EXCLUSIVE: Giada’s Leaky Confession About the Dog Who Secretly Runs Her Kitchen

Giada De Laurentiis admits the real star of her kitchen has fur and four legs.

Latest revision: April 28, 2026

Her path to pet parenthood began with a meeting that felt fated. The chef, who shares daughter Jade, welcomed her first dog in 2005, and the household was never the same.

She adopted with the same intentionality she brings to a menu, growing her pack to two beloved companions. The dogs became the soft landing after long days of filming and travel.

The devotion even inspired a dog-friendly café concept, a space where her love of animals and entertaining could collide. It was Giada being Giada—turning affection into an experience.

Then came Meatball, a pup whose name says it all. For Giada he embodied comfort, the kind of unconditional warmth that no review can replicate.

The bond runs global—there’s even a Tokyo tale involving a 7-Eleven run and a dog that stole the moment, a story Giada recounts with a laugh about 30-something chaos and canine charm.

Her message to fans is warm but firm: a rescue dog won’t just fill your house, it’ll season your whole life. The kitchen, she says, tastes better with paws on the tile.

Flicking a toy: Your dog holds a toy in his mouth and tosses it forward toward you—he wants something to eat or drink.

Rolling over: Your dog wants scratches, using body language to steer your petting toward his belly.

Plunging head-first under an object or human: Get my toy or bone!

Understanding what your dog is saying through these gestures goes a long way toward strengthening your bond and meeting his needs.

Read on for all 19 of the study’s recorded canine actions and what each one means.

How to roll over = “scratch me; rub my tummy”

Pic: Daxiao Productions (stock)

Looks like: Rolling onto one side and exposing the chest, stomach, and groin

How to head under = “get me my toy”

Behavior: Diving headfirst under furniture or a person

Head forward = “scratch me or give me food/drink” (also, less often, “open the door”)

Visual by diignat / Stock photo

Looks like: Moving the head forward and up to direct a human’s hand to a spot on the body

Understanding hind leg stand = “i’m hungry or i want your attention”

Visual by Aleks Simonov / Stock photo

Looks like: Lifting the front paws off the ground and standing on the hind legs, front paws not resting on anything

Back leg up = “scratch me”

Looks like: Lifting one back leg while lying on one side

Head turn = “get me that”

Looks like: Head turned side to side, usually between a human and an object of interest

Shuffle = “scratch me”

Visual by PixieMe / Stock photo

Looks like: Shuffling the whole body along the ground in short moves, while in a rollover position

Paw hover = “give me that object I desire”

Looks like: Holding one paw in mid-air while sitting

Crawl under = “get me my toy”

Looks like: Moving all or part of the body underneath an object or a human’s limb

How to jump = “give me food/drink or open the door”

Looks like: Jumping up and down off the ground, a human, or an object, usually staying in one spot

Flick Toy = “feed me / give me something to drink”

Looks like: Holding a toy in the mouth and throwing it forward, usually toward a human

Paw reach = “give me that”

Looks like: Placing one or both paws under another object to retrieve a desired item

Nose = “scratch me”

Looks like: Pressing the nose (or face) against an object or human

Lick = “pet me”

Looks like: Licking an object or human once or repeatedly

How to front paws on = “open it”

Behavior: Raising both front paws and placing them on an object or human

Paw rest = “scratch me”

Behavior: Lifting one front paw and resting it on an object or person

Head rub = “pet me”

Looks like: Rubbing the head against an object or human that the dog is leaning on

Chomp = “play with me”

Looks like: Opening the mouth and placing it over a human’s arm while gently biting down, repeatedly

Paw = “I want”—used to express a desire, most often a toy, but also food, water, petting, or a door opened

Looks like: Lifting a single front paw to briefly touch an object or human

Want to learn more about your pup’s behaviour? Learn more about reading your dog’s signals.