Can Dogs Sense Dog Lovers?

It is only natural to think the world of your dog; they are your one, true, loyal companion, after all. The more time you spend with your beloved pup, the better you get to know them and their personality. And just like humans, dogs differ from one another when it comes to personality and how they show their affection. Over the years, we've come to learn a lot about the psyche and emotional capacity of our furry friends, which has lent itself to developing deeper connections with these four-legged furballs. 

Dogs are complex characters that can sense many emotions and do, indeed, pick up on the energy of a person. Like humans, dogs have five basic senses - sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Their senses are far more heightened than humans - their sense of smell is more than 10,000 times better than ours! 

All of this contributes to how they respond to people, such as dog lovers. Yes, it's true, dogs can most definitely sense when someone is a lover of all things animals. They rely on their nose in order to determine if a human is a friend or a foe, and many even say they have a sixth sense about this sort of thing. 

There are a handful of mannerisms or characteristics a dog will display that indicate they know how much you love animals. While every breed and dog are different, there are a few common, easy-to-spot behaviors that should make it clear they know you are a dog lover.

Whenever you meet a new dog - whether out in public or at a friend's house - it is important to move slowly and let them sniff you before forging ahead. Many dogs are wary of new people and take a minute to warm up, and the last thing you want to do is scare them away. 

First and foremost, put your hand down for them to smell and let them get a sense of you. Given their excellent sense of smell, they should be able to tell that you are not a danger and only want to give them belly rubs and tons of love. 

When a dog can sense you are a lover of all animals, they will likely display a few common behaviors, including wagging their tail, letting their tongue hang out, showering you with sloppy kisses, and sticking close to your side. Again, all dogs are different and will probably show their love for you differently, but these are some common signs to keep your eye out for. 

We've come to better understand dogs and their emotions in recent years, which has provided us with invaluable insight into human-dog relationships. Any dog owner has likely experienced a dog's seemingly psychic ability to sense when something unpleasant is about to take place, and the same can be true for the opposite. 

We may not be able to put our finger on it, but without rhyme or reason, sometimes out dogs just know. The more we are able to study these complex animals, the more we will learn about their relationship to us, humans, as well as other animals.

It is no secret that dogs are keen, intuitive animals that surprise us every single day. We've all heard the incredible stories of dogs protecting their owners from imminent danger or even warning them before a seizure hits. Many people think these animals have been trained to spot danger, but this is simply not the case. Only some dogs display these fascinating behaviors, and we've yet to learn why. 

However, there are a handful of things that all dogs can sense about humans, including whether they are a dog lover or not. On the other hand, dogs can also sense when someone is untrustworthy or may cause them harm. 

One study conducted by Japanese researchers at the Kyoto University of Japan learned that dogs actually pick up on untrustworthy humans pretty fast. All of this has to do with what many refer to as their sixth sense - that undeniable, undetectable ability that leaves us in wonderment. When it comes to understanding your pooch, trust your gut.

If you are feeling uneasy about a situation or a person but are perhaps doubting your own feelings, pay attention to how your dog is acting. If they are reacting differently than normal or seem to just be "off", it's probably for a good reason. Similarly, if your dog has a very positive reaction to a stranger and it seems out of character, they may just be going off their sense that the person loves animals and will cause no harm. 

Unfortunately, there is no way to train your dog to learn how to pick out the dog lovers in the crowd. We've talked a lot about a dog's sixth sense today, and that is just something that cannot be taught. All dogs are inherently different, but the fact remains they all rely on their senses in order to determine if a person is safe or not. 

This is why it is so important to pay attention to how your dog is acting. If they are acting weird or strange in any way, they could be sensing something beyond your own ability. In the event they are wagging their tail or displaying any of the other signs listed above when they meet a new person, chances are they can tell that person carries only love for dogs. 

While you may not be able to train your dog to sense dog lovers, you can teach them how to greet new people and get to know them. Start by teaching your dog basic commands and obedience, such as sit, stay, and shake. Work with them in public places full of distractions once you get these basic commands down, as the many different smells will test their patience and listening skills.