You may think your furry friends do not have an idea of what’s going on in your life, but the truth is that dogs are incredible creatures that are highly perceptive and unconditionally loving. In fact, they notice when you’re suspicious, mad, or sad. That’s just the little things about you. The unbelievable part is that dogs can even detect cancer, pregnancy, and dangerous strangers.
So don’t underestimate your furry friend. They know more than we think and can detect things about us that we even don’t know about ourselves. Interesting, right? That’s because dogs are intuitive and protective of the people they love.
Continue reading to see more amazing things dogs can sense about us:
1. Attention
Do you know your dog is aware of all those times you are buried in your phone when you should be spending time with him? Yea, dogs notice a lack of attention, and they often take advantage of these periods to do something sneaky. That’s why sometimes you see your dog counter-surfing for extra snacks when you’re not looking.
So ensure you put down your phone when it’s time for a game of fetch or a walk. Your dog notices every inattention and might feel unloved when you ignore him.
2. Diseases, stress, sickness, or anxiety
Dogs have a well-developed sense of smell that is 10,000 to 100,000 times better than that of humans. So your pup can easily smell changes in your blood sugar level, stress hormones, and even cancer. Besides, they can also detect when you’re not feeling fine, either physically, or emotionally. They are sensitive to the body language we display or the scent we give off, and they always know to help us feel better.
Your dog can sometimes become stressed too in response to your stress. So you can help your dog stay calm by staying in a calming environment.
3. Mood
Dogs know when we feel sad, happy, calm or stressed. You may wonder how they get to know. Well, they sniff the pheromonal and chemical changes that go with our emotions. Besides, they also observe every move we make, and they read our body language, expressions, voice volume, and tone to determine our emotional state at a particular point in time.
4. Inequality
If you’ve ever favored one of your pooches over another, trust me, the one you favored less is aware. Yea, pups know when there is unfair treatment, so whenever multiple mutts are clamoring for a treat, it’s advisable to allow everyone gets their fair share. If you don’t, you would always notice how the cheated one would withdraw and feel so bad.
5. Pregnancy
You’ve probably heard a woman saying her dog knew she was pregnant even before she noticed. Don’t doubt it because it’s true. Dogs sense a bun in the oven through several means. They notice scent produced during hormonal changes caused by pregnancy. And they may also notice a change in routines, mood swings, and of course, that growing belly.
6. Intentions
Sometimes dogs bark at some persons, even people who are not strangers. You may think the dog is just being noisy, but canines can sense “bad” people with bad intentions. Yea, they sniff the pheromones and chemicals that people emit when they are about to execute a bad intention. Sounds ridiculous, right? Yea, that’s the truth.
Even science has proven that when people act aggressively, their brains chemistry changes and dogs smell this and react to a potential threat, even before their owner realizes.
7. Trustworthiness
You can fool your dog once, but trust me, the moment you repeat such mischievous action, your dog stops trusting you. So if you try to compel your dog to come inside using a treat, and you don’t follow through- they become smart and will slowly stop obeying you.
More so, if your dog sees someone acting unfairly or treating you badly, they tend to hold a grudge against such a person and act harshly to such persons.
Needless to say, dogs are very honest and they depend wholeheartedly on us. However, they expect us to be sincere to them in return.
8. Animosity
Dogs sense animosity between humans, that’s why your pup tends to jump to your rescue when you get into an argument with another person.
When thoughts like irritation, dislike, hatred develop in your mind, several chemicals are released in your body, and dogs sense these chemicals very fast.
More so, our pups know when our voice or body language reflects negative emotions. In fact, studies show that your dog can hold grudges against someone who treats you badly because it is in their nature to protect their owner. Isn’t that a reason to love them with all your heart?
9. Plans to travel
Your dog picks clues when you are planning to travel. From your closet or the way you spread your clothes on your bed, they know you want to go on a trip. So it is common to see them shaking, panting, or developing anxiety spikes at this period.
10. Meaning to words
When you say something, you may not realize the tone you’re using, but your dog does. Yea, research has shown that dogs not only react to words but also the manner it was presented.
The left hemisphere of a dog’s brain responds to words, and the right hemisphere acts based on the intonation. So when you’re trying to give your dog a pep talk, make sure it is also evident in the tone you’re using. If the word he knows doesn’t match the tone he’s used to, he may think you don’t mean what you’re saying and refuse to respond.
11. Level of safety
Your dog would often look at your face when he sees something strange in his environment. He’s not scared but trying to determine how to react from the look on your face. More so, your emotions determine how dogs react.
So if you look surprised or angry, your dog may attack the object or individual. But if you look relaxed and indifferent, he gets the message that the object or person is harmless.
12. Argument
When you argue with your partner or friends, your dog sense that and know the environment is not friendly. At that point, you’ll notice your dog withdrew will withdraw a sad countenance because the home is unsettled. He may not understand the cause of your argument, but he surely knows that the atmosphere is cold and he wants to stay away from it.
But when the people in a household behave happily towards each other, dogs tend to respond positively. So don’t try to argue in the presence of your dog if you want it to stay happy always.
13. Signs of migraine
Dogs are sensitive to signs of migraines or seizures even before it happens. They can even alert their owners to seek treatment or move to a safe position. Yea, Psychology Today notes that dogs can pick signs of migraine and warn his owner up to an hour two before the migraine starts.
Conclusion
The fact that your dog doesn’t speak in human language doesn’t mean he is not observant or sensitive. Canines know so many emotions and intentions even before we realize it, and they always respond in their actions. Hence, try to be sensitive to your dog and understand when he is trying to show you something or pass a message across. Let your pup be your third eyes!