Have you ever noticed your dog always using one paw first—whether it’s for shaking, reaching, or scratching?
It’s not random.
Dogs, like humans, can be left- or right-pawed. And science has something to say about it.

Not every dog you meet will come bounding toward you with tail wags and wet kisses.
Some are cautious. Nervous. Skittish.
Maybe they’ve experienced trauma, or maybe they’re just wired to be more fearful of new people or environments.

So how do you convince a skittish dog to go with you—whether you’re a groomer, sitter, rescuer, or just a kind stranger trying to help?

It’s not just your imagination—your dog might be your mirror.

You’ve probably noticed it before: the husky guy with the stocky bulldog. The high-energy woman with the bouncy border collie. Or maybe… you looked at your own pup and thought, “Are we kind of twinning right now?”

Turns out, it’s not just a cute coincidence.
Science shows we tend to choose dogs that both look and behave like us.

Whether you’re gone for 5 hours or 5 minutes, your dog reacts like you’ve returned from a long journey.
The bouncing. The tail wags. The happy grumbles. It’s not just adorable — it’s meaningful.

The way you reconnect with your dog after being apart plays a critical role in their mental and emotional stability. In fact, dogs interpret your reunion cues as confirmation of their security, status, and bond with you.

Your dog may not speak English, but make no mistake — they’re constantly interpreting your words, your tone, and your energy. In fact, studies show that the average dog can understand between 165 to 250 human words, and some extraordinary pups can learn over 1,000 unique commands.

That means your dog may be operating at the cognitive level of a two to two-and-a-half-year-old human child. But here’s where it gets even more fascinating — dogs don’t just hear words; they comprehend meaning, intention, and emotion.