Can dogs actually fall in love?

The days become shorter, the nights colder. Tanning on the beach turns into Netflix & Chill. Summer is slowly fading and with it the summer romance. What remains are memories of hot days (and nights) and a few broken hearts - because usually the vacation love is just a vacation love. In summer, we humans are more relaxed and happy and therefore more willing to give in to our feelings. This is actually due to the warming sun - it releases happiness hormones. But what about our dogs when it comes to love? Can our dogs also fall in love and are they perhaps even lovesick? We will tell you today how your dogs are doing in their love life.

The hormone of love

The magic word is oxytocin. Not only do we humans carry this hormone in us, but it has also been proven to be released in our dogs. Oxytocin is also colloquially called the cuddling or love hormone and is an important indicator of infatuation or pronounced affection in both two-legged and four-legged friends. For example, this hormone is released when stroking - in humans and dogs. Even if our dogs cannot put their love into words, they show us their affection with deep eye contact and by yawning, for example, when we yawn. So the case is clear: Dogs can feel their very own kind of love for their favourite person. But can dogs also fall in love with each other?

Lovesickness probably meets everyone once

As with us humans, there are among dogs sympathies, antipathies and quite extraordinary deep bonds. When cuddling and playing with other dogs, Oxytocin can also be released. If your male dog licks the ears of the lady of his heart, sniffs her nose and follows her wherever she goes, your four-legged friend Casanova will definitely have butterflies in his stomach. If you separate the lovers after a long walk, your dog may stand at the door and cry for a long time. A clear case of lovesickness. As with us humans, a lot of comfort and distraction helps with a broken heart. Fortunately, our dogs usually get over the heartache faster and are in most cases a few hours later already completely the same.

But if your male dog is totally after a bitch in heat, unfortunately this has not much to do with love. Here the reproductive instinct wins. If your dog was previously gentle and loving to the dog lady of his choice, he can now mutate into a pushy macho. The fault is the intense smell of the bitch in heat, which can almost drive the male dog crazy. Caution is required here, because no risk is too big for the drive-controlled daredevil, in order to finally still pursue reproduction. Following the beguiling smell, the garden-fence seems suddenly surmountable and the word of master or mistress only secondary.

The story of a deep friendship

The strongest emotional bond dogs actually feel is usually with their owner. The longing for the favorite person can even last a lifetime, as the true story of Hachiko proves. Every morning the Akita male dog brought his owner to the train station and waited there in the evening full of anticipation for his return - one day unfortunately in vain. Hachiko's owner suffered a sudden death. For almost 10 years the faithful companion continued to wait in front of the station for his best friend - who never came back. A sad, but still so beautiful film classic. Well? Feel like getting a dog movie? Be sure to check out our Top 5 dog movies an.

William Walker – because your dog loves you

Romances a la Susi and Strolch, however, remain a product of the human imagination. Your dog rather does not dream of dating in the moonlight. Because of course we cannot equate interpersonal infatuation or love with what our dogs feel. They can't explain it to us with words, but - they try to show it to us. And that every day with a wagging tail, a nudge in the nose or a sloppy morning attack.

So is your summer romance also over and the loneliness of the cooling season is spreading? Then grab your dog and enjoy the time together - because your dog loves you! And that in every season.

By Louisa Knoll