Why Does My Dog Kiss My Husband and Not Me? Heres What Dog Behavior Experts Say.

Okay, so, you know how sometimes your dog does that thing where they just seem to love on someone else way more than you? Yeah, that’s been happening to me. My dog, Buster, he’s a good boy, a real sweetie, but he’s all over my husband, Mark, like white on rice. Kisses galore. Me? Not so much.

At first, I thought it was kinda cute. Mark would come home, and Buster would go nuts, tail wagging, jumping up, and just showering him with doggy kisses. I’d get a tail wag, maybe a quick lick on the hand, but that was it. I figured, okay, maybe it is because they have a great bond. Dogs often express affection and a sense of bonding through licking. Buster may have formed a strong bond with Mark and sees licking as a way to show love. Maybe they have a great bond. No big deal, right?

But then, it started to bug me. It seemed like Buster was showing Mark so much more affection. Like, what was I, chopped liver? So, I started observing them. I paid close attention to how they interacted. For example, when we hugged, Buster always inserted himself in between us.

My Observation:

• First thing, I noticed Mark is way more likely to roughhouse with Buster. They wrestle, play tug-of-war, you name it. Me, I’m more of a gentle pets and belly rubs kind of person. I also noticed they always approach one another from the side, which might be a dog’s habit.
• Second, Mark is the one who feeds Buster most of the time. He’s also the one who takes him on the really long walks, the ones where Buster gets to sniff every single tree and fire hydrant in the neighborhood. I always give Buster some treats, but not as often as Mark.
• Third, maybe it is the smell. I don’t know what it is. But sometimes Mark smells like dirt or something. Perhaps Buster loves that smell.

So, after watching them for a while, I had a bit of an “aha” moment. It wasn’t that Buster didn’t love me, it’s just that his way of showing love to Mark was different. Mark was his playmate, his adventure buddy, his food source, and his favorite smell. Of course, he was going to shower him with kisses!

I decided to make a few changes. I started taking Buster on more walks, even if they weren’t the epic adventures Mark took him on. I also started playing with him more, even though I’m not a big fan of tug-of-war. And guess what? It’s working! Buster is starting to give me more kisses. They’re not quite at the level of Mark’s, but it’s a start.

I guess the lesson here is that dogs are like people, they have different love languages. And sometimes, you just have to figure out what makes them tick. It’s not about being jealous, it’s about understanding your furry friend and building a stronger bond. And hey, who knows, maybe one day I’ll get just as many kisses as Mark. A girl can dream, right?