It’s easy for our dogs to show they love us. Wet kisses, tail wags, nose nudges, sneakily climbing on your lap to watch a The Secret Life of Pets, smiling from ear to ear, to the point you can see it in their eyes. #dyingoftoomuchlove. So how do we show our pups that we love them just as much?!

 We’ve come up with a list of 10 ways to show your dog that you love him/her.

Talk to your dog in a soft voice and tell them you love them! These quiet moments stimulate the release of Oxytocin in the canine brain – the same hormone that bonds mother and child. How cool is that?!

Play and wrestle with them! The excitement in Gunner’s eyes when we get down on our hands and knees to wrestle and play tug of war, is absolutely priceless! He gets SOOOO excited when we spend quality time playing with him.

Learn what they’re saying! We’ve learned that Abbie cries for different things to communicate with us; to go potty, to cuddle under the covers with us, for treats… We’ve learned her language and it’s helped us SO much in showing her we love her.

When your pup gazes into your eyes, gaze back! I get that staring at a dog shows aggression or that you’re challenging them… But not with your own dog! Dr. Brian Hare, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University topped the NY Times bestseller list with his book The Genius of Dogs. He says that when your dog stares at you he is “hugging you with his eyes”.

Long walks and park visits! This one doesn’t need any explanation. It’s no secret that your dog loves to be outside, looking at all things nature and meeting furiends on the street. This is also a good time to practice some leash training.

Rub their ears. Ear rubs literally give your dog a high! The ears are full of nerve ending that send impulses through their body, triggering endorphins. Endorphins are like pain killers or natural drugs.

Train your pup! Your dog will have a better quality life if he/she is trained. This is because a trained dog has less restrictions! The more reliable they are, the more freedom they get. Training also strengthens the relationship between dog and pawrent.

Reward your dog when they are good! Nobody likes to be overlooked when they do a job well done. So if your dog does something good, whether it’s a trick you’ve asked them to do or if it’s them just obeying without being given commands, GIVE THEM A TREAT! Tell them they’ve done good work. Everyone wants to be rewarded for a job well done.

Take naps with your pup! There’s no better feeling than curling up with your pups in a nice warm bed. My husband always has to kick Abbie and Gunner out when he comes to bed because that’s quality time with the pups that I absolutely need after a long day! We benefit from puppy cuddles just as much as they benefit from hooman cuddles.

Feed your dog high-quality food! We gals constantly talk about our pup’s diets and how necessary it is for them to be on a high-quality food. We each feed different brands of food but we all agree that our pups deserve the very best diet. Your dog will perform better, feel better, and just be happier on a high quality diet. Please, please, PLEASE don’t try to save money by putting your dog on a sub par diet. You will spend WAY more money in the future on vet bills if your dog’s diet is based on money saved. We have several options for high-quality food in our blog. Please take a look!