Happy Holidays!  I can’t believe it’s 2019!  Jake and Maggie celebrated their second Christmas with us and got lots of toys from their grandma, pap pap, aunt and uncle.  Yes, of course, we spoiled them rotten too!  Last year Jake destroyed the first Christmas ornament he saw…you know…those stuffed animal door knob hangers that have springs for legs.  He bounced towards it with delight, yanked it off the door and tore through the house like a mini tornado thinking no one saw him.  LOL!  But this year, it was a whole different story.  They literally laid down in the middle of the living room and watched us decorate the tree.  The entire floor was covered with bulbs, flowers, boxes, and garland but they seemed to enjoy just watching us!  It’s been quite a year for them…vacations to St. Louis, Missouri, Sugarcreek and Roscoe Village, Ohio (see here, here, here, and here), lots of car rides, trips to Pet Supplies Plus, Lowe’s and Home Depot, and passing puppy beginner training with flying colors.  Jake and Maggie have developed the sweetest little personalities and are very expressive…Maggie with the tilt of her head and the arch of her eye brows, Jake with his intent stare, and both wanting to always be near us!  Thomas and I were talking the other night about how expressive they are which prompted me to do some research.  I found some interesting facts on how dogs show their love.
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• Tail Wagging:  We all know that a dog is happy when they wag their tail but LOVE?  Looking for a relaxed tail which is the most telling sign of all:  the full-on butt shake!
• Face Licking:  Your dog will lick you to show you love but also to groom you.  To dogs, this is a sign that you are very close to them and they feel a part of the family unit.
• Sleeping With You:  Whether they are allowed on the bed or not, your dog sleeping in the same room as you, they are saying that you are a part of the same pack and that they care for you.
• Staring At You:  When your dog stares at you, it’s their own little way of giving you a nice big, loving hug.  There is actual science behind it as well.  When your dog looks at you, a pleasurable hormone known as Oxytocin is released.  Oxytocin is the same hormone a mother releases when looking at her new born baby.
• Bringing You Their Favorite Toy:  Not only does it mean they want to play, it also means a sign of love. They view you as their pack leader and are sharing their favorite thing with their favorite person.
• Yawning When You Do:  When a dog joins in on a yawn with you, it’s a way of showing their special connection with you.  (I have not noticed this but will definitely pay more attention next time)
• Raising Their Eyebrows:  A study showed that dogs raised their eyebrows (left, especially) when they saw someone they bonded with, or slightly raised the right, when they were presented with a stranger.

Wishing all of you a wonderful 2019, sharing a new post with you each week and thanking all of my special readers for your comments and suggestions.  Feel free to connect with me should you be interested in a topic and don’t forget to share with friends!

“I told Jake to smile for the camera”. LOL!

“Talk about facial expressions!”  “Maggie and Jake heard me telling Thomas we had to take donations to the animal shelter and I think they thought that meant them!”  

“Jake laying on his Christmas bed from Home Goods and watching his daddy”

“Just got home from PetSmart after getting their Christmas baths and toe nails cut”. “So shiny!”