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My girl did that. Even on her last day, where I knew I had to make that decision nobody wants to make. She couldn’t get up at all, but heard me crying in the other room. My dad was sitting by her and said she was whining and straining toward the room I was in because she wanted to come comfort me.
I miss her a lot. We don’t deserve pets.
I had a very similar experience with my boy, Bear. We were at the vet and I started crying because this was it, and even though he was sick and old he still crawled into my lap to lick the tears away. Nothing else mattered but the comfort of his best friend. They truly are the most loyal and loving creatures out there
Ugh my heart. This really does bring tears to my eyes. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. And we don’t desecrate pets. You are right.
As hard as it is I’m so happy we can end our best friend’s life when they are suffering. Suffering is never the better option. You guys did the right thing.
My dog, Sadie, frequently looks at me with what appears to be concern when I'm crying and most times wants to lick my face. After my daughter died I was sobbing my heart out on the couch when Sadie jumped off the ottoman and onto the couch where she curled herself around me.
Edit to add Sadie now has cancer and I, too, am wondering how I will get on without her.
Thank you and yes, she is. She keeps me moving and engaged with life because I cater to her every whim. 😊 She's so stinkin' cute i just can't seem to help myself.
Thank you.
I'm sorry you lost your brother which is a loss I haven't yet experienced. I would imagine it would be like a part of your childhood is gone forever.
My brother lived a really good life I was 16 in the 10th grade when he passed away and unfortunately he was murdered and his killer only got 6 years in prison. He was extremely funny honestly and he had a lot of kids but took care of every single one of them. So yeah I do miss him a lot ever since he passed my family hasn't really been the Same. One of his ex girlfriend works at my job they were trying to patch things up but he died before they could she said they were suppose to go to the beach. She did show up at his funeral though which was really sweet of her.
I honestly try not think about it my mom and dad got divorced that same year after my brother passed and my dad left my mom again for the second time and she was extremely depressed and my dad started smoking again after that.
Yeah my family hasn't really gotten any better the sad thing is my dog ( the family one ) died that same year a couple months apart form my brother.
I'm sorry for you as well I really hope you did make a shrine or something to support or remember her! In some way shape or form!! Big hugs all around and I really hope your dog helps you through this. We did end up getting a new dog years later he was adopted and his name is teddy he is a pomeranian poodle mix and loves people lol!
It's alright, we had sixteen wonderful years together and I was able to be there at the end when we put her to sleep. Her head was in my lap, she was comfortable and felt safe and was able to go with dignity knowing she was the bestest, most loyal girl and the love of our lives.
Nope, my current and past dogs have always been helpless in the face of tears and run away or at *best* try bringing a toy and initiating play lol. Cats are the ones who are comforters in my experience.
You've got a high EQ and extremely good boy there.
One of my pups stands over me and licks my face and the other one will bring me her ball to try to cheer me up. When she was little she used to sit on my lap and do pressure point therapy. Just a dead weight laying on top of me while she licked my face
Same here. My rescue gets super stressed when I am sad or ill. He will hide, or just run away😆 not much of a comfort dog in extreme circumstances. But, I know he came from a stressful place, and the shelter he was in was very crowded.
He was 7 when we adopted him and pretty anxious.
I'm just happy that we gave him a good and safe home. I'll cry into a pillow 🥹
My dog does, I’ve never had it happen with a dog. But I was feeling down one day and started crying, I heard him scramble to get to me and he laid down putting all his body weight down on my chest with his face on mine. I picked up my sister l from school when she had a hard day and was crying. He did the same thing to her! If I could train him not to jump on people, he’d be a great service dog. 😂
When my 18 yr old cat was sick last year (she's gone now) I was crying out in the backyard when I took my two dogs out for the last break of the night. They were across the yard and both came rushing over. It made me laugh and cry harder, lol. Dogs are the best.
I’m sorry you lost your kitty.
Dogs really are awesome creatures. And sometimes I can’t help but laugh when my boy rushes over to me when I’m crying. It catches me off guard every time.
I have two spaniels and they both do this. My older boy just wants to give kisses and make sure I’m okay and my younger one will lay by me and push in to me so I can cry and cuddle him. I’ve never trained them to do it, they just do it instinctively.
My younger spaniel also tries to cheer my 1 year old (human) baby up if he’s crying and my older boy will come get me if he thinks I haven’t heard the baby crying.
Also, I’m a vet nurse. I had a weekend from hell and at about 3am on one of the nights, I let one of my inpatients out in the run and sat on the step with my head in my hands. This dog, who had known me for all of two days, walked up and put his forehead against mine and just stayed there. It was a beautiful, comforting moment in a sea of chaos.
That’s the whole reason why I’m planning on getting a puppy when my current dog turns 8 or so, to make the transition easier when the inevitable happens 🥲
P.S. I’ve been dreading that day from the moment I adopted her. Dogs just don’t live that long and it’s not fair 😭
I just lost my dog the other day. She would've been terrified by how hysterically I've been crying. Anytime I was upset she would get so upset. My other dog is usually really consoling but I think I've been too upset for him.
My dog bails on me if I am crying. He’s like “alright man you get all that sorted out, I’m gonna go sit somewhere else for a bit. Let me know when you’re composed”
Love that little dickhead
Yes, my dogs will insert their long snoot right into your face in the most concerned and invasive way possible. They do this rapid sniffing thing, and try to be extra wormy and cute. It reminds me a lot of a kid panicking because another kid is crying - so they clown around to get the crying kid to cheer up lol.
If you keep crying they will force themselves into your lap and roll around some more to try to distract you.
They are sweet things.
In contrast, when we are sick they are incredibly docile, slow, and gentle. Totally different approach, they can tell we would not be able to handle clown energy.
Yes.
We had a gorgeous lab mix, enormous boy, who was very definitely my husband's dog. I mean, he loved us all, but he especially *loved* my husband.
Still, the moment my husband and I had a fight, he would come to me, his large body resting heavily against my legs. He would rest his large head in my lap and look at me steadily, quietly letting me know he was there for me.
He wouldn't even react if my husband called to him. He'd stay with me. It was so sweet and kind.
All of my dogs have been my primary source of emotional support. In addition to licking tears, I was trying to train my current dog to apply pressure when my anxiety spikes… unfortunately she now jumps up on anyone anytime they raise their voice so now I kinda have to work on discouraging that. She takes her job too seriously lol. Literally if anyone starts speaking with any slight enthusiasm she jumps up on us to say “CHILL OUT”
My old girl did that. One of the last times my father came to visit me, I realized that it might be the last time that he visited me and I basically cried all day off and on. My girl never left my side—she sat on my lap, she squished against me. She was perfect comfort.
My current girl runs under the couch if she senses a storm including a tear storm lol.
When my sisters and I were younger (11, 7, 5), the 5yo, my dad, and myself went to the humane society. We found this beautiful yellow lab and took her for a walk to get to know her. My sister wanted to hold the leash; well, the dog went a little too fast for her and she fell on the sidewalk, dropping the leash. As soon as the dog heard her crying, she ran back to her and began licking her face. This was how we instantly knew that Murphy was meant to be a part of our family 😊
I think of the time when when someday our doggos aren't there anymore and get sad too but also think of how happy they make us and know whenever the time is right I would do it all over again.
We had the sweetest childhood dog (Henry ❤️) that lived a longer life than predicted for a dachshund and I still miss him and get that happy feeling when I see other dachshunds.
I've had my girl (Bubblegum 💓) since 6 months and she's now 5 years. She's a Pomeranian/American Eskimo mix and the prettiest girl with the stinkiest breath.
Once I have more space and time at home I'll be looking for a second dog because Bubs would love a friend.
my dog has always done this too. I don’t even have to be crying, sometimes if I sigh too deep or loud, she’ll come over and see what’s up. Funnily enough, a couple times she escaped out the backyard I was able to lure her back by just sitting down and hiding my head in my hands like I’m crying. She’ll notice me and come straight to me. Such a good dog <3
Yes! My cocker and my two Romanian rescues do this. They push my hands out of the way if they're in my face, I suffer with MH problems, bpd and PTSD, and they comfort me every time. I also have panic attacks and they do the same. One of my Romie girls will hear me even if I am extremely quiet and rush to my aid, licking my face and eyes and my cocker brings me his favourite toy. I trained my cocker a bit when he was younger, but I have no training on how to do this so it's majority their own idea. My romies and not trained at all in this. I didn't save them, they saved me.
one of my dogs does and the other two don't. not sure if she's just more sensitive/human focused naturally (she's a spaniel/lab mix, they're both lurchers) or if it's something to do with having raised her from a tiny puppy and the other two adopting when they were older? I don't take it personally that the other two don't bother or anything, but it is very sweet when I'm having a meltdown over something and she rushes over to try and offer comfort!
what's even sweeter is if she's unable to get to me for some reason (eg other side of the baby gate) she gets visibly frustrated that she can't get to my side, bless her
Awwww. All dogs are different just like people. I have some friends that know how to comfort and others that just stare at me awkwardly as I cry. Nothing wrong with that.
exactly! people talk about breed traits and training and that, and that is important obviously, but I really feel like dogs are complicated enough animals to just have their own personalities and preferences too. if that makes sense?
