5 Signs Your Dog Sees You as Family

What dog parent among us hasn’t looked lovingly at the pup we fully consider our child and wondered: do they see me as their family, too? 

If only they could tell us. No, humans have to look at our dogs’ behaviors to suss out how they feel about us. 

So what are the signs your dog sees you as family — meaning, essentially, the person or group of people with whom they’re most comfortable — and not just the person who puts down their food bowl and takes them outside? Here are a few.

5 signs your dog sees you as family

They want to be near you 

“Scientists have studied the ways that dogs show their attachment to their human family,” says Amanda Gagnon, founder and training director of Amanda Gagnon Dog Training. One of the main factors they consider to determine the level and type of attachment is proximity, including following, standing close, and sleeping near their humans. So, if your dog follows you wherever you go, likes to stand close to you, or prefers to sleep near you, it’s a good sign that they are very comfortable with you. 

The way a dog greets their human, Gagnon says, is also something scientists have studied in terms of dog-human attachment. So, if your dog greets you excitedly when you come home, your suspicion that they are happy to see you is likely correct. 

The way dogs interact with their humans in strange environments is also key. For example, says canine behaviorist and dog trainer Karen B. London, when a dog is let off-leash and family members wander in different directions, “Does the dog run back and forth and seem distressed that you’re apart?” Most dogs know who is supposed to stay together and, especially in a new environment, will want to return to a familiar person’s side. 

They communicate with you 

Stories of dogs who have saved their family members from dangerous situations abound. Dogs have alerted their families to house fires and gas leaks — essentially, purposefully communicating to help alert their humans to the presence of danger. 

“All the cases of dogs who are super protective … indicate that they’re a member of the group,” says London. 

Dogs may also communicate in a way that indicates their comfort with their humans. 

“I think if dogs are treated really kindly, if they’re willing to disagree with you,” says London. Take a sheep herder and their Border Collie, for example. If the herder gives their Border Collie a cue, and the dog resists rather than blindly following the cue, it means they feel comfortable enough with their human to try to communicate something. That herder might “realize there is a sheep over there and [the dog is] doing the right thing.” I think that shows the confidence to say you’re not the boss of me, even though they’re responding to cues. 

Another form of communication? Eye contact. 

While “staring at a dog is a very threatening thing in a lot of cases,” says London, “in a close relationship, eye contact can be a positive feedback loop for oxytocin.” 

They comfort you 

A dog who tries to be close to their human when they’re sick or sad is “usually expressing care,” Gagnon says. 

London agrees, adding, “If someone is going through a dark time, the dog will [often] choose to be with them.” 

However, a dog’s behavior when close can help you determine whether they’re trying to comfort you or if they feel anxious. “Shaking, whining, feverish movements, or incessant barking means that a dog is made anxious by the human’s distress, rather than trying to soothe it,” says Gagnon. 

They listen to you 

“A dog who ‘listens’ closely to their primary human by tracking their voice, orienting toward them when they speak, and calmly checking in? That’s a dog who finds their human important,” says Gagnon. 

Context here is key, though. “A dog who has been trained with heavy-handed methods might respond eagerly to cues, without having a strong relationship of comfort with their handler,” Gagnon adds. 

They want physical contact with you 

Seeking physical contact “especially when it’s not prompted” is a reliable signal of closeness, says Gagnon. “A dog who chooses to lean into their human wants to be close.” 

Finally, one common behavior that many people believe is a sign of closeness, but may actually not be? A dog showing their belly. 

“Belly exposure is frequently misread,” Gagnon says. “When a relaxed dog rolls over when snuggling with someone they know and trust, they are showing supreme comfort. However, when a dog rolls belly up during an initial greeting, especially with someone new, it signals the opposite. A dog who does this is trying to appease the person. The kindest response is to give them space.” 

Of course, all dogs are different, and the way they behave with the humans they feel close to can vary. But, at the end of the day, says London, “I think dogs have always considered us their friends.”