubbing behind his ears. Watch their reaction – they’ll probably melt into a ball of doggy happiness.
This is because rubbing a dog’s ears stimulates the release of endorphins—hormones that relieve pain and induce feelings of pleasure.
Seeking Physical Touch
It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that dogs love attention and affection, and while they may not all love to be hugged restrictively, few would be happy, healthy dogs turn away from good talk from a trusted human friend. Soft hugs, leans and affectionate paws are sure signs of a strong bond.
When your dog maintains eye contact with you, she is letting you know that she loves and feels safe with you. According to Dr. Joanna Woodnutt, MRCVS from We’re All About Pets, says eye contact actually helps create a deeper bond too. “When your eyes meet, you’ll both release oxytocin, AKA the ‘love hormone,’ the same hormone a mother’s brain releases when she bonds with her baby.” It needs to be natural, though—forcing eye contact can get awkward quickly!
Leaning On You
Have you ever noticed your dog leaning on you? Or maybe she has a habit of sitting on your legs or putting her paw on some part of you. These are all signs that your dog trusts and loves you. It means she feels safe, secure and completely comfortable. Sometimes a dog leans on its human when it’s scared or uncomfortable, but that only means it sees you as its protector.
Step 3: Model the behavior
Next you can start modeling the behavior. Modeling behavior means taking something that isn’t quite what you want and helping your dog get closer to the end goal—in this case, saying those magic words, “I love you.”
Remember, your dog doesn’t know that “I love you” means anything other than “wago wambo” or “your butt is so fluffy,” so you really need to guide her toward certain vocal structures.