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When a dog is introduced to a new family there’s almost always more than one person taking care of them. In many families it looks like a dog chooses their favorite person… Why is this? And is it possible for a dog to love two owners?
Can Dogs Love Two Owners:
Yes, a dog can love two owners. The reason many dog’s have a person that they appear to love more is because this person likely feeds them, takes them for walks, and/or frequently plays with them. Quality time and affection can increase their love for another owner.
Below you’ll discover exactly how dogs express their love, how they can love two owners, the reason behind your dog having a more favorite person, and much more.
Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
Can a Dog Love Two People Equally?
When you and your partner or your family get a dog, the dog can bond with multiple people.
However, a dog tends to attach more to one person than another/others.
You’ll likely notice the bond is stronger with the person who’s present more often for things your dog loves like, being fed, walks, etc. and showers them with lots of love & attention.
If both of a dog’s owners lead a busy life, and many of their daily activities are split relatively equally between both owners; there will be more of an equal bond between both people and the dog.
But, if one person is always at home and attentive to your dog, they will have that more special bond.
This is especially true when they’re just a pup. As the dog ages, they tend to get closer to the one who takes care of their needs from the start.
This doesn’t mean you can’t start cultivating a stronger bond when you notice it’s one-sided.
Dogs are pretty simple when it comes to love. If you feed them and give them some of your time (many dogs will be big sucks and want ALL your time) they will love you to bits.
So if you want to help bring your dog’s love to a more equal level between you and their other owner, whichever person is getting less of their love should start giving them their food and spending more quality time with them. That means more walks and playing time.
Usually it’s the person who has the time to do these sorts of things which is why they’ve done them for the most part since bringing the dog home.
So if this is the case, you might have to accept that your dog will always love one person a little more than the rest.
That DOESN’T mean they don’t love you or the other people in your home to bits. It just means there’s a slightly different bond with one person.
Related Reading: 11 Ways Dogs Choose Their Favorite Person & Tips To Be Your Dogs
Will a Dog Always Love One Owner More?
More often than not, a dog is a little more (or a lot more in some cases) attached to one.
This is primarily the person who’s taking care of their daily needs as well as giving them lots of love and attention.
A dog can most definitely love more than one owner, but when both owners are present the dog will likely choose the one person who’s most involved in their life.
If one owner is away for an extended period of time, the dog will gradually shift their love to the new person taking care of them.
However, they will still maintain a strong connection once their other owner returns.
How Do Dogs Pick a Favorite Person?
Being your dog’s favorite person is the best feeling in the world. But, this takes some effort from you to achieve such a close bond. You have to understand how a dog picks a favorite person. Here are some ways dogs pick a favorite person:
Quality Time
Are you the one who spends the most time with your dog? If not, and you want to be their favorite, it’s time to change that. Your dog will bond more with the person who plays, feeds, and gives them the most time out of any other person.
Loads of Treats
Of course, your dog will pick you as the favorite if you always give them treats. That can be your way of bonding and goes a long way when training your pup.
They tend to associate the treats with you and always strive to be on good behavior when you’re around.
Attraction
Sometimes a person is a dog’s favorite simply because they have a strong attraction to them. The same way you feel naturally attracted to another person, the same applies to your dog.
They are closer to them because they like the energy they put off. They feel safe, comfortable and in good hands being around the person.
Attention
You might give your dog treats and spend some time with them, but they still pick your partner as their favorite person.
This could be because your partner gives them more of the kind of attention that they love.
Can a Dog Bond with Two Owners?
Absolutely a dog can bond with two owners. Just like a child bonds with their mom and dad. They’ll love them for different reasons, but share a special bond with each parent.
Bonding happens through experiences and the more experiences a dog can have with their multiple owners the stronger the bond will be.
When two owners show a dog equal love, affection, and attention, it’s possible to get a similar bond.
Can Dogs Change Their Favorite Person?
Dogs can definitely change their favorite person.
For instance, this happens when you and your partner change roles in your household.
Before, you were away a lot for work, but now it’s your partner missing in action. Your dog will tend to get closer to you now that you’re taking over feeding, walking, and spending more time with them.
However, this isn’t always the case. Some dogs are loyal to the bone and maintain one favorite person despite being affectionate with another.
Why Does My Dog Love My Partner More Than Me?
