7 Things Your Dog Is Actually Trying To Tell You

Meaning: Now, this one depends a lot on how the dog is looking at you. But if her expression is normal and she's staring into your eyes, it's a pretty powerful way of showing affection. In fact, a group of Japanese researchers found a link between this eye contact and increased levels of oxytocin, a hormone that affects how we express attachment and nurturing qualities.

You might think that he wants to play fetch, especially if he's bringing you a toy. What your dog may be doing instead is giving you a gift. It's apparently a leftover of the dog's hunting instincts, only he's bringing you things he thinks you'll like or need instead of dead prey.

Meaning: If your dog is doing this while focusing with her head down, you might want to get out of her way. It means she's on the hunt and getting ready to pounce on some prey, usually a bird.

This means that the dog is scared. If you meet a dog who does this without any apparent source of fear, there's a good chance he's been abused.

This one depends on the dog's training and whether he's shown signs of separation anxiety. If the dog has been trained not to chew as a puppy and does not suffer from separation anxiety, he's probably just bored. Try giving him more exercise.

There are a lot of reasons a dog could be doing this. If your dog shows a lot of dominant traits, she could be trying to assert herself. If she has separation anxiety, this is a common way of trying to comfort herself by being close to you. If your dog has a jealous streak, this could be a possessive move to show other people or animals that you're "hers."
If none of these apply, your dog probably just likes to be around you.

Some owners might feel guilty leaving a dog like this, but this is exactly the response you want. You'll know a dog is really scared to see you go if leaving prompts her to bark, howl, chew furniture, urinate or defecate. These are all signs of separation anxiety.
If she's just looking at you and there's no evidence of any unrest while you were away, then you and your dog are right where you need to be.