There are some things dogs just know, and one of those things is you. Here's proof that your dog understands you—and why.
13 Revealing Secrets Your Dog Knows About You
Whether you’re a generous person (or not)
Dogs make judgments about you based on your actions. Researchers at the University of Milan had dogs watch people sharing food with a (pretend) beggar, and other people telling the beggar to leave. Later, when the individuals beckoned the dogs at the same time, the pups overwhelmingly trotted over to the generous people.
But even though your dog loves you, dogs are not necessarily reciprocal when it comes to treat time: In 2021, researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna revealed that dogs who received treats when humans pushed a button didn’t return the favor (by pushing the same button) so humans gained a treat in kind.
If you don’t like someone
Dogs understand when you have negative feelings about a person. They can hear your breathing pattern change, observe your body stiffen slightly and even smell the subtle pheromones your body emits. So, if your in-laws suspect that a dog doesn’t like them, it may simply be because, um, you don’t really like them.
Where you’ve been
Humans are like sponges, picking up trace amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—aka gases emitted—from everything we walk by or touch. And dogs know it. If you just visited the supermarket, a dog will smell the butcher and fish counters, the food you bought and maybe even the people you stood next to at checkout. The reason? Dogs have 100 million sensory receptors in their nasal cavities (compared to 6 million in human noses), and their sense of smell is at estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times better than ours.
If you have cancer
Some dogs can be taught to detect different types of cancer by smelling the chemicals that cancer cells emit. These aren’t specialty dogs, either. The non-profit cancer-training dog organization In Situ Foundation has trained 52 dogs to detect cancer, and they use shelter and rescue dogs whenever possible.
The process takes eight months, and dogs train by smelling breath, saliva, urine and plasma sent in by doctors. After smelling more than 300 different samples, trained dogs are able to distinguish between a healthy sample and a cancerous one. Trainers are now working to expand the program by training experienced handlers on the protocol.
When you’re coming home
Dogs can’t come with us everywhere, so most of them get used to staying home alone. Dogs learn your schedule, and they know roughly when to expect you back at the house each day. But even if you get home at an odd hour, they can pick out the sound of your particular car coming down the street, and are always listening for it.
If you’ve had a fight with your spouse or partner
Even if you don’t yell in front of your dog, he can pick up on your negative energy when you and your partner fight. Your pup may notice your clipped tone of voice, the fact that neither of you is speaking, the stiffness of your posture or the agitated way you’re walking or opening drawers. Some dogs even get sick to their stomachs when pet parents bicker.
When you need protection
When your spouse is out of town, does your pooch sleep cuddled up next to you in bed instead of in his usual spot? Or stay closer to your leg than normal during a walk down a dark street or empty park? That’s because dogs can smell the adrenaline your body releases when you’re scared, and they’re extra vigilant anytime someone in the household is missing.
If you’re going on a trip
No, not the suitcase! Your dog has learned all the clues that indicate a departure is imminent—luggage pulled from the closet, or the way you always spread clothes out on your bed. Some dogs pant and shake when their anxiety spikes, but if you’re feeling guilty, research from 2024 concluded that playing classical, reggae and soft rock music can have a calming effect. So the next time you pull out the suitcase, turn on some tunes, too.
That you’re a sucker for their puppy dog eyes
Yep, it’s true: Their eyes adore you. In 2016, researchers studied 120 pet dogs in two experimental tasks and discovered that staring into your dog’s eyes is a joyous experience. That’s because it releases oxytocin—aka the “love hormone”—in you and your dog. That’s the same hormone released when we look at our children, and it prompts the same feeling.
So the next time your find yourself wondering: Does my dog understand me? They do, and they’re not averse to turning on the charm. There’s a reason your dog gazes at you lovingly when she wants something: It works.
What your intentions are
A dog can pick up nearly imperceptible signals in your body language, from a darting of your eyes or the way you grab the leash. Dogs are geniuses at using that information to their advantage, too. In a 2023 study, dogs were easily able to identify the location of hidden food simply by following a human’s social cues. (A good memory helps, too.)
When you’re not feeling well
You don’t have to have cancer for dogs to pick up on illness. Dogs can be trained to sniff out everything from a drop in your blood sugar to a migraine. And a growing number of epileptic patients are getting dogs that alert them to a seizure before it happens. How does that work? Researchers have found that a person’s mood, which can be an indicator of a larger illness, triggers a dog’s sense of smell. Human emotions manifest physically in chemical signals emitted by the body, and dogs can decipher those changes. Feels good to know that, right?
If your baby needs help
Dogs think of their human family as their “pack,” and they know that babies are the most vulnerable members. And given their animal instinct to guard the pack, they can be extremely protective. That’s why a dog will bark aggressively when someone approaches the stroller, and why you should be vigilant if someone is playing with your child while your pooch is around. (If dogs mistakenly think your kiddo is getting hurt, they may attack.)
When you’re bummed out
Your dog is a master at reading your body language and emotional state. A 2018 study involving 34 dogs and their owners found that dogs not only feel distress when they see that their owners are sad, they’ll try to do something—like get through a door—to help. A dog is also more likely to approach someone who is crying than someone humming or talking, which is an indication of empathy.
Does your dog understand you? All signs point to yes.
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Sources:
- American Kennel Club: “Dogs And Babies: A Look At Their Special Relationship”
- American Kennel Club: “Dogs Detecting Disease: Meet America’s Cancer-Sniffing Canines”
- American Kennel Club: “Is Music Therapeutic for Dogs?”
- Atlantic: “How Your Dog Knows When You’re Sick”
- BBC: “Clever Dogs Can Tell Where Their Food Is Hidden”
- Kinship: “Does Your Dog Hate When You And Your Partner Fight?”
- Live Science: “Your Dog Knows When You’re Upset And Wants to Help”
- Psychology Today: “Dogs Recognize Generous Versus Selfish People”
- Public Library of Science: “Dog Breed Differences in Visual Communication with Humans”
- Smithsonian Magazine: “New Study Shows Dogs Don’t Return the Favor After Strangers Feed Them”
- Wag!: “Can Dogs Recognize Cars?”