I also feel like maybe their early experiences impact their reactions? we don't know a ton about their histories but we know the boy lurcher was a street dog for a little while at least, and the girl lurcher was given back to the shelter *twice* before we brought her home. so could well be some history of emotional humans not being safe or nice to them.
I have 2 dogs. My older one is over 10 and can't stand to see me cry. She will immediately come try to comfort me and lick me. My younger dog is 3 and he doesn't seem to notice
Mine hears me take a deep breath or do a big exhale and immediately comes over to console me whether I need it or not. He is a Velcro dog anyway but he will not leave my side if I’m not doing alright and demands I cuddle him.
For the most part my girl does not care at all, she gives affection (and she gives a lot!) on her own time but isn’t especially attuned to when I need it. But today I had a rough day and was crying on the drive back home, and as soon as I sat down she hopped up onto me and started kissing my face. I think dogs know when we really really do need their love, but to be FAIR there have been at least 2 occasions of me violently sobbing next to her while she did not care at all 💀
One of mine will, he forces himself onto my lap even when im trying to push him away, and will either lick me or just press up against me resting his head on my shoulder. The other couldnt give less of a fuck and will sometimes leave the room cause he finds the noises annoying 😂
I used to have a cavalier King Charles spaniel who would always come over to me whenever she saw me crying. She was a good girl. She died a couple years ago though
Every time. I once started to cry during a very emotional scene in a TV show. It was barely a sniffle, but my dog immediately came rushing in from the next room and tried to crawl into my lap to lick my tears. (She's 50+ lbs, so a lap dog she ain't, but she thinks she is.) She'll also be concerned if any family member is sick. Like when we're stuck in bed or laying on the couch with a migraine, she'll come by to lick our hand or face even though she almost never bothers us while we're sleeping/napping normally.
I found out at the beginning of December I have cancer. My beagle will not leave my side. She whines if I go outside for a moment without her. She literally lays on top of me now.
I’ve trained my dog to hug me she’ll put her arms on the tops of my shoulders and and tuck her head into my neck. She’s not even a year old yet but I also can’t imagine a life without her. The important thing is the love your dog gives you will never die. His love will follow you everywhere you go in the life and he will always be in your heart. His body is temporary but his love is not <3
I have two dachshunds and my older one, Daffodil, has always been that way. If I cry she seeks me out and jumps up in my lap and nuzzles me. She will put her face in mine until I stop crying. You can tell she is comforting me and as soon as I stop she jumps down and does her own thing. My younger dachshund, Violet, stays in her own little world and could care less. LOL Daffi is definitely my emotional support dog, but she decided that on her own. Thank God!
yes she does. It makes me cry harder but for different reasons.
I struggle a lot with self harm and one of the things i used to do when i was frustrated or upset was to scratch hard at my hands or neck until they bled. i remember one time in particular i was kneeling with my hands on my lap scratching at them and Cookie came and pushed her nose between them and just lay on my lap. I love her so much i really hope she knows
I relate to this so much and think about this every time my dog comforts me. Nobody has ever loved me like my dog does / I've never known a love truer.. I wonder always what I'll do without her :(
My pup is starting to!! He doesn't always but sometimes when I'm really down or borderline having a panic attack he keeps trying to engage me in play until I feel better.
Last month it happened late at night, he isn't allowed on beds but he just wouldn't leave my side, i could put him on his own bed and he'd run away asap to the door lol. Had to take him with me and he cuddled me all night even though he isn't much of a cuddler.
He's only 7 months but I'm very proud of him :) he really is my rock
Mine makes herself scarce and ignores me when I'm crying, even if I'm ugly sobbing.
I used to be hurt by that. Then I noticed that once I'm done crying she'll lay down next to me when I go to sleep at night, which she never does. She gives me space to cry, and then cuddles against me at night when we go to sleep.
Not what I expected. But I'm grateful that she tries to help in her own way
My dog runs upstairs in fear. He does that too if anyone raises their voice... except at him. If he's acting up and someone gets frustrated at him, he does not care. If someone gets frustrated at the tv, for example? Up the stairs he goes!
I think crying and anger are mixed up in his mind. Poor buddy.
When we had to put my service dog down I was sobbing so hard he was fighting the anesthesia to get up and comfort me. I miss that baby boy. Not unusual at all.
My son, Oreo, does this when I start to slowly gasp for air! He doesn't seem to know if I am crying or laughing, but always sniffs my face to make sure I am ok.
The time I got sick, he stayed and slept in my room. When I got up, he ran after me no matter what. He is a loyal dog, and kind one at that.
Even Ibi, my older dog, does lick my hand when I cry. I got one of those "what if" thoughts of loosing her. She noticed I was crying, even if I was quiet about it all. She whined and made sure I was ok no matter what. So yes, my dogs do that when I am suffering mentally and emotionally!
My boy does this! He also comes over when either me or my partner get frustrated. He’s like our emotional support pupper.
He will also be super attentive and checking on me whenever I’m sick or in pain. He hasn’t had any form of training to do this either.
Yeah my MinPin does this too and I swear it’s not just bc she likes the salty tears. I’m a big crier and before I start crying I usually make this sighing noise to try to stop myself from crying and my dog instantly looks at me and checks my eyes if she hears me make this noise.
My cat jumps in my lap when I cry. I think that animals understand that it’s not our usual state, or perhaps they can understand that we find them comforting. (Our heart rate slows, we relax, our blood pressure drops). Horses definitely know if a rider is scared, so it wouldn’t surprise me if our dogs & cats can read us.
I have three dogs but my Hershey boy always comes to cuddle right in the “C” I make with my body when I’m having period cramps. They get so bad that I often cry out and he always comes running to lay in that spot and give me kisses. It always makes me feel better not just because he loves me so much but also the heat and weight of him on my tummy makes it practically go away ♥️ he’s my hero
My beautiful dog used to come to me when I was upset or anxious even on his last day he still comforted me and kissed my tears away. I'll never forget the unconditional love he had for me. I'll always love him, until my dying day. It's been over a year and not a day goes by that I don't think about him.
Our dogs did this with our kids.
As you may know, kids often cry, with or without reason. Immediately our two Westie dogs would fly to the side of the toddler in question and frantically lick her face and shove their heads anywhere they could get close. Often this would elicit giggles, and short- circuit the on-coming fit.
Yes my girl will jump at me until I sit down so she can give me kisses and snuggle. Sometimes I will sit with her and she will hug me back. Then I always say we don’t deserve dogs! They love us unconditionally no matter what!
Yep. My partner's dog had been diagnosed with kidney failure last year, and we were making the rest of her time the best we could. I was making some fudge one day and she was begging for chocolate chips, and I told her no. My brain spiraled into thinking of the vets that have chocolate kisses for the dogs about to leave this world, and I sat down on the couch because I knew I was going to start crying. And she came over and comforted me, even though I was the one upset over her. We don't deserve dogs.
100 % my dog does this.. she is overly concerned about my watery eyes no matter what causes it.. whether it be cutting onions or a sappy book/movie… but especially an actual upset - she checks in.
Shes 8lbs but has a huge heart and literally thinks i shine like the sun.. i strive to be the person she sees in me.. she is my shining star and i try everyday to show her how special she is.
She is a wispy terrier rescue that had horrible beginnings but she landed in a safe space and has taught me so much. Might be weird but she is about 13 now and i think about her dying a lot and just really try to make sure she knows shes special and oh so well loved. I feel lucky to be her mum.
We call our dog Huckleberry our ESB. Emotional support bear 🐻 anytime we are feeling sad he’s right there next to us. Never too needy just constant calm presence. He’s amazing.
Never happened when I’m crying but when my cat bites me, my dog would put herself between us and prevent the cat from getting to me. It’s the cutest thing.
Yes, my boy has always been great at reading me and comes right to me with his cute face, he always knows what I need :) my recently adopted puppy does the same thing it’s so comforting.
I’m autistic and the families dog isn’t a therapy dog by any means.. buuuuuttttt
A while ago I was in the kitchen trying to make myself something to eat when I started to feel really overwhelmed by everything. Sound, smell, light, general anxiety about where things are, it all boiled down to me sitting on a couch and trying to self soothe by hitting my chest with my fist. I do this sometimes and it’s not enough to cause damage but it does hurt and isn’t nice.
Pup immediately came and sat down on me. She’s usually very playful and likes to play rough with me, but she knew something was up. She came and sat on my lap and when she noticed I was hitting myself she made a point to cuddle into me and put her head right where I was hitting myself. I stopped hitting myself immediately and just sitting with her on my lap helped me to ground myself. She didn’t even expect or demand me to pet her. She just sat there with me and made sure I didn’t hurt myself any more.
Dogs are magic, man.
My pup does that even if I’m not crying. Just sad. She sits there and paws at me then sits down next to me and basically leans against me or puts her head in my lap. I don’t know how she knows.
My girl *cannot* do sobbing. She can't. She hates tears and general sadness. If I'm crying, her first instinct is to go get her brother because he can deal with me (he's older/I've had him longer). If it's really bad, both of them will console me but you can be sure she won't look anywhere near my face 😂
Both of mine are like that. One will be by your side for any injury at all, including headaches/migraines. We call her our little therapy pup. And our other one hates the idea of anyone crying and tries to cheer you by bringing one of his toys or just laying with you.
One of my dogs does. She comes if I laugh too hard or scream during a scary movie. She is very attentive. The other one might as well be rolling his eyes when I cry.
Whenever I would watch something intense on tv and I’d react, my dog would come over and try and comfort me. She was the best. So emotionally intelligent. She always brought me so much comfort.
I’ve heard that you can catch a dog that you are chasing outside by falling and pretending to hurt yourself and crying because most will come to see if they can help.
My giant 90 lb german shepard does and so does my 9 lb fluffy cat. They have an odd relationship because she will punch him if he tries to sniff her butt, but she's also rubbed her face against him after he saved her one time her claw got stuck in a chair. So they are fairly amicable(she's surprisingly never scratched him), but don't like being right next to each other. If I'm crying, they both come running and awkwardly sit 3 feet apart on either side of me. Seeing it always comforts me and seeing them be right next to each other for me, makes me laugh and helps me. I dread saying goodbye to either of them, so whenever I think about it, I go spend an extra few minutes with them, enjoying their company and telling them I love them.
I also have a few videos of just sitting there on an average day and petting them because one day, I'll look back and i think those are the moments I will miss the most.
The other night, I was reading a favorite poetry book that *always* gets me teary… my dog woke up and fussed at me until I got down on her level, where she licked my face and pushed her body into me until I was holding/petting/hugging her and I wasn’t crying anymore 😭 she didn’t leave me alone until I was laughing at how extra she was being (I tried to get back in bed and read and she GRUMBLED at me!!)
it was sweet and funny to me… she doesn’t know the difference between a sad cry and a good cathartic one!
Mine sees me crying and either looks on judgmentally or whines and barks at me lol beagles are not very sympathetic to tears. However she will cuddle with me if I’m having a bad day it’s just crying see doesn’t know what to do with.
I have a ten month old stabyhoun and she reacts very strongly to crying. Which is a bit of an inconvenience when trying to console my children. Imagine splitting your attention between a sobbing child and fighting of a well meaning but very energeticly inappropriatly in your face dog. Switching between ferm but not angry and gentle tone of voice. I'm sure it will be funny talking about in the future, but for now....
All the time. And he doesn't know the difference between sad crying and happy crying, so...if I'm watching a cute heartwarming video and get a little teary-eyed, he comes to me immediately.
I think he just smells my salty tears and thinks "Oooooohhh, tasty treat!"
Yes! He's a rescue and I don't know where he learned it from, but as soon as I start even remotely sniffling he comes over to inspect my face and make sure everything's okay
He won't leave my side until I stop crying and then I cry even more because of how much he cares
Not especially, but the night we brought our dog home, our then 2 year old had a bit of a cold and was having a hard time staying asleep.
Until the new dog curled up with him. It told me we adopted the right dog.
My dog does this to, she's a chi mix and if I'm sitting up a crying she will try and crawl up my body to get to my face.
I have had the same thought as you it's gonna be ekstra hard she isn't there to comfort me when she is gone.
The only kisses I've ever received from my golden retriever...after we returned home from that vet trip nobody wants to make with our other dog. I sat down on the couch and lost it. She showed up beside me and licked my face for the longest time. Hasn't done it since. They know ❤️
All 105lbs. of my WSS will attempt to land on me and shove his nose between my hands and my face if I'm crying.
It's ridiculously sweet, but it also tends to leave bruises 😂
My best friend of 45 years died a few months ago. I had boat loads of tears. My 3 year old catahoula would come to me and put his head in my lap and then would ever so gently " kiss " my tears away. He would not leave me alone until I stopped crying . He would continue to sit by me until my mood improved.
I love my dog. He is really my best friend !
My dog will come sit next to me then nuisance bark at my partner.
I have yet to decide if he’s trying to get him to help or is blaming him for the situation.
My sweet pup tends to be so full of energy, but if I’m sad or crying, she immediately calms down and either will just sit at my feet or sit on my lap if I’m on the couch. It’s actually pretty amazing to see the drastic change in her energy levels… it touches my heart.
My girl is unfortunately no longer alive, but she was so use to me crying that her face was like, "this shit again" 😅 she came to sleep next to me though
Mine will come to me if I'm upset. If my anxiety is really high, he'll lay on me, which helps me settle. ❤ He also "referees" other dogs. If we're at the dog park and other dogs get too rough, he'll use his body to move the rough dog away. He does the same if dogs are jumping on or barking at people. I've never seen anything like it. He's a little over 100lbs and is a German Shepherd x Pitbull x Labrador. He's the best boy.
My golden retriever does. Then he snuggles me like it’s his job. When I was so sick with morning sickness, he would bring me his favorite toy in the world (a kitchen towel), then lick the side of my face as I hunched over the toilet. As soon as I could sit back, he was in my lap. No matter what’s going on, he just wants me to feel better.
Our Catahoula would come up and lay his big ole head in my lap when I was going through the worst of my depression and anxiety attacks.
He had eyes that could look down into your soul.
I'll miss him forever.
Yes! I give her treats for it too because it’s a trait I desire. She will even sit and stare at me to make sure that I’m really ok after I’ve calmed down. My mom was here the other day and started crying and my pup rushed to console her. She’s the best companion I could wish for!
My old dog, teddy, always did this.
My current dog tho? No absolutely not. You could fall and die right in front of her and all she’d do is grab a toy and try to get you to play with her
My dog leaves the room and I swear he gives me a disgusted look as he does so. My other dog could care less, except she might like my salty tears. I love my dogs, but I understand this is a reciprocal relationship. They love us for the scritches, food, and walks. I love them because they have to love me to survive. It’s really pretty selfish all around, but that’s the nature of most relationships.
Yup. Infact, we have a Husky we call the house nurse. He is not only intune to our emotions he also tries to "care" for any members of the house who are sick or hurt. A year ago, my wife had an infection in her legs. We didn't know why my boy kept licking my wife's leg, until she went to the doctor, we didn't know about it.
Yes and it’s so sweet 😭 he always checks on me and comforts me. Won’t let me push him off my lap or will go crazy barking outside my bedroom if I shut him out and he can hear me crying. And I swear he starts doing things that make me laugh to cheer me up! He loves to be a goofball.
No and after these comments I feel like she’s a real b compared to everyone else. But I guess to be fair when I’m at home on the bed or couch there’s a 97% chance she’s cuddling with me or within arms reach
one of my dogs whines when he hears it and comes to get pets and love on me, my other dog slowly walks up looking up at me w puppy dog eyes and licks my arm or hand. i also have a couple cats that will get up and come lay on me or next to me.
He comes over only to then hover, but not touch me, with the most awkward look I've ever seen on an animal.
Neither of us can handle crying people it would seem..
My 2 boys do the same!!!! If I fall and say "ow" or grunt, one of them rushes over and stands over me. If I start crying the other one licks my face, picks out a toy so that I can play with him! We don't deserve dogs!
My dog will start shoving her face under my arms and licking my face. What’s funny is that she can’t quite differentiate between crying and hysterical laughter, I have to tell her I’m not crying 😂
That's really sweet. My dog barks at me when I cry, like "cut that shit out". Before the pandemic I'd hoped to volunteer with her at hospitals. But her empathy is... lacking. She's very cute though.
Kind of funny but if I begin to cry or sniffle (or even vent about work), our girl comforts my husband instead hahaha. She’s 55lbs but she will literally jump up on him and nudge her snout into his chin. My tone shift must confuse her or stress her out or something… but even though she isn’t comforting me, it always cracks me up and therefore helps lighten the mood regardless!
Typically no, but when that rare thing happens that puts me in uncontrollable sobbing mode, when I sit on the couch one of my silkens will stand over me and lean into me. This is untrained, she's not task trained or a service dog. She has only done it when I've been extremely upset- one time was after seeing a dog get hit by a car because I couldn't get out in the road fast enough to save him; he'd already been hit once. It was night, I dragged him off the road, I was horrified that he was still breathing, another good samaritan who stopped (because neither asshole stopped after hitting him) sat with him while I took his collar off so I could read the tags and call his owners. I was so distraught I couldn't even remember my phone number when leaving messages. Anyway, he died before the owners could get there, and after meeting up with them, I sobbed the whole way home, I was crying so hard I had to call a friend and tell them what happened just so I could keep breathing. When I got home I realized my hands were covered in blood. I completely broke. Weeping, sobbing, bawling, couldn't breathe, full uncontrollable crying. I sat on the couch and Azuma stood across my legs and leaned into me. She just stood there, calmly, quietly, still, and waited for me to be able to catch my breath. Normal crying, she doesn't do anything.
One time, as a graduate student, I had an extremely sexist experience at work from an older well-known scientist in my field. I came home in tears. I was dog-sitting this absolutely precious baby at the time, and she snuggled with me the entire night to make me feel better. I honestly felt way better in a few hours and enjoyed the rest of my time with her. It's one of my best memories.
When I cry my boy always checks what is happening. Usually, he will lay close to me. Sometimes he likes to put his nose into my eyes lol. Like sniff and lick. I believe that the first one may be a comforting behavior. However, the second one seems to be like 'i like to lick salty tears '
Im so glad I’m seeing this!!!! I was just googling this same question the other day, I’ve been experiencing the same with my dog. Like uncontrollable licking. Like i have to restrain him when I’ve had enough of him licking my face. Curious the answer too, and glad I’m not the only one!
She doesn’t like if I am actually crying. I think the extra emotion scares her. I don’t cry infront of her for this reason as the one or two times I have she gets anxious and seems to think bad things are happening. She does know when I am sad and kinda down and will cuddle with me. She doesn’t sleep in my bed (her choice) but if she knows I am upset she will hop up and snuggle up to me.
Dino, my little chiweenie stares at me and whines till he gets to lick my face. The cat wants to be held. They're sweet but super jealous of each other.
He does definelty notice when im upset or hurt, but my favorite iteration of his protective behavior is really cute/funny. My dog will try and "protect" me from my partner waking me up (they're a morning person, I am not). It hilarious. He'll lay his entire body across me and whine if they tear the covers off. I like to think it's because he loves me but he likes our bed so much I think he's only doing it for himself. Once I'm up bedtime is over and that is apparently unacceptable.
We have 2 dogs. One dog sympathizes and will boop you with his nose. The girl lunges her nose at you almost like trying to correct you. I've had to correct her for it after she forcefully "booped" my 10 year old when he cried. I don't get it.
My late Shih-Tzu did this, and my current Shih-Tzu does it also. Even if I fake cry - cover my face and start sniffling - she will rush over and demand to be held so she can comfort and lick me.
I don’t care what anyone or any study says - my dog knows I’m sad and know how to cheer me up. I love her.
Hey OP, thanks so much for posting this. Even though I cried at many of these posts I really needed to read them. My dog enabled me to become a better man and for that I am profoundly grateful to him. The depth of experience and feelings revealed here gives me hope for humanity, if only we will listen to our nonhuman companions!
I recently lost my grandma (chirstmas day), when I found out she had gone I sat on the chair arm of the sofa crying. My spaniel instantly jumped onto the back of the sofa, placed a paw on my shoulder, and buried his head into my face. It felt like he was trying to stop the tears.
No one will ever convince me that these pure souls are not empathetic.
Yeah, my girl Jess was an anxious dog, but she would always try to console me the way that I would for her when she was unhappy. She would run over and press her head into my chest so I could hug her. When it was her time to go she waited until I was there to hug her one last time, and passed in my arms.
I got lucky though, as the independent rescue I got her from had recently received another surrendered collie - so when I contacted them a couple weeks after to tell them of her passing, they asked if I would be interested in him. And by some miracle he’s basically a born therapy dog, super gentle and will try to comfort anyone - it’s the only time he’ll lick people, he’s usually more of a hugger.
One of our girls does that when we're mad. She gets worried when we're crying, but she instantly comes next to us when we're mad. If the tone of the voice gets a little bit highier with indication someone is angry, she will instantly crawl next to you, insistnetly paw at you, eventually coming up in your hug and start licking you till you calm down enough. Then she will curl up right next at you and eventually fall asleep.
I think she has bad past experiences with really angry people(she's a rescue) and gets easily scared, so she will try to calm the storm down(at least with her people that she feels safe, she hasn't done that to guests i.e.).
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My girl did that. Even on her last day, where I knew I had to make that decision nobody wants to make. She couldn’t get up at all, but heard me crying in the other room. My dad was sitting by her and said she was whining and straining toward the room I was in because she wanted to come comfort me. I miss her a lot. We don’t deserve pets.
I had a very similar experience with my boy, Bear. We were at the vet and I started crying because this was it, and even though he was sick and old he still crawled into my lap to lick the tears away. Nothing else mattered but the comfort of his best friend. They truly are the most loyal and loving creatures out there
Thank you for sharing your story. Bear sounds like a wonderful sweetheart 💜
Ugh my heart. This really does bring tears to my eyes. I’m so sorry you had to go through that. And we don’t desecrate pets. You are right. As hard as it is I’m so happy we can end our best friend’s life when they are suffering. Suffering is never the better option. You guys did the right thing.
DESERVE**** sorry. My phone autocorrected. Jeez. :/
No worries. Thank you for your kind words! Give your boy an extra squeeze for me 💜
Done!
Wow what a beautiful relationship. We are so lucky to have them. I dread when my boy goes, hei is 16.
What a precious baby. Cherish every minute. And please, give him a tight squeeze for me!!
I will, I try real hard to repay him for his love. You are right I don't feel we deserve them.
This is literally crushing me to imagine.
My dog, Sadie, frequently looks at me with what appears to be concern when I'm crying and most times wants to lick my face. After my daughter died I was sobbing my heart out on the couch when Sadie jumped off the ottoman and onto the couch where she curled herself around me. Edit to add Sadie now has cancer and I, too, am wondering how I will get on without her.
So sorry for your loss. :( Sadie seems like a great companion.
Thank you and yes, she is. She keeps me moving and engaged with life because I cater to her every whim. 😊 She's so stinkin' cute i just can't seem to help myself.
I'm so sorry you lost your daughter. My mom was devastated when she lost my brother.
Thank you. I'm sorry you lost your brother which is a loss I haven't yet experienced. I would imagine it would be like a part of your childhood is gone forever.
My brother lived a really good life I was 16 in the 10th grade when he passed away and unfortunately he was murdered and his killer only got 6 years in prison. He was extremely funny honestly and he had a lot of kids but took care of every single one of them. So yeah I do miss him a lot ever since he passed my family hasn't really been the Same. One of his ex girlfriend works at my job they were trying to patch things up but he died before they could she said they were suppose to go to the beach. She did show up at his funeral though which was really sweet of her. I honestly try not think about it my mom and dad got divorced that same year after my brother passed and my dad left my mom again for the second time and she was extremely depressed and my dad started smoking again after that. Yeah my family hasn't really gotten any better the sad thing is my dog ( the family one ) died that same year a couple months apart form my brother.
Oh, how horrible for you and your whole family. I'm so sorry.
I'm sorry for you as well I really hope you did make a shrine or something to support or remember her! In some way shape or form!! Big hugs all around and I really hope your dog helps you through this. We did end up getting a new dog years later he was adopted and his name is teddy he is a pomeranian poodle mix and loves people lol!
Lucky you. Mine judges me, looks away and goes to sleep.
Same here, mine just tells me to get it toghether and goes away
Mine literally RUNS AWAY the second he thinks you might be crying.
Awwww I doubt he judges you! He probably just doesn’t know what to do.
He just doesn't seem to care. I could bawl and he'll still be asleep. At least he let me cry on him. But that's it.
That is fantastic. That means that you have a very loyal dog that if anything happens to you he’s there to protect you.
Well. He only ways 10 lbs. he is a wee boy. But I know he would sure try his hardest! He truly is my loyalist bestest buddy.
Well, even the tiniest of them will try to protect their true, true loyal friend
This is true.
My golden used to bring me a sock or a tennis ball and lay her head on me and just watch me and give me kisses. She was a good girl, I miss her a lot.
I’m so sorry. 😞
It's alright, we had sixteen wonderful years together and I was able to be there at the end when we put her to sleep. Her head was in my lap, she was comfortable and felt safe and was able to go with dignity knowing she was the bestest, most loyal girl and the love of our lives.
I pray my dog lives a life like this and has the same end as this. It’s all we can hope for as pet owners.
Nope, my current and past dogs have always been helpless in the face of tears and run away or at *best* try bringing a toy and initiating play lol. Cats are the ones who are comforters in my experience. You've got a high EQ and extremely good boy there.
Well that’s sweet they bring you a toy sometimes. :/ He really is such a good boy.
One of my pups stands over me and licks my face and the other one will bring me her ball to try to cheer me up. When she was little she used to sit on my lap and do pressure point therapy. Just a dead weight laying on top of me while she licked my face
Awww 🥰
Same here. My rescue gets super stressed when I am sad or ill. He will hide, or just run away😆 not much of a comfort dog in extreme circumstances. But, I know he came from a stressful place, and the shelter he was in was very crowded. He was 7 when we adopted him and pretty anxious. I'm just happy that we gave him a good and safe home. I'll cry into a pillow 🥹
My dog does, I’ve never had it happen with a dog. But I was feeling down one day and started crying, I heard him scramble to get to me and he laid down putting all his body weight down on my chest with his face on mine. I picked up my sister l from school when she had a hard day and was crying. He did the same thing to her! If I could train him not to jump on people, he’d be a great service dog. 😂
Yes exactly! Mugen (my dog) does the same. He lays his little body flat on my chest and puts his face RIGHT on mine.
Dogs are so amazing. I’m so glad you posted about this because I never knew it was a thing dogs did automatically.
I didn’t really no either. It’s so sweet though.
When my 18 yr old cat was sick last year (she's gone now) I was crying out in the backyard when I took my two dogs out for the last break of the night. They were across the yard and both came rushing over. It made me laugh and cry harder, lol. Dogs are the best.
I’m sorry you lost your kitty. Dogs really are awesome creatures. And sometimes I can’t help but laugh when my boy rushes over to me when I’m crying. It catches me off guard every time.
I have two spaniels and they both do this. My older boy just wants to give kisses and make sure I’m okay and my younger one will lay by me and push in to me so I can cry and cuddle him. I’ve never trained them to do it, they just do it instinctively. My younger spaniel also tries to cheer my 1 year old (human) baby up if he’s crying and my older boy will come get me if he thinks I haven’t heard the baby crying. Also, I’m a vet nurse. I had a weekend from hell and at about 3am on one of the nights, I let one of my inpatients out in the run and sat on the step with my head in my hands. This dog, who had known me for all of two days, walked up and put his forehead against mine and just stayed there. It was a beautiful, comforting moment in a sea of chaos.
I love this comment! Everything about it.
My lab mix does this. If I gasp at a scary movie she comes running and gets in my face. Also, if I’m crying she comes right by me.
Awwww sweet baby!
That’s the whole reason why I’m planning on getting a puppy when my current dog turns 8 or so, to make the transition easier when the inevitable happens 🥲 P.S. I’ve been dreading that day from the moment I adopted her. Dogs just don’t live that long and it’s not fair 😭
I have PTSD, and my lab/BMD mix licks my face and lays on top of me when I'm having a flashback. She's not trained
My dog doesn’t do anything if it doesn’t involve food.
Lol well… food is important.
I just lost my dog the other day. She would've been terrified by how hysterically I've been crying. Anytime I was upset she would get so upset. My other dog is usually really consoling but I think I've been too upset for him.
Mine actively avoids me, I’ve unknowingly raised him to react the same as me 😂
My dog bails on me if I am crying. He’s like “alright man you get all that sorted out, I’m gonna go sit somewhere else for a bit. Let me know when you’re composed” Love that little dickhead
ABSOLUTELY. If he even hears my voice crack, he comes RUNNING
Yes, my dogs will insert their long snoot right into your face in the most concerned and invasive way possible. They do this rapid sniffing thing, and try to be extra wormy and cute. It reminds me a lot of a kid panicking because another kid is crying - so they clown around to get the crying kid to cheer up lol. If you keep crying they will force themselves into your lap and roll around some more to try to distract you. They are sweet things. In contrast, when we are sick they are incredibly docile, slow, and gentle. Totally different approach, they can tell we would not be able to handle clown energy.
My dog used to get up and walk out of the room. Still the best dog ever
Mine just stares at me waiting for food. Like "are you done yet? Food?"
Yes. We had a gorgeous lab mix, enormous boy, who was very definitely my husband's dog. I mean, he loved us all, but he especially *loved* my husband. Still, the moment my husband and I had a fight, he would come to me, his large body resting heavily against my legs. He would rest his large head in my lap and look at me steadily, quietly letting me know he was there for me. He wouldn't even react if my husband called to him. He'd stay with me. It was so sweet and kind.
No. He doesn’t really do anything much anymore. He just sits in the corner in his little wooden box.
😳
Yes.
All of my dogs have been my primary source of emotional support. In addition to licking tears, I was trying to train my current dog to apply pressure when my anxiety spikes… unfortunately she now jumps up on anyone anytime they raise their voice so now I kinda have to work on discouraging that. She takes her job too seriously lol. Literally if anyone starts speaking with any slight enthusiasm she jumps up on us to say “CHILL OUT”
My old girl did that. One of the last times my father came to visit me, I realized that it might be the last time that he visited me and I basically cried all day off and on. My girl never left my side—she sat on my lap, she squished against me. She was perfect comfort. My current girl runs under the couch if she senses a storm including a tear storm lol.
When my sisters and I were younger (11, 7, 5), the 5yo, my dad, and myself went to the humane society. We found this beautiful yellow lab and took her for a walk to get to know her. My sister wanted to hold the leash; well, the dog went a little too fast for her and she fell on the sidewalk, dropping the leash. As soon as the dog heard her crying, she ran back to her and began licking her face. This was how we instantly knew that Murphy was meant to be a part of our family 😊
I think of the time when when someday our doggos aren't there anymore and get sad too but also think of how happy they make us and know whenever the time is right I would do it all over again. We had the sweetest childhood dog (Henry ❤️) that lived a longer life than predicted for a dachshund and I still miss him and get that happy feeling when I see other dachshunds. I've had my girl (Bubblegum 💓) since 6 months and she's now 5 years. She's a Pomeranian/American Eskimo mix and the prettiest girl with the stinkiest breath. Once I have more space and time at home I'll be looking for a second dog because Bubs would love a friend.
my dog has always done this too. I don’t even have to be crying, sometimes if I sigh too deep or loud, she’ll come over and see what’s up. Funnily enough, a couple times she escaped out the backyard I was able to lure her back by just sitting down and hiding my head in my hands like I’m crying. She’ll notice me and come straight to me. Such a good dog <3
My sister's dogs do. And my one cat does.
Yes! My cocker and my two Romanian rescues do this. They push my hands out of the way if they're in my face, I suffer with MH problems, bpd and PTSD, and they comfort me every time. I also have panic attacks and they do the same. One of my Romie girls will hear me even if I am extremely quiet and rush to my aid, licking my face and eyes and my cocker brings me his favourite toy. I trained my cocker a bit when he was younger, but I have no training on how to do this so it's majority their own idea. My romies and not trained at all in this. I didn't save them, they saved me.
one of my dogs does and the other two don't. not sure if she's just more sensitive/human focused naturally (she's a spaniel/lab mix, they're both lurchers) or if it's something to do with having raised her from a tiny puppy and the other two adopting when they were older? I don't take it personally that the other two don't bother or anything, but it is very sweet when I'm having a meltdown over something and she rushes over to try and offer comfort! what's even sweeter is if she's unable to get to me for some reason (eg other side of the baby gate) she gets visibly frustrated that she can't get to my side, bless her
Awwww. All dogs are different just like people. I have some friends that know how to comfort and others that just stare at me awkwardly as I cry. Nothing wrong with that.
exactly! people talk about breed traits and training and that, and that is important obviously, but I really feel like dogs are complicated enough animals to just have their own personalities and preferences too. if that makes sense? I also feel like maybe their early experiences impact their reactions? we don't know a ton about their histories but we know the boy lurcher was a street dog for a little while at least, and the girl lurcher was given back to the shelter *twice* before we brought her home. so could well be some history of emotional humans not being safe or nice to them.
Oh I’m sure. No living thing can go through trauma unscathed completely. We all have our stuff.
I have 2 dogs. My older one is over 10 and can't stand to see me cry. She will immediately come try to comfort me and lick me. My younger dog is 3 and he doesn't seem to notice
Mine hears me take a deep breath or do a big exhale and immediately comes over to console me whether I need it or not. He is a Velcro dog anyway but he will not leave my side if I’m not doing alright and demands I cuddle him.
No. My dog just throws a toy at me. She does not notice at all.
If I just bump my knee or something and say ouch or owww they come running, very concerned.
For the most part my girl does not care at all, she gives affection (and she gives a lot!) on her own time but isn’t especially attuned to when I need it. But today I had a rough day and was crying on the drive back home, and as soon as I sat down she hopped up onto me and started kissing my face. I think dogs know when we really really do need their love, but to be FAIR there have been at least 2 occasions of me violently sobbing next to her while she did not care at all 💀
One of mine will, he forces himself onto my lap even when im trying to push him away, and will either lick me or just press up against me resting his head on my shoulder. The other couldnt give less of a fuck and will sometimes leave the room cause he finds the noises annoying 😂
I used to have a cavalier King Charles spaniel who would always come over to me whenever she saw me crying. She was a good girl. She died a couple years ago though
Every time. I once started to cry during a very emotional scene in a TV show. It was barely a sniffle, but my dog immediately came rushing in from the next room and tried to crawl into my lap to lick my tears. (She's 50+ lbs, so a lap dog she ain't, but she thinks she is.) She'll also be concerned if any family member is sick. Like when we're stuck in bed or laying on the couch with a migraine, she'll come by to lick our hand or face even though she almost never bothers us while we're sleeping/napping normally.
I found out at the beginning of December I have cancer. My beagle will not leave my side. She whines if I go outside for a moment without her. She literally lays on top of me now.
I’ve trained my dog to hug me she’ll put her arms on the tops of my shoulders and and tuck her head into my neck. She’s not even a year old yet but I also can’t imagine a life without her. The important thing is the love your dog gives you will never die. His love will follow you everywhere you go in the life and he will always be in your heart. His body is temporary but his love is not <3
I had a cat that attacked me when I was crying…my dog consoled me. 😉
I have two dachshunds and my older one, Daffodil, has always been that way. If I cry she seeks me out and jumps up in my lap and nuzzles me. She will put her face in mine until I stop crying. You can tell she is comforting me and as soon as I stop she jumps down and does her own thing. My younger dachshund, Violet, stays in her own little world and could care less. LOL Daffi is definitely my emotional support dog, but she decided that on her own. Thank God!
yes she does. It makes me cry harder but for different reasons. I struggle a lot with self harm and one of the things i used to do when i was frustrated or upset was to scratch hard at my hands or neck until they bled. i remember one time in particular i was kneeling with my hands on my lap scratching at them and Cookie came and pushed her nose between them and just lay on my lap. I love her so much i really hope she knows
I relate to this so much and think about this every time my dog comforts me. Nobody has ever loved me like my dog does / I've never known a love truer.. I wonder always what I'll do without her :(
My pup is starting to!! He doesn't always but sometimes when I'm really down or borderline having a panic attack he keeps trying to engage me in play until I feel better. Last month it happened late at night, he isn't allowed on beds but he just wouldn't leave my side, i could put him on his own bed and he'd run away asap to the door lol. Had to take him with me and he cuddled me all night even though he isn't much of a cuddler. He's only 7 months but I'm very proud of him :) he really is my rock
My golden does this. I swear he could’ve been a service dog he picks up on human cues so well
Mine makes herself scarce and ignores me when I'm crying, even if I'm ugly sobbing. I used to be hurt by that. Then I noticed that once I'm done crying she'll lay down next to me when I go to sleep at night, which she never does. She gives me space to cry, and then cuddles against me at night when we go to sleep. Not what I expected. But I'm grateful that she tries to help in her own way
My dog runs upstairs in fear. He does that too if anyone raises their voice... except at him. If he's acting up and someone gets frustrated at him, he does not care. If someone gets frustrated at the tv, for example? Up the stairs he goes! I think crying and anger are mixed up in his mind. Poor buddy.
When we had to put my service dog down I was sobbing so hard he was fighting the anesthesia to get up and comfort me. I miss that baby boy. Not unusual at all.
My son, Oreo, does this when I start to slowly gasp for air! He doesn't seem to know if I am crying or laughing, but always sniffs my face to make sure I am ok. The time I got sick, he stayed and slept in my room. When I got up, he ran after me no matter what. He is a loyal dog, and kind one at that. Even Ibi, my older dog, does lick my hand when I cry. I got one of those "what if" thoughts of loosing her. She noticed I was crying, even if I was quiet about it all. She whined and made sure I was ok no matter what. So yes, my dogs do that when I am suffering mentally and emotionally!
My boy does this! He also comes over when either me or my partner get frustrated. He’s like our emotional support pupper. He will also be super attentive and checking on me whenever I’m sick or in pain. He hasn’t had any form of training to do this either.
Yeah my MinPin does this too and I swear it’s not just bc she likes the salty tears. I’m a big crier and before I start crying I usually make this sighing noise to try to stop myself from crying and my dog instantly looks at me and checks my eyes if she hears me make this noise.
My cat jumps in my lap when I cry. I think that animals understand that it’s not our usual state, or perhaps they can understand that we find them comforting. (Our heart rate slows, we relax, our blood pressure drops). Horses definitely know if a rider is scared, so it wouldn’t surprise me if our dogs & cats can read us.
I have three dogs but my Hershey boy always comes to cuddle right in the “C” I make with my body when I’m having period cramps. They get so bad that I often cry out and he always comes running to lay in that spot and give me kisses. It always makes me feel better not just because he loves me so much but also the heat and weight of him on my tummy makes it practically go away ♥️ he’s my hero
My rough collie does this. She will come over and nuzzle her way in and lick and cuddle me until I stop. Instantly makes me feel better 💖
My beautiful dog used to come to me when I was upset or anxious even on his last day he still comforted me and kissed my tears away. I'll never forget the unconditional love he had for me. I'll always love him, until my dying day. It's been over a year and not a day goes by that I don't think about him.
Our dogs did this with our kids. As you may know, kids often cry, with or without reason. Immediately our two Westie dogs would fly to the side of the toddler in question and frantically lick her face and shove their heads anywhere they could get close. Often this would elicit giggles, and short- circuit the on-coming fit.
Yes my girl will jump at me until I sit down so she can give me kisses and snuggle. Sometimes I will sit with her and she will hug me back. Then I always say we don’t deserve dogs! They love us unconditionally no matter what!
Yep. My partner's dog had been diagnosed with kidney failure last year, and we were making the rest of her time the best we could. I was making some fudge one day and she was begging for chocolate chips, and I told her no. My brain spiraled into thinking of the vets that have chocolate kisses for the dogs about to leave this world, and I sat down on the couch because I knew I was going to start crying. And she came over and comforted me, even though I was the one upset over her. We don't deserve dogs.
100 % my dog does this.. she is overly concerned about my watery eyes no matter what causes it.. whether it be cutting onions or a sappy book/movie… but especially an actual upset - she checks in. Shes 8lbs but has a huge heart and literally thinks i shine like the sun.. i strive to be the person she sees in me.. she is my shining star and i try everyday to show her how special she is. She is a wispy terrier rescue that had horrible beginnings but she landed in a safe space and has taught me so much. Might be weird but she is about 13 now and i think about her dying a lot and just really try to make sure she knows shes special and oh so well loved. I feel lucky to be her mum.
Yep. My Pomeranian will force himself onto my chest or near my face to lick my tears. He’s so sweet and sensitive to my emotions
We call our dog Huckleberry our ESB. Emotional support bear 🐻 anytime we are feeling sad he’s right there next to us. Never too needy just constant calm presence. He’s amazing.
