I believe that dogs like some people more than others, but most the time the like people who meet their needs and are kind to them.  We have one Tibetan Spaniel who is so sensitive that he will hide under the bed if we raise or voices, even when we are just discussing things.  When we first came to live in our home, he was definately my husband's dog, and he stuck to him like glue.  I did almost all the same things that he did with him, but for some reason he took to my husband first.  Lately my husband has been going places where he could take the dog with him, but the little guy shows us who he wants to be with.  I was sitting on the bed and he was up there with me, but way down at the other end, and when my husband asked him if he wanted to go with him or stay home with me, he got up and came down and cuddled up with his head in my lap, indicating he wanted to stay home with me.  They have a way of sometimes reading your mind, and while I do not have any real proof of that, we have seen it in ther behaviour more than one time.  I have another little dog who considers himself "my dog" but when he thinks I am giving the other dog more attention, he will sit away from me and turn his head around just enough to see what I am doing, and give me a dirty look or just enough to look at  me out of the corner of his eye.  As I said, I do not have any way of knowing for shure