Whatever happens in movies can happen in real life too. Not too long ago, you might have watched the 2019 movie – Lady and the Tramp – and started suspecting the presence of a lovely friend in your furry pal’s life. So, who is the lucky Lady in your pet’s case? Is it your neighbor’s dog?
First, congratulations! Second, you need to find the answer to your question, “is my dog in love with the neighbor’s dog?”
Is My Dog in Love With the Neighbor’s Dog?
Our dogs are not only capable of loving their owners, but dogs can also fall in love with each other. Experts also believe the same. Dogs also have oxytocin, the hormone that is responsible for the great feeling when we are with someone we love. Likewise, since the canine brain is quite similar to that of toddlers (both have emotional and intelligence capacities), dogs can have similar feelings towards one another as a toddler does towards other human beings.
Related Read: 8 Signs Your Dog Loves You
How to Tell If a Dog Is in Love With Another Dog?
Your dog might never fantasize about wandering with his love of life and having a lavish, romantic dinner. Instead, he will form a close bond with her and manifest it in his behavior.
Let’s go by the signs if your dog is really over your neighbor’s dog!
Jumping
It is natural for young and middle-aged dogs to jump when they feel endeared or secure with the person they are in love with. If your fido is in love with another dog, he will walk next to her, curl up, and look into her face – all while jumping (especially if he belongs to a high-energy breed) as if he is very excited to see her.
Tail Wagging
Contrary to what had been thought for a long time, dogs do not shake their tail when they are happy. Recent researches show that tail wagging occurs in canines when they try to communicate their emotions to other animals. If your dog wags his tail near your neighbor’s furry pal, it means he holds certain feelings for her.
Though these feelings can also be fear, anxiety, or jealousy, he may be expressing his love if other signs also simultaneously persist.
Sniffing
According to the VCA Hospital, dogs can know a lot about each other by simply sniffing their rear areas. One of that information is about the state of happiness and an overall idea of the general personality.
If your pooch sniffs the dog next door often when they meet, it is a clear sign that he might be interested in her and wants to know her better. However, you must be cautious in such situations, as a male dog aiming for a female’s rear might also be a sign of him trying to mate.
Licking
When a dog licks another or even a human being, it is probably because he is affectionate. Learned from their mothers when they were puppies, it is a natural action in dogs, and due to the purpose, such licks are often called ‘dog kisses.’
Dogs might also lick to seek attention. If your furry friend loves licking his dog neighbor, know that there exists some chemistry between the two.
However, note that if your dog is excessively fond of licking, it might be due to some health problem that requires vet attention.
Peeing
Dogs, especially the young ones, are known to pee when they get excited. Being instinctual, this physical response is also called ‘submissive’ urination because canines are so enthralled by what they come across that they suffer incontinence. Though it is weird for us to pee in front of a lover, in the dog world, it is a compliment – a sign of affection.
But you should be cautious of this behavior though it is not a training shortcoming. If your dog pees in your house, removing urine stains from the hardwood floor would be difficult.
Related Read: How to Remove Urine Stains from the Hardwood Floor?
Staying Near
Just like dogs have their favorite human being, they have their most cherished animals too. And who does not love to stay close to the entity they love? It is no different in the canine world. If left unleashed, chances are, your dog will follow your neighbor’s pooch anywhere she goes if he is in love. This behavior might be enhanced further if she does not feel well. He will even try to sleep next to her.
Toys Sharing
It takes a lot of training to make your dog share his toys with others, but love can do it instantly. A playful sign, if your dog shares his toys with your neighbor’s pooch, know that he is willing to sacrifice some of his favorite items for his love! Apart from that, a dog simply wanting to play even without offering a toy is in itself a big yes for affection.
What Should You Do?
· Take Your Dog on Play Dates With Your Neighbor’s Dog
If it were a movie, you could have arranged a wedding for both dogs.
What you can do instead is take your dog on playdates with the neighbor’s dog. After having fun for a while, your dog will come home to his normal life without experiencing any issues of dominance, etc. Not only will your dog bond with the neighbor’s dog, but you will also get a chance to interact and bond with your neighbor.
· Be Watchful
While you can adore your dog showing affection towards your neighbor’s dog, you should be a bit careful, especially if both dogs are not spayed/neutered. Dogs usually go into heat every six months. That said, some small dog breeds may even experience heat cycles thrice a year, and some large dog breeds may go into heat only once a year.
So, if the female dog is on heat and the male dog ends up impregnating her, you will have an unplanned pregnancy at hand. So, you should never let your dog be alone with the neighbor’s dog on heat, or you should get them spayed/neutered if you are not planning on breeding them.
Related Read: When to Spay a Dog?
· Disease Risk When Interacting With Other Dogs
When taking your dog to dog parks or on playdates with the neighbor’s dog, you should always ask if the other dog has any contagious disease. Some of the most common canine contagious diseases that your dog can catch from other dogs include influenza, distemper, parvovirus, heartworms, ticks, fleas, etc.
If you suspect any signs of sickness in your dog or your neighbor’s dog, you should stop them from interacting with one another, as the sick dog could get the other one sick.
Conclusion: Is My Dog in Love With the Neighbor’s Dog?
Dogs are capable of loving not only their owners but also other dogs.
If your dog is jumping and waging his tail whenever a neighbor’s dog is around, he is probably in love. Dog trying to sniff other dog’s rear, licking her, and sharing his toys with her also indicate that he is in love.
Do you face the same conundrum with your cat? Find out if she is in love with the neighbor’s cat.