Why Is A Dog So Happy When You Come Home?

As soon as you enter your house, your dog is so happy to see you that he no longer knows what to do to show you. The ritual is repeated over and over again. As soon as you open the door, your faithful friend is present, ready to celebrate your return. And it doesn’t matter if you’ve been gone for a month, a day, an hour, or 5 minutes.

Reasons for canine joy at the return of the owner

What are the reasons why a dog is so happy when the owner returns home?

What is the cause of this festival of joy that translates into barking, moaning, whining, tail wagging and face licking ? Why is it pouncing on you and sniffing at you?

Everything seems to indicate that, as a pack animal that it is, your dog is reproducing the same behaviors that its ancestors showed when a member of the pack returned to the group.

And don’t forget that now you and your family are part of their new pack.

The emotional intelligence of dogs

Experts point out that dogs have emotional intelligence comparable to that of a two-year-old human.

In other words, they are like little children who have no problem expressing what they feel – joy, sadness, pain, fear, jealousy – but cannot reason about it.

They are also able to remember people and places.

But also, as they do not understand temporality and live only in the present, it will always be a joy for them to see you again.

Why do they sniff and lick you

In the wild, when a dog returned to its pack, it was greeted with various licks and sniffs. In this way, the dogs that had remained in the pack searched for information about what the animal that had separated from the group had been doing.

By repeating that ancient behavior, your dog licks and sniffs you when you return.

Remember that smell is the most developed sense of dogs. For this reason, they detect and distinguish a wide variety of odors, even many that humans cannot perceive. Its olfactory capacity is between 10,000 and 100,000 times greater than that of humans. And the brain area dedicated to smell is 40 times larger than ours.

On the other hand, licking is another form of communication that these pets use and they learn from puppies,  at the moment when their mother licks them after feeding them, providing them with a state of calm, relaxation and submission.

What does your pet’s tail say?

In addition to the barking and other sounds they make, dogs have a body language that is good for you to interpret, where the tail and the ears take the palms.

When your dog wags his tail when it comes to receiving you, there is no doubt that he is showing his joy at your return. In general, the faster it wags its tail, the more excited your dog feels.

All in perspective

In any case, you should pay attention to whether the reception that your dog gives you becomes excessive and is preceded by other behaviors when he is left alone.

For instance:

• Breakage of furniture, clothing, footwear and other objects in the house

• Urine and stool in inappropriate places

• Constant barking during your absence

• Scratches on the doors

In this case, it is very likely that he presents a picture of separation anxiety and you should ignore his displays of affection when receiving you until he manages to calm down.

Thus, you will relativize the fact with the aim that your pet understands that nothing serious happens if you leave and that he knows that you are going to return. Do not hesitate to consult your vet to tell you the best way to deal with this problem.

The dog is so happy when you come back because he loves you

But beyond various theorizations and speculations, the truth is that a dog that makes parties for you when you return home is a dog that loves you, misses you and has no problem showing you how happy it is that you have returned.

Return all your affection to him with the love and care that your furry companion deserves.