13 Signs that You're a Dog Lover

Written and verified by the psychologist Sara González Juárez

Last update: 18 July, 2023

There’s no doubt that dogs and humans share an ancestral bond: The domestication period of this species has endowed us both with an ease for mutual understanding and bonding. However, a true dog lover isn’t only someone who likes dogs a lot but also has many other qualities.

If you want to know what they are, take a look at the rest of this article. You’re sure to identify with many of the statements you’ll read below. But will you tick the box on all of them?

13 signs that you’re a dog lover

A dog lover is a person who takes their love for dogs one step further: They care about their welfare, protect the most disadvantaged dogs, and take a stand against all the harmful practices that are exercised on this species. This style of thinking is manifested in certain details and practices that you can read about below. Don’t miss it.

1. Any dog that walks by you distracts you

It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. You could be taking a walk, having a conversation, going into your friend’s house, or even watching dog videos. If a dog walks by you, there’s a moment that you’re sure to be familiar with: You look at each other, its eyes widen, your eyes widen, it wags its tail, and you say “hello”. And that’s it, you’re suddenly cuddling an unknown dog.

You may have left a sentence half-finished, or you may have been in a bad mood before meeting this unknown canine. It’s irrelevant; at that moment, you’re greeting a pup, and all your woes are forgotten.

2. Your loved ones know you’re going to their house to see their dog

Maybe this sentence is overdoing it, as you obviously love your human friends, too, and are eager to see them. Still, there’s something special about going to a house where a dog appears happy to see you as soon as you open the door, and you know it. Your friends have assumed that you’re going to greet their dog first (and they don’t mind either).

3. A dog lover adopts instead of buying one

The sad reality of many dogs living in shelters and on the streets is familiar to you. You know that with all the love these animals have to give, it’s not worth buying one. Besides, every time you’ve adopted a dog, you’ve become aware that you’ve actually helped two: The dog you took out of the shelter and the one who had the opportunity to take its place.

4. You take your dog everywhere you go

You can travel with your dog and visit new places, so why leave it at home, bored and alone? Every time you plan an outing, you make a point to find places where you’re allowed to take your canine companion because you understand that it has the same right as you to enjoy the outings.

5. Poop bags appear in all your pockets

It never hurts to have a bag to collect your dog’s droppings in your pocket, either to pick up unexpected poop or in case someone has forgotten one and needs it. The thing is that, from time to time, you forget them there and they go through the washing machine, the dryer, and you find them later on.

The reaction you have when you put your hand in your pocket and feel the bag is almost like finding a coin you left in your pants.

In addition, this happens to you because you’re aware of the impact your dog has on its environment. You know that picking up their droppings doesn’t only keep the streets and parks clean, but it also prevents other dogs from eating them and getting sick or other humans from stepping on them. In fact, you don’t let your dog bother other animals or ruin public spaces.

6. You always have your camera ready

A dog lover can’t resist recording every tender or funny moment of their dog. This is true even if you don’t use social media because you could spend hours looking at your pet’s photos and videos without having to share them. In fact, your loved ones could also spend hours watching the funniest images of your dog, because you send them all to them.

In addition, you know the importance of selecting content about animals on social networks and don’t visit sites or share any content that involves animal abuse.

7. Your dog is part of your emotional support

The bond you have with your canine is bidirectional: You both know when the other is feeling down and you support each other. Sometimes, explaining to another human what you’re feeling inside is complicated, but your dog helps you process it with an action as simple as lying down next to you.

8. Your knowledge about this species is endless

As a good dog lover, you know that to give the best care to your dog, you need to soak up reliable information about its species. You’re one of those people who asks the vet a thousand questions, reads all the articles, takes courses, and constantly analyzes every behavior your dog displays.

In addition, you’ve learned to differentiate false information from that which has been proven by experts. You recognize hoaxes and don’t share them.

9. For a dog lover, any dog is beautiful

Different breeds mean nothing to you. You may like some aesthetic features over others, but in the end, what makes you fall in love with them is their nature. And once you meet any dog, no wrinkle, misplaced tooth, or bent limb seems ugly to you.

10. You don’t say no to any veterinary treatment

You know that your dog’s health comes first and as soon as you adopted your furry friend, you knew that its care may sometimes require large sums of money. Therefore, you manage your economy in such a way that you always have an exclusive financial cushion for emergency veterinary costs.

11. Between your dog and another person, you know who to choose

It’s irrelevant that you’re two different species. Your dog isn’t your toy, your “companion,” or your tool. You give them the same respect and priority as any other living being and you’ve internalized its right to be happy and receive the care it needs.

Besides, when you adopted it, you knew you were taking on a responsibility. You don’t get rid of someone just because they’re of another species. Rather, you look for the best way for everyone to live together.

12. You’ve been told that you look like your dog or vice versa

Although it’s a bit of a cliché phrase, the truth is that friends end up resembling each other in certain aspects of their personalities due to how much time they spend together. Dogs are empathetic animals with a great facility for learning from humans, so don’t be surprised if yours shows similar reactions and behaviors to yours if you have a close relationship.

In fact, if other people say it with bad intentions, they still don’t manage to offend you: you know that both you and your dog bring out the best in each other.

13. You collaborate with animal defense organizations

Some people live in circumstances that prevent them from taking a dog into their home: Allergies, economic difficulties, human dependents, and so on. You don’t need to live with a dog to be a dog lover. At the end of the day, the fight against animal abuse requires many skills, so it’s always possible to contribute something.

Whether it’s spreading information, making donations, volunteering, or even running an organization’s social media, any action is useful.

In fact, some people have ended up collaborating with shelters that help other species. When you love a dog, it’s impossible not to recognize the beautiful spirit of any other animal and to generalize the desire to protect, care for, and rescue any living being that’s suffering. Loving a dog is always synonymous with respecting nature and all that it entails.