Ten Things our dogs hate the most
My dogs, Misty and Cloudy
Source = Solf
By Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Pet owners everywhere will empathize with the need to know our dogs’ likes and dislikes, in spite of the looks that tell us that we might be pampering them a bit.
We may be stepping on our dog’s toes in more ways than one. It’s easy to be clueless about what these little missteps are, especially since with do them out of genuine love and concern for Fido.
To make our lives as pet owners a little easier, we can take a little time to get a grip on the little things that get a little on our dog’s nerves.
Why dogs hate baths
Source=self
Why it’s important to know what your dog hates
Knowing what you could be doing to annoy your dog is vital because that annoyance explains all the times he behaves out of turn. It allows you the time to make necessary changes to make living with your dog a little easier.
1. You need your little canine to trust you.
Knowing what you may unwittingly do to make your dog annoyed with you is the important like to the bond between you.
If you are aware of what your pet dislikes, it’s easier for you to communicate with and get his cooperation on necessary matters like housebreaking and feeding.
2. You need to socialize him.
Annoyance is the root of pet aggressiveness. Just as crossing a friend’s boundaries annoys him, the same happens with your pet.
Knowing the patterns allows you to properly socialize him or her.
3. He needs to feel wanted.
All children want to feel wanted, and so do all pets. Constantly crossing his boundary makes him feel a lack of respect that makes him aggressive.
4. All this takes time.
Building trust with a dog takes time, so it’s important to understand what annoys your dog beforehand.
Source=self
Our dogs get annoyed when ....
1. we use long words.
2. they are bored
3. we pamper them too much
4. we are inconsistent
5. we aren't calm
6. we punish them unnecessarily
7. they are forced to socialize when they aren't ready
8. they are teased
9. we ignore them
10. they eat the same food all the time.
10 things your dogs hate
Here are a few things we do that peeve our dogs without us realizing it.
1. We use more than two syllables.
A mistake that owners always make is to use words that have more than two syllables.
Dogs don’t care what their names are. They only hear sounds, and draw emotions through them.
Giving them a long lecture wouldn’t make a difference to their behavior, but a “no” with a firm voice would deter any behavior you need to.
Dogs read body language and know exactly where you stand, so your message can be communicated to them without you needing to use too many words.
2. Boredom kills.
There’s nothing more frustrating than to have nothing to do, whether for us or for our dogs.
WHen there’s nothing to do, dogs pick up annoying habits like chewing on your favorite carpets or slippers.
The boredom sometimes gets so bad that they even turn aggressive.
The solution to this is to give him something to do that will make him feel needed and valued. Parents know that this works well with their children. In the same way, it works with pets.
3. We give them too much.
We love our pets, so we tend to pamper them a little, dress them up and give them the best. We seldom allow it to igo unprotected.
The thing is, a dog needs to behave like one. He needs to run around and use its nose to detect scent.
4. We are inconsistent.
I experienced this with my own dog, Cloudy. I didn’t want her sleeping on the bed, but she looked so cute sleeping on it that at times I just gave in when she jumped up.
That’s always a no-no. A dog needs consistent boundaries, so sending him mixed messages leads to frustration and confusion for both you and him.
5. We tense up.
A child knows when mum or dad is angry. A dog does too. When we are agitated, that mood is communicated to our dogs and they start showing untoward behavior.
Some may become nervous and start crawling under the beds, but others might actually become a little aggressive when we are.
A calm but firm attitude is always the best mode of communication with your dog.
6 We punish our dogs for not doing tricks.
It’s unreasonable to cane a child just because he cannot solve a Maths problem. In the same way, it’s not logical to punish a dog for not being able to sit or stay.
Doing so will absolutely guarantee that it won’t do perform the trick again.
7. It’s forced to interact with dogs or people it dislikes.
Dogs feel uncomfortable around other dogs in the same way we feel uncomfortable around people.
Forcing a dog to interact will only ensure that it becomes more and more timid.
8. The dog is teased.
Cloudy used to be a victim of children who would hassle her whenever they passed by the window. They would bark just to hear her do the same.
Dogs will react with a bark to such teasing, simply because they find it annoying. And so it is.
If there are children in the home, set a few ground rules that help them determine the right behavior with the dog.
9. We ignore it.
Dogs are absolutely annoyed and frantic when they try to paw at you and are ignored.
We may find this cute or annoying behavior, but Fido is telling us that he desperately needs something.
Perhaps it’s time to figure out what he needs, before he gets into an accident on the carpet.
