9 Things Your Dog Wants You To Stop Doing

Hey there, animal lovers! There’s nothing better than learning about dogs, right? Winning your puppy’s affection is one of life’s great rewards. We will be discussing YOUR BEHAVIOR. Things you do out of love but your dog wants you to stop. Does patting their head annoy them? What about hugging? Do dogs really hate it when there’s no rules and routine?

Patting their heads

That’s right, your dogs can’t stand it. Before we go into the many reasons, just imagine someone patting your head every now and then. Whether it was out of love or not, I would still be annoyed after a while. Your dog might not show how frustrated they are, but believe me, they’re turning red inside. Some may try and lie down, but that’s just them asking you to politely stop. In the dog world, this is perceived as a threat. Just like how looking them straight in the eye is taken as a threat. It’s a really bad idea to do this to a dog you don’t know. Walking up to a stray dog and patting them right on the head could give them the wrong signal. On the offside, have you ever tried to make friends with dogs you aren’t familiar with? How do you approach them? Share your experience and tips with the Bestie community in the comments below.

Hugging

When you’ve worked hard all day, returning home is such a relief. And on top of that, you have your fur baby wagging its tail to express their happiness. How can you not want to hug that adorable fluffy pooch? Well you might want to hold off, because your dog isn’t too happy. Dogs do not enjoy hugs, especially from strangers. Putting arms around another is a classic act of dominance that they themselves use. So when you do it, your dog takes it as a sign of aggression. You might say they tolerate it, but they don’t enjoy the feeling. Is there a way out? A middle ground? Because we all love hugging our dogs. Yes, let your dog cuddle on its own terms. If it’s an unfamiliar dog, pat them on the back and chest first. And of course, there will be exceptions. Some will love to cuddle. Take cues from their body language.

Not letting them sniff

Yeah, not letting them sniff other people’s butt is fine. That’s basic manners. Even though this is how dogs operate in the wild, it is impolite for them to do it to people. But we aren’t talking about this sniffing. When you take your dog on a walk, you will notice how they like to sniff at everything. To dogs, it’s like seeing the world but with their noses. Rushing them through their walk and not allowing them to sniff around is unkind. It’s like somebody grabbing you by the arm and taking you on a walk without letting you look at anything. If that happened each and everyday, wouldn’t you be frustrated? So the next time you take your dog on a walk, be patient. Don’t rush them and let your fur baby see and smell around. Walks are more than just exercise for them!

Having no rules

I wonder how life would be if you didn’t have to follow any rules. Pretty crazy, right? But then imagine if you had no routine, no rules, no basic daily plan. It would be exciting at first, but then boring. Believe it or not having a routine keeps life interesting. Your dog might act like it doesn’t like rules, but they sure do and they need them. Train your dog properly and have a schedule for them. Your fur baby has an internal clock. They really look forward to events like feeding, walks and exercise. Feed them at the same hours everyday, and have a specified time too for activities and outdoor adventures. You will notice that your dog is much happier. A predictable world makes your dog more confident.

Yelling

Nobody likes to be yelled at. This is also the case with your dog. Whether you’re yelling at your dog or at someone else, the animal gets nervous and afraid. Dogs do not understand words but they pick up the tone and emotions behind it. Your dog knows your angry tone and will get stressed. If you have a sensitive dog that easily gets scared, your yelling is going to upset them A LOT. It doesn’t matter if you’re yelling at it for chewing on the carpet or peeing in the hall, your dog just doesn’t understand. And no, tough love doesn’t work either. Yelling or spanking them is a BAD idea. It won’t understand a thing. Instead, they’ll become stressed, afraid and miserable. Only positive reinforcements will work. Correct your dog’s behavior by redirecting it towards the positive. And when it does the right thing, do not forget to reward it.

Strong smells

Did you know your dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than yours? Now imagine how irritating strong smells, especially chemical fragrances would feel to them. I’ve had headaches from strong perfumes and had to throw the whole bottle out. A dog is definitely several times more sensitive. While dogs do sniff a lot and enjoy taking in all kinds of scents, it’s the strong chemicals that irritate the delicate lining inside their noses. They also get colds and infected sinuses just like us. So what should you do? It’s pretty basic. Don’t spray anything directly on the animal, or their bed and belongings. If there is anything you do need to spray for medical reasons, do it while avoiding the dog’s face. As for your products like perfumes, hairsprays and facial mists, spray them while you’re away from your dog. Make sure there are no toxic ingredients in them.

Dressing them up

This is a grey area for several dog owners. Chances are you’re pretty conflicted right about now. People love getting them into little costumes and taking pictures. Like some things we’ve already mentioned, dogs tolerate this, but don’t enjoy it. The Christmas get up you put on them is for your personal pleasure. The dog isn’t happy wearing it. In fact, if they weren’t gradually introduced to wearing clothes throughout the years, they probably despise this tradition. If you still want to dress them up, be mindful of their tolerance levels. Most of them are somewhat okay with wearing shirts but find clothes covering the head and feet irritating. If you need to get them to wear clothes due to cold, start with lightweight clothing first. And of course, always reward them with a treat.

Getting in their personal space

Nobody likes people crowding them. Not even dogs. Imagine how you would feel if someone got right in your face. It makes you want to go crazy, right? It’s the same with dogs. They dislike it when you rush towards them or tower them. Also, avoid putting your hands in your pooch’s face. There might be instances where you actually do need to get in your dog’s personal space. Like leaning their ears or cutting their nails. Use a positive reinforcement technique here. Calm your dog down and reward it with treats. Be alert while you do what needs to be done. If your dog looks scared, step away.

Using Words More Than Body

Language Being too vocal is the best way to confuse your dog. When you’re relying on words to communicate, you’re just confusing the poor pooch. Dogs pick up on emotions and body language. When you say “time for a walk”, your dog gets excited. That’s not because it understands what you said. It’s because it reads the excitement in your voice. Your dog doesn’t care what language you’re using. How you say it matters more than what you say. This is why yelling at your dog hours after it peed on your favorite blanket doesn’t work. Your dog doesn’t understand why you’re angry or what you’re saying. Instead, show them through body language and signals. Did you know about all of these before watching? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!

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