An unfamiliar person bends down to say hello, and your dog makes one quick decision. Instead of moving toward the outstretched hand, he steps backward, slips behind your legs, and peers around you from the other side.…
Humans put a lot of meaning into eye contact. We use it to show attention, interest, confidence, and sometimes honesty. So when a dog looks away, it can feel significant before we’ve even looked at the rest of her body.…
The house has been quiet for hours, and your dog has plenty of better-looking places to sleep: the couch, your bed, the warm patch of afternoon sun by the window.…
A person walks toward your dog on the sidewalk. Nothing dramatic happens: no shouting, grabbing, or sudden noise. Even so, your dog slows down, shifts closer to you, and watches.…
You’ve spent most of the day in bed with a fever, which is already unusual enough to get your dog’s attention. He’s abandoned his normal spot by the window and settled beside you instead.…
Sometimes the first sign that your dog is worried about you leaving appears long before the door opens. You pick up your keys from the counter, and he gets to his feet.…
Before your dog ever follows you down the hall, he may have already noticed that the day feels different. Your voice is quieter. You’re moving more slowly. Your face is less animated, you’ve spent longer than usual on the couch, and the walk that normally happens after dinner hasn’t happened.…
Few sounds make leaving the house harder than hearing whining through the door you just closed. You know you have to go. Your dog has noticed the departure routine.…
Sometimes the difficult part of being left alone begins before a dog is actually alone. You pick up your keys. Your dog gets up. Shoes go on, and they move toward the door.…
The last bathroom break of the night can turn an ordinary yard into a completely different place.
A dog steps outside, crosses the patio, and then stops. His ears lift toward the fence.…