Surely you have often said or heard phrases such as "my dog only pays attention to me", "I am my dog's favorite" or "my dog loves my partner more than me", but, do dogs really like one person more than another?, do they show favoritism towards a family member?
The debate about the emotional and cognitive capacities of dogs has been open for many years and, although there are those who consider that dogs cannot feel affection or have friends, today we know that they are tremendously complex animals, with capacity to spare to establish different types of relationships with different individuals, regardless of their species. In this article on our site we analyze the reasons why a dog may have a favorite person, why they become more attached to some humans than others and, in short, why it is possible that they love one person more than another. If you have dogs at home or plan to adopt a furry companion, this is for you!
Do dogs have a favorite person?
Dogs are extremely social animals and, as such, prefer to live in groups, either in the company of other dogs or a human family. Like us, dogs are capable of establishing a different relationship with each of the individualss with whom they live or with whom they have close contact and frequently, which from an anthropocentric point of view could be interpreted as choosing one or more people as their "favorites", establishing with them a more powerful bond or attachment than the one they have with the rest of the people around them. A few years ago it was thought that the dog simply loved the person who fed him or took him for a walk more often, but today we know that dogs are very complex animals both cognitively and socially and emotionally. that, therefore, there are many more factors involved in that feeling of preference.
When we say that a person is their dog's "favourite", we usually do so based on a series of behaviors displayed by the dog. can, including the following:
- Quickly obey his orders
- Follows him inside the house or on the street if he walks loose
- Continually seeks physical contact with him or her.
- He receives you with special emotion after a time apart.
- Sleep and rest next to her
However, and as we will see below, these behaviors can occur in a very similar way both in he althy relationships and in those in which the dog suffers from excessive and/or pathological dependence on one of its guardians Or even afraid of him. In the latter case, therefore, it would not be correct to consider said person as his "favourite."
Why do dogs become more attached to a person?
The concept of attachment refers to an intense emotional bond between two individuals, regardless of their species. In this sense, we tend to think that the fact that our dog feels attached to us is always something positive and desirable, however, it is important to know that there are different types of attachmentand that not all of them are beneficial in a relationship, as some have negative consequences for the individual. To better understand why dogs love one person more than another or, rather, feel a greater attachment, we will analyze each of the types:
- Secure attachment: the so-called secure attachment is that which the dog establishes with its guardian or guardians when they educate from respect, empathy and coherence , provide security, adequately cover their needs as a species and promote their autonomy. In a relationship of this type, the animal knows that it can fully trust its human companions, collaborates voluntarily with them and actively seeks their support when it needs it, something essential to guarantee its well-being. If you wonder how to know if you are your dog's favorite person, here is the answer. Without a doubt, this is the type of attachment that should be aspired to when a furry dog is incorporated into the family and the dog will undoubtedly prefer to spend more time with whoever meets these requirements.
- Insecure Attachment:dogs that live with people who ignore or misinterpret their communication signals systematically punish them, prevent them from developing behaviors typical of their species or behave in an unpredictable way, they often establish an insecure attachment to them. In this case, the relationship between the animal and its guardian or guardians is very unstable and, although there is also an affective bond that can become very strong, it is based mainly on fear and/or or anxiety, generating in many cases a pathological dependence.
Of course, within a coexistence group the dog can develop an attachment of a different type and/or intensity with each human. In order to know what type of attachment your dog has towards you, it is important to correctly analyze and interpret his behavior, since it is not enough for him to obey you, follow you or seek your caresses to be able to affirm that he loves you more than anyone else. If he responds in a tense or nervous way to your requests, shows signs of calm or threat whenever you interact with him, has ambiguous or contradictory behaviors (such as wanting to approach and move away from you at the same time) or is unable to remain calm when you are physically apart, it is very likely that the dog feels insecure in the relationship. In this case, it's not that you're your dog's favorite person, it's that he feels a pathological dependency for the reasons stated.
If you suspect that your furry friend may have developed an inappropriate attachment to you or to a family member, or you would simply like to improve your relationship with him in order to truly become his favorite person, always you can contact a professional canine ethologist or educator to help you understand him and work on your bond.
What can I do to be my dog's favorite person?
To ensure a real and he althy relationship of affection and friendship with your dog, it is important that there is a clear channel of communication between the two and that, as a guardian, you educate yourself about your furry's needs. Some of the things you can do to achieve this are:
- Let him socialize: As social animals, dogs need to have contact with the outside world, meet more dogs and people and be able to investigate their environment with freedom and security. During his sensitive stage of socialization (from approximately three weeks to three months of age), you should make sure that your furry gradually and positively relates to all kinds of objects and living beings, to prevent him from developing fears or behavioral problems. during his adolescence. Remember that overprotection can generate a relationship of inappropriate dependency between the dog and its guardian.
- Educate him positively: many guardians abuse punishments to educate their dogs, as they consider that a dog should be "submissive and obedient". However, systematic punishment generates fear in the dog, this becoming the only engine by which the dog responds to the requests of its guardian. This type of relationship can lead to serious physical and psychological problems for the animal, which could be avoided through a more consistent and respectful education. If you want to know more about the consequences of punishment, we recommend this other article: "Consequences of punishing a dog".
- Spend quality time with him: Dogs love spending time with their guardians and even more so if this time is dedicated to performing activities that you both enjoy, such as taking a walk in the country, swimming in the pool, playing Frisbee, training new skills, or having a cuddles and relaxation session on the couch. Find out what your furry friend likes the most and dedicate some time to it every day.
- Respect their communication: learn how dogs communicate and know how to correctly interpret their signals to respond in the most appropriate way it is one of the most important aspects of building a he althy relationship with them. A dog that feels understood and respected by her guardian will generate a much closer bond with him, as this will give him confidence and security.
- Let him be a dog: this point is essential. If you have a furry dog at home, you should know that dogs bark, drool, run, bite things, dig, roll in the dirt, get into puddles, sniff everything they catch and have many other behaviors that can be annoying to us, but which are important and necessary for them. As long as your furry's behavior does not harm him or others and is not pathological, let him be a dog!
Despite all this, you should also keep in mind that each dog has its own personality based on both its genetics and its vital experiences, which will make some dogs more independent and less likely to show affection, while others will be more "clingy" and affectionate, which does not necessarily imply that the former love us less than the latter, as is the case with people.
Now that you know why dogs love one person more than another, or why they generate more attachment and dependence, don't stop learning and discover in this video how to make your dog happier:
