As any dog lover knows, canines are incredibly observant. As their owners, we are the center of their universe, and our dogs have the unique gift to sense things about us before we can even realize it ourselves. There have been many stories of dogs saving their families from danger and dogs who have detected illnesses in their humans, but what about dogs possessing the ability to know when their owners are pregnant?
It’s very well possible, and here are five ways that your dog may be the first to know there’s a bun in the oven!
1. They notice changes in scent.
Dogs know what their humans smell like, and that can change with body chemistry. You know how some dogs can sniff out cancer? When a woman’s hormones change, so does her scent.
2. They pick up changes in appearance.
Let’s face it: pregnancy means weight gain. As a dog’s owner gets bigger–and rounder–dogs see those physical changes. They also notice the change in stride when her walk becomes a waddle. Remember, they’re always watching!
3. They sense mood swings.
Anyone who has a dog knows that they can sense their human’s mood. As pregnant women tend to be a little on the emotional side, their hyper-observant pooches notice that their moods may suddenly be more like a roller coaster than a steady stream.
4. Observing changes in routine
Dogs are creatures of habit; they know when their owners leave for work every day, when they come home, when they go to bed, when they wake up in the morning…you get the picture. So whether their human moms start spending the morning in the bathroom with nausea or taking more naps and snack breaks, their pups realize that something’s up!
5. Detecting a shift in the pack order
Maybe the dog notices that hubby is being more dominant and protective of his pregnant wife. Maybe the woman–who’s moving slower and breathing harder–is showing more signs of vulnerability. If the dog detects that he is no longer the most important “baby” in the household, he may become more more clingy and needy. If he perceives the woman as being vulnerable or weak, he may become overprotective, or even bossy.
Was your pooch your pregnancy test?
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