If you’re wondering whether or not your Labrador loves you, this post will show you a number of ways you can tell and what you can do to get it to love you more.
So, does my Labrador love me? Common signs that a Labrador loves you are that it puts itself in vulnerable positions around you, it licks you a lot, it gets excited when you come home, it leans on you or if it often makes eye contact with you.
There are actually a number of signs that a Labrador will show you that it loves you and there are a number of things you can do to get it to be more affectionate.
Ways that your Labrador could show that it loves you
It follows your orders
One way that your Labrador will show you that it loves you is by listening to what you say. If it does what you tell it to then it would show you that it trusts you and that it sees you as its leader.
It protects you and your home
If your Labrador becomes protective when there are people around your home then it would suggest that it wants you to be safe and that it does not want other people to harm you.
It noses you
Sometimes dogs will “nose” people which is where they put their nose on them and smell them in order to gather information about where they have been. If your Labrador noses you a lot it would be a sign that it loves you since it shows that it wants to know where you have been, how healthy you are and that you are ok.
It makes eye contact with you
When dogs look at their owners in the eyes it releases Oxytocin which is a hormone that promotes bonding (source). So, if your Labrador often makes eye contact with you, it would be a sign that it loves you.
It puts itself into vulnerable positions
If your Labrador often puts itself in vulnerable positions around you it would be a sign that it loves you since it would show that it trusts you and that it feels comfortable around you.
It licks you
Another sign your Labrador loves you would be if it licks you a lot. This is because dogs will groom each other by licking them and they will lick when they are being submissive. So, licking you would be a sign that it considers you as a part of its pack and that it respects you.
It gets excited when you come home
If your Labrador becomes excited when you come home this would also be a sign that it loves you. This is because it shows that it misses you when you are away, that it is glad you are ok and that it is glad that you are with it again.
It leans on you
If your Lab often leans on you this would also be a sign that it loves you. This is because it would show that it trusts you and that it feels more secure when it is with you.
It gets you to rub its belly
If your Labrador often gets you to rub its belly it would also be another sign that it loves you. This is because it puts itself in a vulnerable position when you rub its belly and it shows that it trusts you and that you make it feel secure.
It doesn’t hide from you
If your Labrador doesn’t try and hide from you when you are around even that would be a sign that it loves you. This is because it suggests that it feels secure around you and that it wants to be around you.
It keeps pace with you on walks
One way your Labrador will show that it loves you is by keeping up with you on walks. If your Labrador did not love you it would not be willing to keep pace with you especially when off the leash since it would not trust you and it would not be interested in being near you.
It brings things to you
If your Labrador often brings you gifts this would also be a sign it loves you since it shows that it considers you as a part of its tribe and that it wants to show that it cares about you.
It follows you around
Another sign would be if it often follows you around. If it often follows you around it would show that it feels more secure around you, that being around you is good for it and that you will be able to make it happy.
Things to consider
Not showing signs of affection doesn’t mean that it doesn’t love you
If your Labrador does not show many signs of affection when it is around you then it would not be a sign that it does not love you. This is because dogs can show affection in many different ways and it might be the case that it is showing affection towards you that you are not noticing.
If it stopped showing affection suddenly
It would also help to consider whether or not your Labrador stopped showing affection suddenly. If it did then it would help to consider what else happened when it started doing it since it might be the case that there was an event such as becoming ill that caused it to start.
How to get your Labrador to love you more
Below are some things you can do to make sure that your Labrador is as happy as possible and that it will love you as much as possible.
Give it exercise
In order to keep Labradors happy it is important to give them exercise on a daily basis since they are a breed that needs a lot of exercise to be fully stimulated. Generally, it is recommended to give them an hour of exercise per day. If yours is not getting much exercise at the moment and it is not unhealthy, it would help to make sure that it does start getting more exercise.
Feed it right
It is also important to make sure that you are feeding it the right foods in the right amounts. You can look here to see what sorts of foods you should and should not be feeding it. You can also consult with your vet on its diet to make sure that you are feeding it the right amounts and that it is eating the correct foods.
Take it for yearly checkups
It is also important to take it for yearly checkups so that medical issues can be spotted early when they are easier to treat.
Give it training
It would also help to give it lots of training so that you have a healthy relationship with your Labrador and so that it learns to behave the way you want it to. If you have not given it much training, it would help to start with the basics and then to build up from there.
Avoid punishing it
It would also help to avoid punishing it when it misbehaves. If you punish it your Labrador might not understand why it is being punished and it might cause it to develop feelings of resentment. Instead, it would help to give it lots of positive reinforcement training to get it to behave the way you want it to.