7 THINGS YOUR DOG HATES ABOUT YOU

1) Different commands for a single reaction by the dog

Pay attention to how you are training your dog and the words you use to represent what. Using different words that mean the same thing will confuse the pet in the given situation. If a single word means two or more different things, you are simply confusing your dog. Therefore the entire family must use a common single word for each command it sends out to the dog.

Also dogs don’t perceive human language in the same way as we do. They are better at picking upon signals sent through our body language. The better way to go about training is to link a certain body movement or cue to the behavior you want your dog to produce. And do this over for each behavior your are looking to see from your dog.

2) Confusing the dog with different rules for the same behavior

If you set up rules of do's and don'ts but you are constantly switching these rules up or seems as if your mind isn't made up, this will confuse your dog. So if you have a set of rules, adhere to them. Many times pet owners make the mistake of approving a certain dog behavior and then reprimanding him/her for the same move another time. This will really confuse your pet and create feelings of stress and confusion. Let's do an example ; your pet comes and sits beside you and gives you the all familiar puppy face while you are eating. You then toss him some food to snack on; the next day your friend from work is over for lunch and your dog comes and does the same thing. This time however you get frustrated and yell at your dog 'till he leaves the room. These are two-standard behaviors which will perplex your dog and create confusion.



3) Expecting your dog to act like a civilized human

Do not punish or yell at your dog too often in the beginning. Things take time to learn even for human beings and it is no different for dogs. Expecting your dog to act exactly the way you would expect a grown human to act is just unrealistic. Dogs do not have the same concepts of cleanliness and or protecting valuable items that human beings have. They might chew on your shoes or walk into the living room with dirty paws from time to time. So take it easy on your dog in the beginning and remember that training is a gradual thing and your dog isn't going to act perfectly just like the way you imagined right off the start.

4) Tightly hugging the Pet

Humans interpret hugs as an expression of showing one’s affection, love and warmth to another individual. However this seemingly harmless human expression can sometimes have different meaning in the dog world. Sometimes dogs perceive hugs as exertion of authority/supremacy. A dog will show its domination by putting its paw onto the back of another canine. Sometimes a pet dog may tolerate being hugged by only a particular family member and feel completely afraid of the same action when attempted by another human. It is best to watch out for signs that spell out discomfort when it comes to dogs and hugs. Looking away and not making eye contact, trying to move away, bending its face in the opposite direction as yours, keeping his mouth sealed or licking its lips and pulling its ears backwards are indicative of a nervous body language. If you notice your dog withdrawing or exerting any of or all of these behaviors ,we advice maybe cut back on the hugs and squeezes.

5) Disturbing your dog’s sleep

If you ever need to wake up your dog from their many good sleeps , do it in a soft spoken manner and not in a overly disturbing way. Also a dog can easily be shocked at a sudden/impulsive touch while he/she is asleep. Especially a dog who has racked up some years and has lost lots of his senses of hearing and such might not be able to detect foot steps as well. So a sudden and abrupt touch or loud command might disturb the dog and frighten him. The best bet would be to allow a dog to wake up on its own, naturally! If you have children at home make sure you advise them to not bother the dog while the dog is sleeping.

6) Leaving your pet alone for long hours

Are you a super busy pet parent who just can't seem to make time to spendtime with your dog. Maybe you leave your dog at home alone for extended periodsof time. These things could begin to take a toll your dog and possibly lead your dog to develop separation anxiety and negative behaviors such as chewing on furniture or urinating in the house. The fact is dogs are very social animals and like to live in packs. So naturally when you adopt a dog, your dog will begin to perceive you as his/her pack member. If leaving the dog alone at home for a long period becomes inevitable, you must ask a friend or a relative to drop by each day and spend some time with the dog or take it for a stroll in the neighborhood. Sometimes an animal loving neighbor may be more than willing to offer help by looking after the dog at his/her home for the specific duration of the day.

7) Not providing the dog enough mental/physical stimulation & a chance to explore nature

Avoid keeping your dog at home or inside without exercise for too long. At the very least your dog needs at least an half-hour a day of exercise, maybe in the park or even just the back yard. Taking the dog each day for walks in and around the neighborhood is important (as a general rule a 15 minute stroll twice daily is good for most dog breeds). Dogs love to sniff around to detect peculiar smells and presence of exciting things along their path. Sniffing around is one of a dog's favorite activities, and they use it to understand the world around them. As eyes are to human beings, a nose is to a dog. Also when you let your dog out when it's time to pee, avoid rushing your dog back into the house. Give your dog time to take in the natural world by allowing it to breathe in various places. You can also introduce the pet to a new walking track every now and then to add some new excitement to the walk routine. Most importantly watch and study your dog, you would be surprised at how many things you will pick up about what your dog enjoys and doesn't enjoy.