If your dog has a favourite family member, is it the person who spends most time with them?

[Teeh]

Hope that question makes sense. I am meaning family members who live with dog. Not novelty people who visit like grandparents who are more interesting cos they are different. But in terms of who gets the dog on their lap or at their feet watching tv. Does it tend to be the perso. Who does the most- plays with them, feeds them, walks them. Or does that not factor?

Interesting question. We have a working line (but pet) Lab and he's quite aloof. He just wants to sit where he is comfy, he doesn't care who else is there. Once food is involved, he will do anything for anyone! And he loves a walk and/or a play. He is a bit unsettled initially when DH and/or younger DS leave the house, I think because DH works from home so is around the most, and he's quite protective of our younger son (still primary age). So arguably he's most bonded to DH who does about 1/3 - 1/2 of the walks and only feeds him about 1/4 of the time if that.. But who is at home the most albeit not in the same room (dog's choice).

Ddog absolutely has a favourite person and it's not muggins here who gets up with him every day, makes sure he is fed, watered and exercised and even sleeps with him on the sofa if he's got a bee in his bonnet about something. It's my DM who is some sort of dog whisperer, he's been known to literally wet himself with joy at seeing her come in to visit some times.

Yes. I’m at home most of the time and everyone else comes and goes. He loves them, but I’m his “one”.

Yes - it’s me, and I spend the most time with him and do the fun stuff. He’s my shadow. He loves DH as well but he prefers the various women in his life.

Yes it is. Ours is my absolute Velcro dog, love her to bits but she drives me nuts sometimes (she's very licky!)
I work part time, so she's with me the bulk of the hours, sits next to me on the sofa, sleeps next to me in bed etc

Follows me everywhere!

Second in the queue would be DS1, who's away at Uni. He's very playful with her, and probably takes her on the best walks when he's home. She's beside herself when he pulls on the driveway!

My dog prefers me when I go to work hell sleep till I get home and will only eat when I'm in the house even tho he is never left on his own.
He will be on my lap or at my side, follow me all around the house, sleeps in my bed.
When I'm not at work he's with me all of the time.
Hes from a back yard breeder, he attached himself to me as soon as I picked him up, I am the one that does everything with him since a pup and he's ten now. So I'd definitely say he favours me over others.

We have three dogs. One is very definitely all for me. I got him when I was very unwell and he spent alot of time looking after me tbh in his own doggy way and so I'm his person. The second Dog absolutely adores my dh (despite him coming along 3 years after him-she was my dog before I met him). Our third dog seems to like dh and I equally. I've probably spent the most time with all three, and I definitely do all the feeding and walking.

That is cute. Does he cope when you go away for longer stretches orr holiday ?

Not feeding scraps at the table!

My Cockers (11) favourite is my eldest daughter (11) - DD wasn’t even alive when I bought the cocker home. BUT cocker has slept by her crib or bed every night since. Daughter feeds her and walks her (with me) and does everything for her but has only done that the last few years.

Goldens favourite is me - I feed and walk him. But he’s a bit of a floozy and shares his love with anyone.

My foster fails (15 year old cocker) favourite is my youngest DD who is six and is too young to do anything but she dotes on foster fail and gives her more attention that DP, me or DD1 could. Foster fail came to us because her (elderly) owners died and she was clearly incredibly pampered and loved - and my DD can give her that.

I’m a firm believer that dogs choose their humans - yes feeding and walking and playing can help, but some dogs do just bond to particular people and there’s no rhyme or reason.

I'm my dogs favourite probs because I do everything. I’m up with him now. He slept on the bed last night, I woke up terrified that I had suffocated him! He’s fine and just fabulous.

I am the favourite, if we come home together, she will completely brush past & ignore my husband to get to me. I took her to puppy training classes, walk & feed her. Care for her when she's poorly & we sit together on the sofa. But also, I play her with & talk to her all of the time, especially WFH. I'm an interactive person, husband not so much. He is however the cat's favourite 😻

That just common sense though, none of ours get tit bits either.

They both gravitate toward me, but then I'm the one who feeds, walks and plays with them the most so it makes sense. One of them adores a particular friend of DS'. Although his family don't have pets, the lad just has a great way with him, and he's not the easiest dog to manage or befriend.

Not really the case for all. Our oldest ‘house’ dog is mine through and through but I had him before I even met dh/had kids etc so that makes sense. Younger ‘house’ dog is obsessed with my husband, who’s barely here due to work! She likes me but I’m certainly not her favourite. She’s my son’s dog really, they’re both three and the best of pals.
Farm dogs, two of three are ‘mine’ and would follow me anywhere, ones a traitorous bugger and would knock me off a cliff to get to my husband 😂
I do 90% of the day to day care for the lot of them.

Ddog thinks the sun shines out of DHs behind! She completely adores him.

She likes the rest of us. But as soon as she hears his footsteps, that's it, other people may as well not exist!

To be fair he does most of the feeding/ walking and the adoration runs both ways 🤣

Yes with mine but I know a friends dog is besotted with her husband and goes in to a funk if he goes away for a couple days. She is home far more than him but he does do most of the dog walking.

He can also tell before I can if I'm upset or getting worked up about something because he plonks himself in my lap and cuddles me
I havent had a holiday in ten years and I certainly can't go out for the night.
I remember years ago I went out a couple of nights in a row and he made himslef ill and hasnt been ill since.

A new vet that we had seen for the first time and she commented on how attached he was too me (don't know how she could tell) and she suggested I have nights away without him, but I haven't.
I can't see the point of stressing him out like that, he'd probably starve himself.

I don't think it's good for him to be so attached but I mean I'm attached to him too and don't think I'd like to leave him anyway.
Hes the love of my life.

We have a working lab. I’m the one who’s around the most, does most of the feeding, training, exercise, grooming. She would pick my other half in a heartbeat over me, traitor. I tell myself that it’s because he’s a compulsive treat and snack giver😬😂

Our schnauzer (9) appears to love us all the same. I spend by far the most time with him but he gets equally excited about whoever returns home, comes for cuddles with all of us and can be found during the day with whoever is sitting down.
However if he doesn’t feel well (has colitis and pancreatitis) he’s def mine and if he needs out urgently he comes for me. He also sleeps at my feet at night even though everyone else is available!

No, my dog is a daddy's boy. Even though we spend about the same amount of time with him these days, I spent much more time with him in the first 7 years of his life, but he definitely loves dh more than me!

Our dog is a one man dog-dh.
He walks him and feeds him and loves the bones of that dog.

You would think so but the amount of people I know that think it’s ok 🙄

DH spends more time with our dog as he WFH full time whereas I have to go into the office a few times a week, but he is definitely a mumma’s boy and I am totally his favourite (which DH 100% ruefully admits).