Your pet’s love language

If you’ve ever looked into the Five love languages by Gary Chapman to get a deeper insight into the way you show love to the people in your life, this one is for you!

Did you know that your pet also has a preferred way to show and receive affection from their humans? 

Bundy, looking for love via Blacktown Animal Holding Facility.

What are the five love languages?

Let’s talk about how each of the five points below gives us an insight into how our pets show and receive love. 

• Words of affirmation: This is how our tone of voice can express love towards our pets or show that we’re not particularly happy with them at that moment.

• Quality time: This is how we choose to spend time with our pets

• Physical touch: This is how we use physical touch to bond with our pet

• Acts of service: This refers to the acts we take to make our pets happy

• Gift giving: This can be the treats or toys we gift our pets with

Let’s talk about how your pet shows love.

Every pet comes with their own unique personality and quirks, which means they like to show their love to you in their own way. They offer a variety of signals to show their human what they are feeling. 

Read more about how your pet communicates with you:

• Do you speak dog?

• Do you speak cat?

Words of affirmation

Dogs: Tone of voice is everything! Speaking to your dog like a loving, warm embrace will let them know you love them, even if they can’t understand the actual words you’re saying. While it may sound like you’re talking to a child to the outside world, your playful and calm tone is sending the right signals to your doggo. 

Cats: The way you speak to your cat matters. Your cat responds positively to your loving tone of voice. Did you know: They often have a special ‘meow’ just for you that can be identified as different to how they talk to their fellow cats. 

Elijah adopted thanks to Helping Hearts Animal Rescue Inc.

Quality time

Dogs: Even though it seems like your doggo follows you around everywhere, this doesn’t count as quality time. They will love you even more if you take time out of your day and make sure that block of time is just for you and your dog. This can look like a walk to the park, a bit of tug-of-war or playtime with their favourite toy. Being present in the moments you spend with them is good for both humans and dogs!

Cats: This is an important one for cats. While they might not be as enthusiastic as dogs that follow you around everywhere, if your cat chooses to spend some time next to or around you, this is their way of showing love. If they like to play with toys, this is another form of quality time. Remember that lots of attention in short bursts from your cat is very normal.   

Blaze, adopted thanks to Blacktown Animal Rehoming Centre

Physical touch

Dogs: These signs are often easier to spot. They can look like your dog resting their head on you or looking deeply into your eyes. Maybe your dog wants your attention, so they use their paws to express this. You can show your love to your dog through pats, belly rubs and head scratches, but it is important to pay attention to their response to each of these. Remember, anything less than an enthusiastic ‘yes’ from your dog is a ‘no’. 

Cats: Many cats enjoy time to themselves, but there are a few signs to look out for that will tell you they like physical affection. Licking is a sign that your cat sees you as a family member, and if they give you a gentle head butt, this is good too! Remember, never try to force your cat to do anything and pay attention to how they respond. 

Elijah adopted thanks to Helping Hearts Animal Rescue Incorporated

Acts of service

Dogs: Dogs show their love for their humans with simple acts of service. These can be things like coming to you when they are called or sitting in their favourite spot waiting for you to come home. You can show love to your dog with little things like brushing them down or giving them a bath to increase their comfort levels. 

Cats: When it comes to cats and acts of service, it can often be more about how you, as their human, can provide love. Little acts such as giving them fresh water, food and a clean litter box are excellent ways to show your cat some love. 

Elijah adopted thanks to Helping Hearts Animal Rescue Incorporated

Gift giving

Dogs: Dogs are social creatures, and if they choose to share their toy with you, it means they trust you and want to play, of course. If your dog is food motivated, giving them treats is a great way to show your affection and continue or reinforce any training they might have. 

Cats: Have you ever received a dead mouse, spider or other creepy crawley from your cat? While this may not be your ideal gift, this is your sweet kitty showing you love by giving you a present! 

Having a pet brings so much joy to our lives, and there are so many ways they show us love and affection. Taking the time to understand how our pets' personalities align with their preferred love language will only strengthen the bond you have with them.  

Banner image Ivan Babydov via Pexels