A pet owner has identified what they believe to be four key signs that your dog thinks of you as their mom or dad.
While the dog-loving community on TikTok were happy to engage with the video, Ali Smith, the Positive Puppy Expert, offered her own thoughts on what signs to look out for. For example, a pet being protective of you is not a sign. "So, when you're seeing a dog bark at strangers, it's usually because they have an underlying fear or insecurity, poor breeding, improper socialization or a whole host of other reasons," Smith told Newsweek.
Everyone hopes that their dog loves them. The good news is that the science largely points to this being correct. A 2016 study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience backs up this idea.
As part of the research, 15 dogs were trained to sit still while undergoing an MRI scan. During these scans, scientists measured the way the caudate nucleus part of the brain responded to different stimuli, including food and the sound of their owner's voice praising them.
The caudate nucleus is associated with higher-level mental processes like emotions. The results showed that 86 percent of dogs tested had a similar or higher level of caudate activation when hearing praise from their owner as they did while smelling food.
The owner of dachshund duo Digit and Pip certainly believes her dogs love her. In fact, she is convinced they see her and her partner as parents. In a recent video posted to TikTok under the handle @digitdax, she identified four indicators to back up this claim.
Firstly, she said that, if your dogs are protective of you, particularly around strangers, it's a sign they see you as part of their pack. "A dog's natural instinct is to protect its pack," the owner said.
Secondly, she pointed to the idea of a dog being attached to you as another clear indicator. "A dog's attachment to their owner is similar to a child's attachment to their parent," the poster added.
Thirdly, she added that, if they look to you for guidance, it suggests they see you as parents. The poster said that, if they are constantly checking to see where you are, it means they consider you a leader and rely on your direction.
Finally, Digit and Pip's owner added that, if your dogs follow your instruction, it means they see you as an authority figure as canines listen to commands only from people they respect.
The video has been watched over 500,000 times and has generated close to 100 comments.
Smith is an award-winning dog trainer, who has transformed the lives of some 1,200 pups through her canine training business Rebarkable.
Smith was less than convinced by the claims made in the TikTok video. For starters, she rejected the idea of dogs being pack animals. She said it was something that was long ago debunked. Instead, she defined them more accurately as a "social species."
"Despite common opinion, dogs actually very rarely protect a human out of pure instinct to protect. So, this wouldn't be correct," she added.
Smith also rebuffed the idea that a dog exhibiting clingyness is a sign they are attached to you like a child to their parents. "This is actually most often a sign that your dog is insecure," she said. "This does depend on breed, but typically the less confident our dog is, the more clingy they tend to be. Most dogs are delighted to see their guardians come home, and I will say that cuddles are a case-by-case basis."
Smith also rejected the idea that a dog looking to you for guidance and constantly checking to see where you are was a good thing or a sign they see you as a leader. "A confident, well-raised dog will check in with you, and it does mean they view you as their guardian," she said. "But the language here makes this sound more like codependence and a relationship founded on insecurity."
She also rebuffed the claim that a dog obeys commands only from an authority figure they respect and someone they see as a leader. "A dog who listens isn't a dog who sees you as leader," Smith said. "A dog who listens is a dog who is trained to listen and taught that listening is in their best interest. It's why positive reinforcement is so powerful! We teach our dogs that they get rewarded well for listening, and they listen more. That's showing that you're rewarding, not a leader or a mom/dad."
The 4 Signs Your Dog Thinks of You as Mom or Dad
Smith said there were signs to show your dog sees you as a good mom, dad or, her preferred term, guardian.
They were:
Smith also said what she viewed as the best qualities of a good guardian:
Newsweek has contacted @digitdax for comment via TikTok.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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