All owners are guilty of at least one of these and most of us are guilty of all of them! It’s easy to forget our dogs are not humanoids wrapped up in furry little packages because they are such important family members and are so intuitive. Here are some things owners do that drive their dogs nuts!
- Talking to our dogs as though they understand every word we say. Dogs are very smart and can deduce our meaning when we drop familiar words into the conversation, “do you want to play BALL?” “Do you have to go OUTSIDE?” “I’m hungry, are you hungry, would you like a TREAT?” They also perk up at our inflections and read our body language so we’re easily convinced that they understand everything we say, but sadly, they don’t. However, they are patient listeners and loving companions but one has to wonder if they ever feel like we would if we were spoken to all day by a person whose language we could not understand.
- Dog experts agree that dogs don’t like to be hugged and that it is a sign of dominance but most dog owners are convinced it isn’t so. We love to hug our fur kids and lucky for us, they usually tolerate it. However, it is a good idea to be aware of your dog’s body language, especially if being hugged by strangers or unfamiliar kids. But if your dog tolerates or even seems to enjoy your hugs, hug till your heart’s content.
- Dogs are social, pack animals so they must like all other dogs, right? Wrong. Not all dogs enjoy other dogs and some dogs can just be very picky about who they choose to associate with so if you seem to be forcing your dog to have fun with other dogs, it could be that they truly are not enjoying themselves and would rather just hang out with you.
- Taking the dog for walks along the same path without the chance to explore with their sniffer is frustrating. Sure, all dogs need to walk obediently on a leash but they also need some nasal stimulation and love exploring the world. So next time you’re on a walk, how about rewarding your dog for the perfect heel but letting him smell the roses so to speak. You can even associate a command with this special time, if you so choose.
- Keeping your dog on a short, tight leash causes excitement, stress, and tension. By letting the leash go slack, you communicate to your dog that everything is fine and dandy and are not transferring tension to the dog. Next time you go for a walk, try letting the leash go slack and watch how your dog reacts and rises to the occasion when you show your dog some trust.
- Just like people, dogs don’t like to be teased. While we might think its funny, being the butt of a joke is not pleasant for the dog and can cause frustration. If you doubt this, simply replace teasing behavior with a game and compare the dog’s body language.
- Dogs don’t like to be bored. Lack of fun and excitement can really be a drag for dogs. Live it up, play, interact, try new things, explore new areas, be the life of your dog’s party. No dog likes to hang around a yawn all the time.
- Dogs can feel your stress and tension and it causes them to feel anxious. While no one goes through life stress free, constant stress in the home can cause the best behaved dog to act out and feel insecure.
- Lack of leadership and structure actually is detrimental to dogs. As much as dogs act like they want to be in charge, in reality, they look to you for social structure, rules, guidance, etc. and do best with a routine and consistency. By enforcing simple rules, tolerating only certain behaviors, feeding at scheduled times, and providing potty and play breaks consistently, we will reap the benefit of a happier, healthier, well behaved dog.
- Most dogs love to be touched but constantly being patted on the head can be annoying. Pat your dog on the head and watch the dog’s body language. Most dogs will move slightly away. They’d rather have their chin scratched, ears rubbed, cheek stroked. This is especially true when they meet new people. Maybe dogs are like their owners because most people don’t like their heads patted either.
10 THINGS PEOPLE DO THAT DRIVE THEIR DOGS NUTS
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