live_tv
Livestream Starting Soon
00
Hours
:
00
Minutes
:
00
Seconds
Up next in 10
Watch the video guide to learn if dogs do feel loved when we kiss them!
Discover what science says about this. If you want to learn more about this topic, visit Doggozila Magazine to read more in-depth about this.
Jump on the link below to visit the dog guides on the coolest dog magazine called Doggozila!
š https://doggozila.com/do-dogs-feel-loved-when-we-kiss-them/
š
#dogkisses #dogguides #doggielife #petlove #dogguide #doggielife #doglife #doglove #doggiekisses #petlove
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
You know, we all do it. We lean in. We
0:02
plant a big kiss on our dog's fluffy
0:04
head. And we think, "I love you so
0:06
much." But have you ever just stopped
0:08
and wondered what's actually going on in
0:11
their head? Are we really speaking their
0:13
language, or is this just some weird
0:14
human thing they put up with? Well,
0:17
today we are going to solve that
0:18
adorable mystery, right? It's that
0:21
classic moment for every dog owner.
0:24
You're just bursting with love. You lean
0:26
in for a smooch and you get this kind of
0:28
blank stare or maybe a quick little lick
0:30
back. So, you have to wonder, does that
0:33
gesture of pure love even land? Or is
0:36
something getting totally lost in
0:38
translation here? So, to get to the
0:40
bottom of this, we're diving into an
0:41
amazing article from a really top-notch
0:44
source, Doggozilla Magazine. And get
0:46
this, they were just named the best
0:48
online dog magazine for 2025. So yeah,
0:51
they've done their homework, which means
0:53
we can finally get some real answers.
0:56
Okay, let's get into it. First things
0:58
first, we're going to put on our lab
1:00
coats for a second and look at what's
1:02
happening on a biological level. I mean,
1:04
is there actual measurable proof of the
1:06
bond we feel? The answer is a huge
1:09
resounding yes. And it's literally
1:12
written in our chemistry. Okay, so clue
1:14
number one is this hormone called
1:16
oxytocin. You've probably heard of it.
1:18
It's the love hormone. And what's so
1:21
cool is that when you and your dog share
1:22
a positive interaction, you know,
1:24
petting, gentle praise, or yeah, even a
1:27
kiss, both of your brains get a hit of
1:29
it. It creates this amazing invisible
1:31
feedback loop of affection. It's like a
1:34
chemical I love you that makes you both
1:35
feel all warm and fuzzy. And you're
1:37
going to love this. Scientists actually
1:39
put dogs into MRI machines to peek
1:42
inside their brains. And what they
1:44
found, it's just mindblowing. the reward
1:46
center in a dog's brain, the part that
1:48
lights up for a delicious piece of
1:50
cheese, it lights up in the exact same
1:52
way when they hear their owner's happy
1:54
voice. So, your happy attention, it's
1:57
literally as good as a treat to And
1:59
finally, there's this thing called
2:00
attachment theory. Think about it like
2:03
this. Just like a toddler sees their
2:05
parent, your dog sees you as their
2:07
secure base. You're their source of
2:09
safety in this big, confusing world. So
2:12
when they get a gentle kiss from their
2:13
safe person, it reinforces that feeling.
2:16
It's a little physical reminder that
2:17
says, "Hey, I'm here. You're safe." So
2:20
what's the big scientific takeaway here?
2:23
Well, while your dog might not
2:25
understand the human custom of a kiss,
2:27
their body totally gets the message.
2:29
They feel the oxytocin rush, their
2:31
brain's reward center starts buzzing,
2:33
and they feel secure. In short, they
2:36
feel the love behind the action. But,
2:39
and this is a big butt, here's the plot
2:41
twist. While we're over here kissing,
2:43
our dogs are communicating with a
2:45
totally different tool, licking. And
2:47
this is where things can get a little
2:49
messy, because a kiss and a lick mean
2:52
completely different things in our two
2:53
languages. Let's just break this down
2:56
for a second. For us humans, a kiss is
2:58
pretty straightforward, right? It's
3:00
affection. It's love. But for a dog, a
3:02
lick is like a Swiss Army knife. It can
3:05
mean, "I'm taking care of you." like a
3:07
mom grooming her pup. It could be a
3:08
simple hello. Or it could even be a sign
3:10
of respect, like saying you're the boss.