There’s a couple key things you need to look at to find the answer why your dog may love your partner more.
Do they walk your dog in the morning? Or a couple times everyday?
Do they fill their bowl with food everyday?
Do they take them outside to play often?
A dog will always love the person who feeds them and does the little things in life that they absolutely love with them.
There are simple signs you can check to tell when your dog loves one owner more.
Excitement
When the favorite person walks into a room, your dog wants to knock them down. This excitement shows how much your dog loves them. Funny enough, this can be a person who isn’t always present in your dog’s daily life.
Name Recognition
Have you ever seen those videos where a dog owner mentions a certain person’s name, and the dogs start looking around?
Your dog recognizes the name of the person they love the most and always wants to leave with them when they come around.
Favorite Toy
Every dog has that one favorite toy that they always want to play with or lie with all the time.
Another sign your dog loves one owner is they bring them their favorite toy. When you try to take it away, your dog comes and gets the toy to take it back to the other person.
Face Rubbing
One way dogs show affection is by rubbing their faces on the owner. If you notice your dog is rubbing their face more on one person, that means they’re more affectionate towards them.
Related Reading: 9 Reasons Dogs Follow You To The Bathroom
How to Make My Dog Love Me More Than My Husband/Wife?
If you want to tip the scales and get your dog to start loving you more than your husband or wife you’ll have to start doing a few more things with your doggo.
Some of the more obvious things are: You’ll have to start doing the majority of their walks. You’ll have to be the one that feeds them and gives them treats. You’ll also have to be the one who plays with them and does fun things with them.
But, these aren’t the only factors. Here are a few more ninja tricks to make your dog love you more than your husband or wife:
Match Energy Levels and Personality
Picture this: you’re a more hyper person, but you adopt a mellow dog. If your partner has a more relaxed personality that matches your dog, they’ll likely get more of their attention.
Your dog wants a kindred spirit which is something you have to work on.
Perhaps they have hyper energy and always want to play. It’s up to you to match their energy levels and make time to play with them.
The more you spend time doing what your dog loves, the stronger the bond. Some want to sit on the couch and nap, join in and watch your dog love you more.
Make Unhappy Experiences Fun
Many dogs have to undergo experiences they don’t like. For instance, you are the one who always takes them to the vet.
Your dog probably doesn’t enjoy vet visits. But, you can turn them into a fun experience, by, say, going to the dog park after.
Your dog will start associating going to the vet with time at the fun park afterwards. The same applies when they need a regular injection or to take medication.
Find ways of making them calm during the experience. The more you make time to turn unhappy situations around, the closer the bond you create with your dog.
Growing Habits
Find out more about how your dog was raised. This might not be easy if you adopted an older dog, but you can always try.
At times the way a dog relates to you and your partner is because of how they were brought up.
If they bond more with a male figure, they tend to relate better with your husband. But, this doesn’t mean you can’t still have a close relationship.
If you have a puppy, there’s still time to foster a loving relationship with your pup that can’t be matched with anyone else.
New Experiences
Dogs love new experiences. Perhaps there’s a new park, groomer, or play area in town or in the next city over.
Take time to have lots of new experiences together. You can even make it a habit of doing such fun activities.
For example, every Saturday morning, you go on hikes to new places.
This can be a great time to bond with your pup and make them love you more. In a similar way you feel happy and excited about such days, the same works for your dog.
Unfortunately there’s not a simple command to make your four-legged friend love you more than your husband or wife. It’ll take a good amount of effort.
But being showered in their love is totally worth it.
Not to mention being able to brag to your partner that your dog loves you more is a nice bonus.
If I Adopt a Dog With a Previous Owner Will They Be Able to Love Me?
While absence makes the heart fonder, it’s also true that out of sight, out of mind. It’s possible to adopt a dog from a previous owner, and they’ll be able to love you.
It might take time for the bond and trust to grow. But, it’s definitely possible.
All you have to do is be loyal to them. Feed them, walk them frequently, give them treats, and lots of love.
Over time you’ll develop a special bond that will be full of love.
Final Thoughts
Loyalty is a dog’s best trait. Dog’s can definitely love two owners, but there’s a good chance they’ll have a little more love for one person who takes the most care of them.
Still, don’t feel sad if your pup runs to your partner and not you at the end of the day. With quality time, love, and affection, you can tip the scales in your favor.
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