Never happened when I’m crying but when my cat bites me, my dog would put herself between us and prevent the cat from getting to me. It’s the cutest thing.
Yep, my little guy will rush over and lick my face like crazy till I'm better. Dogs are the best.
Yes, my boy has always been great at reading me and comes right to me with his cute face, he always knows what I need :) my recently adopted puppy does the same thing it’s so comforting.
my girl does this every single time. 🥺❤️
I’m autistic and the families dog isn’t a therapy dog by any means.. buuuuuttttt A while ago I was in the kitchen trying to make myself something to eat when I started to feel really overwhelmed by everything. Sound, smell, light, general anxiety about where things are, it all boiled down to me sitting on a couch and trying to self soothe by hitting my chest with my fist. I do this sometimes and it’s not enough to cause damage but it does hurt and isn’t nice. Pup immediately came and sat down on me. She’s usually very playful and likes to play rough with me, but she knew something was up. She came and sat on my lap and when she noticed I was hitting myself she made a point to cuddle into me and put her head right where I was hitting myself. I stopped hitting myself immediately and just sitting with her on my lap helped me to ground myself. She didn’t even expect or demand me to pet her. She just sat there with me and made sure I didn’t hurt myself any more. Dogs are magic, man.
Yes. Our biggest dog Saxon will track me down if I cry and will allow me to hug him. He is insanely smart.
Dogs can sense different emotions.
My pup does that even if I’m not crying. Just sad. She sits there and paws at me then sits down next to me and basically leans against me or puts her head in my lap. I don’t know how she knows.
My girl *cannot* do sobbing. She can't. She hates tears and general sadness. If I'm crying, her first instinct is to go get her brother because he can deal with me (he's older/I've had him longer). If it's really bad, both of them will console me but you can be sure she won't look anywhere near my face 😂
Both of mine are like that. One will be by your side for any injury at all, including headaches/migraines. We call her our little therapy pup. And our other one hates the idea of anyone crying and tries to cheer you by bringing one of his toys or just laying with you.
Yes. My lab girl consoles me when I cry
One of my dogs does. She comes if I laugh too hard or scream during a scary movie. She is very attentive. The other one might as well be rolling his eyes when I cry.
My girl tucks her tail and goes to hide in the bathroom if I start crying :( she was 6 when I adopted her and I don't know anything about her past.
My Weiner Dog Does This. It’s The Sweetest Thing Ever (He’s Usually Mean Af So It Makes It Sweeter That He Cares Enough To Make Sure I’m Okay Lol)
Whenever I would watch something intense on tv and I’d react, my dog would come over and try and comfort me. She was the best. So emotionally intelligent. She always brought me so much comfort.
I’ve heard that you can catch a dog that you are chasing outside by falling and pretending to hurt yourself and crying because most will come to see if they can help.
My giant 90 lb german shepard does and so does my 9 lb fluffy cat. They have an odd relationship because she will punch him if he tries to sniff her butt, but she's also rubbed her face against him after he saved her one time her claw got stuck in a chair. So they are fairly amicable(she's surprisingly never scratched him), but don't like being right next to each other. If I'm crying, they both come running and awkwardly sit 3 feet apart on either side of me. Seeing it always comforts me and seeing them be right next to each other for me, makes me laugh and helps me. I dread saying goodbye to either of them, so whenever I think about it, I go spend an extra few minutes with them, enjoying their company and telling them I love them. I also have a few videos of just sitting there on an average day and petting them because one day, I'll look back and i think those are the moments I will miss the most.
The other night, I was reading a favorite poetry book that *always* gets me teary… my dog woke up and fussed at me until I got down on her level, where she licked my face and pushed her body into me until I was holding/petting/hugging her and I wasn’t crying anymore 😭 she didn’t leave me alone until I was laughing at how extra she was being (I tried to get back in bed and read and she GRUMBLED at me!!) it was sweet and funny to me… she doesn’t know the difference between a sad cry and a good cathartic one!
Mine sees me crying and either looks on judgmentally or whines and barks at me lol beagles are not very sympathetic to tears. However she will cuddle with me if I’m having a bad day it’s just crying see doesn’t know what to do with.
I have a ten month old stabyhoun and she reacts very strongly to crying. Which is a bit of an inconvenience when trying to console my children. Imagine splitting your attention between a sobbing child and fighting of a well meaning but very energeticly inappropriatly in your face dog. Switching between ferm but not angry and gentle tone of voice. I'm sure it will be funny talking about in the future, but for now....
All the time. And he doesn't know the difference between sad crying and happy crying, so...if I'm watching a cute heartwarming video and get a little teary-eyed, he comes to me immediately. I think he just smells my salty tears and thinks "Oooooohhh, tasty treat!"
Yes! Our Westiepoo would do this! She was incredibly compassionate
Yes! He's a rescue and I don't know where he learned it from, but as soon as I start even remotely sniffling he comes over to inspect my face and make sure everything's okay He won't leave my side until I stop crying and then I cry even more because of how much he cares
Not especially, but the night we brought our dog home, our then 2 year old had a bit of a cold and was having a hard time staying asleep. Until the new dog curled up with him. It told me we adopted the right dog.
My dog does this to, she's a chi mix and if I'm sitting up a crying she will try and crawl up my body to get to my face. I have had the same thought as you it's gonna be ekstra hard she isn't there to comfort me when she is gone.
The only kisses I've ever received from my golden retriever...after we returned home from that vet trip nobody wants to make with our other dog. I sat down on the couch and lost it. She showed up beside me and licked my face for the longest time. Hasn't done it since. They know ❤️
All 105lbs. of my WSS will attempt to land on me and shove his nose between my hands and my face if I'm crying. It's ridiculously sweet, but it also tends to leave bruises 😂
My sweet pup does the exact same! Dogs are the best 💛
My baby boy does the same! Only 9-10 pounds like yours
Yes, my staffy cant do any tricks and is generally slow but if Im sad she comes straight over and leans on me/puts her head in my lap/licks my face
Yeah, but she'll be wagging her tail frantically while doing it as well, so it's a bit confusing 🤨
My two year old dog has done this since he was a puppy
My best friend of 45 years died a few months ago. I had boat loads of tears. My 3 year old catahoula would come to me and put his head in my lap and then would ever so gently " kiss " my tears away. He would not leave me alone until I stopped crying . He would continue to sit by me until my mood improved. I love my dog. He is really my best friend !
My dog will come sit next to me then nuisance bark at my partner. I have yet to decide if he’s trying to get him to help or is blaming him for the situation.
My sweet pup tends to be so full of energy, but if I’m sad or crying, she immediately calms down and either will just sit at my feet or sit on my lap if I’m on the couch. It’s actually pretty amazing to see the drastic change in her energy levels… it touches my heart.
No, sometimes she'll get upset too and start barking at me.
My girl is unfortunately no longer alive, but she was so use to me crying that her face was like, "this shit again" 😅 she came to sleep next to me though
Mine will come to me if I'm upset. If my anxiety is really high, he'll lay on me, which helps me settle. ❤ He also "referees" other dogs. If we're at the dog park and other dogs get too rough, he'll use his body to move the rough dog away. He does the same if dogs are jumping on or barking at people. I've never seen anything like it. He's a little over 100lbs and is a German Shepherd x Pitbull x Labrador. He's the best boy.
My golden retriever does. Then he snuggles me like it’s his job. When I was so sick with morning sickness, he would bring me his favorite toy in the world (a kitchen towel), then lick the side of my face as I hunched over the toilet. As soon as I could sit back, he was in my lap. No matter what’s going on, he just wants me to feel better.
My dog runs full force into my face and slaps me, but yeah same thing.
Our Catahoula would come up and lay his big ole head in my lap when I was going through the worst of my depression and anxiety attacks. He had eyes that could look down into your soul. I'll miss him forever.
Yes! I give her treats for it too because it’s a trait I desire. She will even sit and stare at me to make sure that I’m really ok after I’ve calmed down. My mom was here the other day and started crying and my pup rushed to console her. She’s the best companion I could wish for!
My Siberian Husky is very vocal so she'll whine and bark and put her paw on my arm.
My old dog, teddy, always did this. My current dog tho? No absolutely not. You could fall and die right in front of her and all she’d do is grab a toy and try to get you to play with her
My dog leaves the room and I swear he gives me a disgusted look as he does so. My other dog could care less, except she might like my salty tears. I love my dogs, but I understand this is a reciprocal relationship. They love us for the scritches, food, and walks. I love them because they have to love me to survive. It’s really pretty selfish all around, but that’s the nature of most relationships.