3:12
It's way more complicated than our
3:14
simple smoot. You know, the story of the
3:16
lick starts way back in puppyhood. It's
3:19
a mom's tool for survival and cleaning.
3:22
It also goes back to their ancient wolf
3:24
ancestors where pups would lick the
3:26
mouths of hunters to get them to share
3:27
food. And in the social structure of a
3:29
pack, licking is a clear way to show
3:31
respect to the leader. So, it's this
3:34
deeply instinctual behavior with all
3:36
these different layers of meaning. Okay.
3:38
So, if our languages are so different,
3:41
how in the world can we know if our
3:43
kisses are actually welcome? Well, the
3:45
answer is right there in front of us. We
3:47
just have to learn how to read our dog's
3:49
body language. They're constantly
3:51
talking to us. We just need to learn how
3:53
to listen with our eyes. Think of this
3:55
slide as your official decoder ring. The
3:58
green lights, those are the signs you're
4:00
looking for. They lean into you. Their
4:02
body gets all soft and wiggly. Maybe
4:04
they even close their eyes in
4:05
contentment. But you have to watch for
4:07
the red flags. If they turn their head
4:09
away, lick their lips, or you see the
4:11
whites of their eyes, that's called
4:13
whale eye. They're politely telling you
4:14
they're stressed out. Paying attention
4:16
to this is everything. And honestly,
4:19
this is so, so important. Forcing
4:22
affection on a dog that's clearly
4:24
uncomfortable can actually damage your
4:26
bond. Sometimes the biggest act of love
4:29
isn't forcing a kiss. It's hearing their
4:31
silent no thank you and respecting that
4:34
boundary. That's how you build real
4:36
lasting trust. So, what do you do if
4:38
your dog just isn't a fan of kisses?
4:42
Well, the great news is there are a ton
4:44
of other ways to say I love you in a
4:45
language they will understand perfectly
4:48
with zero confusion. Let's talk about
4:51
some fantastic 100% dog approved ways to
4:55
show your love. Things like dedicated
4:57
playtime, keeping training sessions
4:59
short and fun, or just giving them your
5:01
calm, undivided attention. These are
5:03
incredibly powerful ways to strengthen
5:05
your bond. Just try to see it from their
5:07
world, a game of tugof-war, or letting
5:10
them lead a snafari where they just get
5:12
to go nuts, sniffing everything on a
5:14
walk. That taps right into their natural
5:16
instincts. It sends a clear message. I
5:19
see what you love to do, and I love
5:20
doing it with you. You become a true
5:22
partner in their adventures. And hey,
5:25
never ever underestimate the power of
5:27
just being there. Seriously, put your
5:30
phone down, get on the floor with them,
5:32
and just give them a good long scratch
5:34
in that one spot that makes their leg go
5:36
crazy. That physical touch mimics social
5:39
grooming. And that is a language of
5:41
safety and care that is hardwired
5:43
directly into their DNA. Okay, we've dug
5:46
into the science. We've navigated the
5:48
language barrier. We've looked at all
5:50
the different ways to show love. So,
5:52
let's circle all the way back to that
5:53
first big question. When we kiss our
5:56
dogs, do they actually feel loved? And
5:59
here it is. This is the beautiful simple
6:02
truth. No, they don't understand the
6:05
human cultural meaning of a kiss. But
6:07
what they are masters at is reading
6:09
emotion. They feel your joy. They feel
6:11
your warmth. They feel the positive,
6:13
loving intention behind your action.
6:15
They may not get the kiss, but they
6:17
absolutely feel the love. And at the end
6:19
of the day, that's what really mattered.
6:22
So, please don't stop showing your dog
6:24
affection. As long as your kisses and
6:26
your hugs and your cuddles are part of a
6:28
respectful, trusting relationship where
6:30
you listen to their signals, they
6:31
absolutely make your bond stronger. It's
6:34
a shared positive moment, and that's the
6:36
stuff that great friendships are built
6:37
on. If you want to dive even deeper into
6:40
this, you've got to read the full
6:41
article that inspired this whole
6:43
explainer. You can find it over at
6:44
doggozilla.com.
6:46
They call themselves the online dog park
6:48
for pet parents, and it's just a
6:49
fantastic place to hang out. Thanks for
6:51
joining me today.
#Pets & Animals
#Pets & Animals
#Pets
#Dogs