10. They get the same food all the time.
It’s just human instinct to feed our dogs the same food each meal because we know what it consists of. It’s known to be safe for our dogs.
If we eat the same thing eat each day, we’d lose our appetites. Dogs feel the same and
need a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables.
Do exclude those that are poisonous to dogs, like apple seeds or chocolate, which contains theobromine, a compound harmful to dogs.
Conclusion
Let’s try not to annoy our dogs, lest they do the same to us.
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Comments
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 29, 2014:
Thanks, Chitra!
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 29, 2014:
Thanks, Jackie!!
Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on April 28, 2014:
Very important and useful information for those who have dogs as pets! Lot of thought and care is required, when you have pets. I do have birds and fish aquarium at my home.
Thanks for this useful information!
Jackie Lynnley from the beautiful south on April 25, 2014:
Our dogs are our babies and since they can't fend for themselves (usually) we are all they have to make sure things are done right. Good job. ^
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 25, 2014:
Oh, they hate anything to wear for sure, Heidi!
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 25, 2014:
Thanks!
Heidi Thorne from Chicago Area on April 24, 2014:
All 10 are so true! I would add "Doesn't like to be dressed up." I've never been able to get my goldens to wear sweaters, etc., even if it's in their best interest to keep warm, etc. So I just let 'em run around "nekid."
I love the "more than two syllables" dislike. Even though dogs, surprisingly, have a very high communication capacity, people still try to treat them like humans on four legs. Not! So I try to keep things simple. Plus, they like some two-syllable words like "pizza" or "chicken." (Yeah, they're so spoiled!)
Voted up, interesting and sharing!
Philip Cooper from Olney on April 24, 2014:
Lovely hub....voted up.
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 24, 2014:
She is, Travmaj!!
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 24, 2014:
Dogs really are very sensitive!!
travmaj from australia on April 23, 2014:
I think I have the most relaxed hound ever. She's not fond of the wind, it puzzles her, she's always looking for it but carries on regardless. I put her in the perfect category - alright, yes, I am biased. Cheers Michelle
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
Lol! No, Deb, not the way you tease them. But when the kids make annoying noises just to provoke it, it's quite uncalled for. Thanks so much!
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
Thank you, Lisa
Maria Magdalena Ruiz O'Farrill from Borikén the great land of the valiant and noble Lord on April 23, 2014:
Our Chihuahua knows when there is emotional tension, and if I talk with emotion, it starts barking like crazy. Glad you wrote this because too many people don't appreciate animals.
Doris James MizBejabbers from Beautiful South on April 23, 2014:
Most people don't realize that dogs are pack animals and respond to a leader of the pack. One of the reasons dogs get unruly or even bored is because the owner is spoiling them and letting them get the upper hand. Be gentle, loving and kind, but like children, they must know that you are the pack leader.
Most dogs hate being dressed like a human or another animal (reindeer or bunny ears),, but some do appreciate a sweater in cold weather. I cringe whenever I see photos of dogs dressed in a pink tutu and having a "deer in the headlight expression". I had an exception once, though. Weeks after a circus left town, a little white dog that looked just like Little Lulu's Mops adopted us. I would dress her in my sister's doll clothes and she would ride in the doll stroller. She loved it. I named her Trixie because she would do tricks like jumping through hoops, so we finally figured out that the circus had left her behind.
Deborah Neyens from Iowa on April 23, 2014:
So it's wrong to tease my dog when she eats the cat food? ("Oh, look at the cute little kitty eating the cat food. Meow, little kitty.") But seriously, great, informative hub!
Lisa VanVorst from New Jersey on April 23, 2014:
A great hub from the perspective of a dog.
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
Hi TSmog, just added a few for your reference! I hope they will be helpful.
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
Thanks, Bill!
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
Have owned many throughout my life, DDE!
Tim Mitchell from Escondido, CA on April 23, 2014:
Wow! I have not ever considered these great points you share here. Considering a pet recently I have been reading articles on dogs. This article definitely opened my eyes. Thank you. I will search out other hubs you authored and recommended.
tim
Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on April 23, 2014:
Boredom kills! You are speaking for our Australian Shepherd....constant motion that dog.
Devika Primić from Dubrovnik, Croatia on April 23, 2014:
I don't like when other dogs steal food from my dog it is most frustrating. You certainly have a knowledge about our beautiful pets.
Michelle Liew (author) from Singapore on April 23, 2014:
We may not realize it, but some things make our dogs a little peeved.
