Dogs love being told that they’re good boys and girls. For these 15 dogs, it meant the world. It’s easy to see how much their mood changes after their owners reassure them that they’re good. For them, they might as well be hearing, “I love you, and everything is okay!”
Studies show that dogs are highly sensitive to human emotions and facial expressions. They’re good at reading us — much better than we probably expect. So, it only makes sense that they’re also sensitive in their own emotions and need a lot of reassurance to feel good on a daily basis.
“Our study shows that dogs have the ability to integrate two different sources of sensory information into a coherent perception of emotion in both humans and dogs,” said Dr. Kun Gao of the School of Psychology in Lincoln. “To do so requires a system of internal categorization of emotional states. This cognitive ability has until now only been evidenced in primates and the capacity to do this across species only seen in humans.”
The bottom line is that your puppy is a sensitive soul. He has a lot of his own emotions, but what’s more, he also has strong reactions to yours. For that reason, dogs love to be told that they’re good and everything is all right.
1. This puppy went from feisty to friendly.
This dog was feeling a little irritable that day. But all it took to bring him back to normal was hearing his owner praise him. Look at that smile, complete with a floppy tongue, when he was called a good boy. Whatever was bothering him before, it’s clear that’s now in the past.
2. This sweet dog responded with a heartfelt smile.
It was just a regular day for this dog. But when she heard her owner tell her she was a good girl, she broke into an adorable doggie smile. There’s no doubt it meant a lot to her to hear her owner praise her. That enormous grin says it all.
3. Talk about an enormous puppy grin.
This dog gave a wide-open mouth response to being called a good boy. He’s so fluffy, he basically looks like a smiling cloud with a tongue rolling out. It’s definitely a response of pure love for his owner.
4. His response was tiny.
This dog had a bit of an unusual (but still adorable) reaction. Call him a good boy and he’ll give you a peep of a tiny tongue in response. It’s an adorably sassy response. But that’s how Chihuahuas roll.
5. Talk about a perk-up.
This pup had a pretty dramatic reaction. He was so excited to hear his owner tell him what a good boy he was, he went straight over-the-top. His ears perked up so much, he looked like he was about to take flight!
6. Is this a dog or a seal?
This dog was already adorable in the first picture, poking his big nose right into the camera. And the second photo? Well, that’s just too much to handle. When his owner told him what a good boy he was, he broke out into a dog smile that’s for the record books.
7. He might not be able to hear, but he still loves to know he’s good.
This sweet pup communicates with his owner through sign language. Since he can’t hear on his own, he has to wait to see the words “good boy”. Once he knows, though, he can’t contain his happiness.
8. Nothing like some love to wake you up from a nap.
This dog was resting on the bed when his owner broke the news to him: he was a very good boy. Immediately, he was wide awake, rolling around and giving the camera a big dog smile. If there was anything that was going to get him up from his snooze, it was being praised.
9. This happy boy just got happier.
This sweet boy already looked like he was having a pretty good day. Being told what a good boy he was, from his favorite person in the whole world, well, that made his day even better. He couldn’t help but give the sweetest dog smile in the world.
10. This beautiful-eyed dog also loves being praised.
This pup might look a bit different from most dogs, but that doesn’t mean he’s different in any other way. Just like any dog, he loves hearing words of praise from his owner. As soon as he was called a good boy, he gave a big smile that lit up his whole face.
11. This tiny boy was full of dignity.
Dachshunds might look pretty silly — they’re small and long, earning them the nickname “wiener dogs.” But when this dachshund heard his neighbor called him a good boy, he swelled up with pride. He looks as dignified and proud as a German Shepherd.
12. What a shy smile!
This dog is yet another good boy — but he’s not sure how to take the news. He settled for a shy, sweet grin flashed at the camera. But his eyes are trained on his owner, who’s got to be his best buddy.
13. Even Pomeranians are good doggies.
Some people say they don’t like small dogs. They tend to bark and be nervous, and it’s too much for some owners to handle. Not so for this pup’s owner, who thinks he’s the greatest good boy in the world.
14. Having a droopy face doesn’t stop you from smiling.
This dog looks a little sad in the first picture. But that doesn’t mean he’s really down in the dumps — he’s just got a typical “droopy-dog” face. But after his owner tells him what a good boy he is, he’s all smiles.
15. He doesn’t care what you think.
It might make a dog’s day to hear that he’s a good boy, but let’s face it: cats couldn’t care less what you think. This kitty was grumpy before, and he’s still grumpy. If you don’t like it, too bad.
There’s a reason dogs are called man’s best friend … they love us and care about what we think of them. So, make sure you let your dog know that they are a very, very good boy or girl.
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