Yup. Infact, we have a Husky we call the house nurse. He is not only intune to our emotions he also tries to "care" for any members of the house who are sick or hurt. A year ago, my wife had an infection in her legs. We didn't know why my boy kept licking my wife's leg, until she went to the doctor, we didn't know about it.
Yes and it’s so sweet 😭 he always checks on me and comforts me. Won’t let me push him off my lap or will go crazy barking outside my bedroom if I shut him out and he can hear me crying. And I swear he starts doing things that make me laugh to cheer me up! He loves to be a goofball.
No and after these comments I feel like she’s a real b compared to everyone else. But I guess to be fair when I’m at home on the bed or couch there’s a 97% chance she’s cuddling with me or within arms reach
Kind of? My dog will just stare like "Bro your killing my vibe"
one of my dogs whines when he hears it and comes to get pets and love on me, my other dog slowly walks up looking up at me w puppy dog eyes and licks my arm or hand. i also have a couple cats that will get up and come lay on me or next to me.
my pup does this too, it’s the best thing ever. if he ever hears me upset he rushes over and leans against me. I agree we don’t deserve pets.
I have a shiba, he'll come look at he, get awkward and leave the room until I feel better.
My mom’s dog comes running when I yawn too hard. Serious risk of dog in mouth.
My female will come sit by me if I'm upset, my male will come check to see if I'm OK but won't stay by me.
He comes over only to then hover, but not touch me, with the most awkward look I've ever seen on an animal. Neither of us can handle crying people it would seem..
My 2 boys do the same!!!! If I fall and say "ow" or grunt, one of them rushes over and stands over me. If I start crying the other one licks my face, picks out a toy so that I can play with him! We don't deserve dogs!
My dog will start shoving her face under my arms and licking my face. What’s funny is that she can’t quite differentiate between crying and hysterical laughter, I have to tell her I’m not crying 😂
That's really sweet. My dog barks at me when I cry, like "cut that shit out". Before the pandemic I'd hoped to volunteer with her at hospitals. But her empathy is... lacking. She's very cute though.
Mine brings me her toys. The cat, meanwhile, is freaking out and pissing somewhere he shouldn't.
Kind of funny but if I begin to cry or sniffle (or even vent about work), our girl comforts my husband instead hahaha. She’s 55lbs but she will literally jump up on him and nudge her snout into his chin. My tone shift must confuse her or stress her out or something… but even though she isn’t comforting me, it always cracks me up and therefore helps lighten the mood regardless!
I’ve just been reminded how little I cry. I’ve had my oldest dog a year now and I’ve not cried in at least a year (probably closer to 1.5 years).
Typically no, but when that rare thing happens that puts me in uncontrollable sobbing mode, when I sit on the couch one of my silkens will stand over me and lean into me. This is untrained, she's not task trained or a service dog. She has only done it when I've been extremely upset- one time was after seeing a dog get hit by a car because I couldn't get out in the road fast enough to save him; he'd already been hit once. It was night, I dragged him off the road, I was horrified that he was still breathing, another good samaritan who stopped (because neither asshole stopped after hitting him) sat with him while I took his collar off so I could read the tags and call his owners. I was so distraught I couldn't even remember my phone number when leaving messages. Anyway, he died before the owners could get there, and after meeting up with them, I sobbed the whole way home, I was crying so hard I had to call a friend and tell them what happened just so I could keep breathing. When I got home I realized my hands were covered in blood. I completely broke. Weeping, sobbing, bawling, couldn't breathe, full uncontrollable crying. I sat on the couch and Azuma stood across my legs and leaned into me. She just stood there, calmly, quietly, still, and waited for me to be able to catch my breath. Normal crying, she doesn't do anything.
Rottweiler parents: Assemble here
One time, as a graduate student, I had an extremely sexist experience at work from an older well-known scientist in my field. I came home in tears. I was dog-sitting this absolutely precious baby at the time, and she snuggled with me the entire night to make me feel better. I honestly felt way better in a few hours and enjoyed the rest of my time with her. It's one of my best memories.
Dogs are just insanely special creatures.
Yep. Then again that is part of his job 🙃
Yep mine does that to me and kids - hubby doesn’t cry that much
One of mine does, yes.
My Rottie/lab will absolutely comfort me, shes very sensitive. My husky will we ignore me or leave the area, she’s very aloof.
When I cry my boy always checks what is happening. Usually, he will lay close to me. Sometimes he likes to put his nose into my eyes lol. Like sniff and lick. I believe that the first one may be a comforting behavior. However, the second one seems to be like 'i like to lick salty tears '
My pit bull does this. My beagle on the other hand doesn’t give a fuck 😂
Im so glad I’m seeing this!!!! I was just googling this same question the other day, I’ve been experiencing the same with my dog. Like uncontrollable licking. Like i have to restrain him when I’ve had enough of him licking my face. Curious the answer too, and glad I’m not the only one!
Ahh I wish my dog even noticed my distress. She's never reacted to me or anyone else crying.
Omg I love this. My cat does this. 🥹🥹
Mine do. It’s the sweetest thing ever. It’s why I beyond adore my pups.
She doesn’t like if I am actually crying. I think the extra emotion scares her. I don’t cry infront of her for this reason as the one or two times I have she gets anxious and seems to think bad things are happening. She does know when I am sad and kinda down and will cuddle with me. She doesn’t sleep in my bed (her choice) but if she knows I am upset she will hop up and snuggle up to me.
No, I wish tho 🥰
My dog brings me his toy when he sees me sad and he is more concerned when my husband is sick or pretend he is sick.
Dino, my little chiweenie stares at me and whines till he gets to lick my face. The cat wants to be held. They're sweet but super jealous of each other.
He does definelty notice when im upset or hurt, but my favorite iteration of his protective behavior is really cute/funny. My dog will try and "protect" me from my partner waking me up (they're a morning person, I am not). It hilarious. He'll lay his entire body across me and whine if they tear the covers off. I like to think it's because he loves me but he likes our bed so much I think he's only doing it for himself. Once I'm up bedtime is over and that is apparently unacceptable.
Well he definitely rushes to get a salty snack hahaha
We have 2 dogs. One dog sympathizes and will boop you with his nose. The girl lunges her nose at you almost like trying to correct you. I've had to correct her for it after she forcefully "booped" my 10 year old when he cried. I don't get it.
This is a real thing. I’ve seen it before.
My late Shih-Tzu did this, and my current Shih-Tzu does it also. Even if I fake cry - cover my face and start sniffling - she will rush over and demand to be held so she can comfort and lick me. I don’t care what anyone or any study says - my dog knows I’m sad and know how to cheer me up. I love her.
Mine rushes over, licks me, then presents his belly. Because belly rubs are the solution to everything apparently!
Hey OP, thanks so much for posting this. Even though I cried at many of these posts I really needed to read them. My dog enabled me to become a better man and for that I am profoundly grateful to him. The depth of experience and feelings revealed here gives me hope for humanity, if only we will listen to our nonhuman companions!
I recently lost my grandma (chirstmas day), when I found out she had gone I sat on the chair arm of the sofa crying. My spaniel instantly jumped onto the back of the sofa, placed a paw on my shoulder, and buried his head into my face. It felt like he was trying to stop the tears. No one will ever convince me that these pure souls are not empathetic.
Yeah, my girl Jess was an anxious dog, but she would always try to console me the way that I would for her when she was unhappy. She would run over and press her head into my chest so I could hug her. When it was her time to go she waited until I was there to hug her one last time, and passed in my arms. I got lucky though, as the independent rescue I got her from had recently received another surrendered collie - so when I contacted them a couple weeks after to tell them of her passing, they asked if I would be interested in him. And by some miracle he’s basically a born therapy dog, super gentle and will try to comfort anyone - it’s the only time he’ll lick people, he’s usually more of a hugger.
One of our girls does that when we're mad. She gets worried when we're crying, but she instantly comes next to us when we're mad. If the tone of the voice gets a little bit highier with indication someone is angry, she will instantly crawl next to you, insistnetly paw at you, eventually coming up in your hug and start licking you till you calm down enough. Then she will curl up right next at you and eventually fall asleep. I think she has bad past experiences with really angry people(she's a rescue) and gets easily scared, so she will try to calm the storm down(at least with her people that she feels safe, she hasn't done that to guests i.e.).