We’d like to think we know our dogs, right?
Our dogs have certain ways of letting us know what they like and dislike, and their personalities tell us when they’re happy and sad. But if you think about it – do you really know how your dog is feeling?
“It’s as ridiculous to say ‘dogs hate x’ as ‘people hate x’,” Prof. Alexandra Horowitz, a renowned dog cognition researcher at Columbia University, told IFLScience.
Here are 8 common things that we do as owners that our dogs really don’t like.
You might think you know what’s best for your dog, but it might actually be stressing them out.
1. Yanking them away from curious smells
“We don’t value smells much, but dogs live in an olfactory world. When you go on a walk with your dog, you are both seeing and smelling – but we are mostly seeing, and dogs are mostly smelling,” Horowitz explains.
“So the person who walks their dogs on a leash but constantly pulls them away from their attempts to sniff every curb, fireplug, tree, invisible-thing-in-grass, other dogs… that’s got to be horrible for the dog. They are just trying to see the world.”
2. Stifling their independence
Although dogs are our best friends, they are actually quite independent animals. When your dog develops too much of a dependence on you, they can develop anxiety which can result in bad behavior.
Battersea Cats And Dogs Home says that you can “discourage neediness and reduce dog stress in the long term by gradually promoting independence.” Try setting up baby gates around the house so that they can’t follow you to practice independence and alone time.
3. Your own fears and anxieties
There have been some studies that have shown that your attitude can have an effect on your dog’s behavior issues. One study said that anxious owners are more likely to make psychological use of their dogs to cope with their own emotions. This can result in inconsistent behavior patterns, “perhaps on some occasions rewarding or punishing the same behavior,” it says.
4. ‘Guilt shaming’ them
Okay, we’ve all done it – laughed at pictures of dogs being ‘shamed’ for their misbehavior. Dogs might feel guilt, but as it turns out, this type of behavior isn’t actually showing it – they’re just responding to your scolding and appeasing you. So, now – they’ll adopt this guilty expression whenever they are anticipating a scolding, whether or not they did anything wrong.
5. Putting them in confinement during fireworks
It’s no secret that dogs experience major anxiety during fireworks. While they should be kept inside, they should be kept confined to one small room as they can hurt themselves trying to escape. “Dogs may also be most comfortable curled up in their usual spot with you rather than a designated ‘safe place’, so allow them access to all safe areas of the house,” says Battersea.
6. New places with strangers
A 2014 study found that stress in dogs increases when they are put in a new environment and were pet by someone that they didn’t know and weren’t with a person that they live with.So if you have a new dog sitter, you might want to spend time with your dog and this ‘stranger’ before you leave. Some dogs are more social than others so this might not be the case with your dog.
7. Poorly timed walks
Walking your dog is so wonderful for both them and you. You get exercise, so do they, and it also provides them with social and psychological benefits as well. But there are certain times of the day or year that might cause them stress or harm. For example, walking them at noon on hot summer day might feel good to you, but it could burn their paw pads.
8. Hugging
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“While it’s natural for us to demonstrate caring by wrapping our arms around our companions, such behavior is likely activating a primal stress response in dogs, says Stanley Coren, a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia who specializes in canine psychology,” according to Discover Magazine. “Instead of giving dogs a hug, it may be better to approach them on their terms, with a kind word, friendly scratch behind the ears or a yummy treat.”
