10 Things Your Dog Wishes You Knew

Hiya Humans! Champ here. I’ve been thinking…a lot. Like when I’m walking around the house, playing outside, or even sleeping. I’ve heard my humans say I “dream” when my legs start moving in my sleep. Maybe I’m chasing squirrels…or maybe I’m just running as fast as I can. Anyway, it got me thinking.

I realized you humans may not always know what us dogs are thinking, so I thought I’d let you in on a few of our thoughts and secrets. That way you can make sure you’re giving us everything we need to live our happiest lives.

Here are 10 things us dogs wish you knew:

1. When we are staring at you while you are eating, it means we want some of your food. I know this may come as a surprise, but that’s exactly what’s on our minds when you eat near us.
2. When you talk about going on your “errands,” we want to come. ALWAYS. No matter where you’re going. If it’s dog-friendly, count us in. We love to explore new places. Whether it’s the park, a store that sells treats (hint hint), or visiting friends, we want to come along for the ride.
3. Speaking of treats, we LOVE treats! That probably isn’t news to you, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway. And we love all different kinds too. Beef, pork, chicken, salmon, we’re not very picky. 😉 As long as they make our tummies feel good, we’re in!
4. Since I already mentioned dreaming, here’s something else you should know: Us dogs dream, just like humans. Sometimes we have good dreams, and sometimes scary ones. Other times we dream about tennis balls, or about taking a bath — you get the idea. Even though you won’t know exactly what we are dreaming about, you could guess by our movements during or after our much needed afternoon nap. More on doggy dreams here.
5. When you say, “Want to go on a walk?”, the answer is always going to be YES! Pretty self-explanatory, right? Walk = YES!
6. Have you ever wondered why we sneeze while we are playing? Well, it usually means we are excited and happy, and that our growling during tug of war is all in good fun!
7. Sniffing is a very important and exciting task for us. It’s how we learn about people, other dogs, and the world around us. Think of it as the equivalent to you humans reading the morning news to catch up on things. Us dogs can have up to 300 million scent receptors in our nose, while humans only have 5 to 6 million (yes I’m bragging). So, next time you see us sniffing, just imagine the knowledge we are gathering. If you want to know more about our need to sniff, you can read more here.
8. We love belly rubs. If we roll over and show you our belly, we want a belly rub! And just to put it out there…there can never be too many!
9. Remember how I told you we love treats? Well, our ears are just as impressive as our noses. We can hear the bag of treats from just about anywhere in the house. Opening it? Obviously, we heard that. Moving it? Ya, we heard that too. So next time you try to put those treats away in the cabinet, you can expect to find me waiting for my reward right behind you.
10. Last but not least, our favorite thing in the whole world is spending time with you, and we never take it for granted. So thank you for the extra snuggles, walks, treats, the love, and for making our lives so much fun. We hope we make yours a little happier, too.

🐾 Champ

Medical Disclaimer: This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified veterinarian if your dog experiences significant or prolonged changes in appetite.