We all love our dogs! Some more than others, but, never-the-less we all love our four-legged furry friends. But, the question is, do they really love us? Grant it, dogs are very loyal to their masters, but, do they truly love us as much as we love them? I have an 11, almost 12-year-old Golden Retriever named Delilah, whom I've had since I was 8, and I believe she is one of the best dogs ever! Grant it, she's getting up there in age. so she's starting to have hearing problems and behaving problems, but, I still love the old fart! Anyway, I decided to put my D-girl to the test, to see if she loves me as much as I love her! So, this is how you tell if your pup really loves you!

Does your dog sleep with you?

Some people think you shouldn't let your dog sleep in bed with you and that they should have their own bed. But, if your pup is wanting to snuggle up to you at night, this is a sign that they want to be with the "pack." Now, when I am in my bed, Delilah is always up there with me, and most of the time, her big butt is stretched out, forcing me to sleep in the tiniest of balls on barely any bed. Yet, when I'm in my mom's bed Delilah always tries to beg to get on the bed with me but, sadly I can't allow her to join me cause mom's bed is a no-dog zone.

Your dog respects you enough to look you in the eye.

Some might view this as a challenge for dominance but, you should be able to tell if it's them trying to challenge you or if they are giving you respect.

Does your dog listen to you?

This kinda goes back into the respect part but, with respect comes love. If you tell your dog to do something, do they do it? Or, do they ignore you? When you call them, do they come up to you with their tail-wagging with a big panting smile on their face? Or, do they just kinda approach you? If your dog does what you ask of them, that shows that they respect you and wish to make you happy, all because they love you. Dawww!

They want to cuddle with you, even when food isn't present.

Now, there is no question about it, a dog's main motivation is food. "Food glorious food! Wonderful food! Magical food!" Sometimes I believe Delilah only wants me for food. Kinda stings a little bit thinking about how my dog only wants me because I provide the goods. Though we provide food, you can tell your dog really loves you if they come and snuggle up to you after they eat. It's a way of showing whats really important to them (after the food of course, lol). With this one, I'm not quite sure where my dog falls into this statement because, sometimes, she comes up to cuddle and other times she lays on the floor near me. So, maybe she kinda loves me?

Is your dog excited when you come home?

Most of the time, dogs are always excited when someone comes to their house but, a sure-tell sign your dog loves you is if they get happy and playful when you come home. When I come home, Delilah is right at the door turning in circles asking for me to scratch her butt and other times she gets so darn happy that she runs off to find a toy or a sock (really anything she can get her mouth on) and bring it to you as a gift! And if you accept her gift and throw it for her to play fetch, she literally jumps up and down and throws her head side to side.

How does your dog act when you leave the house?

Is your dog whiny and barks when you leave? Do they silently accept it with pitiful eyes? Or, if you put your dog in a crate, do they go into the crate without any issues? If your dog makes a ruckus when you leave, they probably have separation anxiety but, if your dog goes into their crate without issues that is a sign of trust that you will come back to them. The silently accepting with pitiful eyes, I feel, is a little in between, but, more towards the side of love, if anything. Those big sad eyes that look at you when you leave the house make me feel like I am committing a crime for running to the store. It makes me think that they believe we aren't coming back for them but, they do trust us in returning and that is why they accept it slightly.

Do you love your dog?

Love is like a two-way street. It's a little hard to only go one way so, if you love your dog, and your dog knows you love them, they have the opportunity to love you back. With how many toys, home-made treats, vet visits, and going out of my way to take her on trips, I'd say I love my D-girl! So, kiss your pup, and give them a good belly rub, because no love is as pure and loyal as your dogs!

Proud mommy moments of Delilah!