Do you love your dog?
Even if you love your dog to bits, there is still a good chance that you are doing some things that annoy her or make her uncomfortable. You're not a bad person for doing these things — sometimes it's just hard to tell when your dog is upset.
A good way of figuring out if your dog is stressed is by checking to see if her eyes are worried. The whites of her eyes will start to show, and she will look very worried. Her body language will also get timid and frightened.
However, there are things that will annoy your dog, though it won't illicit a noticeable response. Dogs can get frustrated and ticked off just like we do, and if we push them too far, they can even get aggressive and defensive. If dogs are too annoyed, they can also develop behavioral issues.
These are 11 things that could seriously annoy your dog, and I bet that a lot of us do most of them on a regular basis. If you want to give your pooch the happiest and healthiest life, you should make sure to stay very aware of how you treat your pet.
Please SHARE this important information with all the dog parents out there!
1. Staring
Dogs really don't like it when we stare at them for too long because they take it as a challenge. You should never try to have a staring contest with your dog, as she'll think that you're trying to intimidate her.
2. Hugging Too Tightly
This will depend on the dog, but usually, dogs don't like it when they're squeezed too tightly. According to a study done at the University of British Columbia, 81.6 percent of dogs photographed while being hugged were visibly uncomfortable.
3. Teasing
Pretending to throw the ball while keeping it in your hand drives your dog absolutely nuts. She's just trying to play with you, and here you are keeping the fun away while also greatly confusing her.
4. Ignoring Her Or Leaving Her Alone
Dogs are pack animals, which means they prefer to be social and part of a group. Everyone in your household is part of your dog's pack, and when you're all gone for long periods of time, she feels alienated and alone. Ideally, your grown dog should not be left alone for more than four hours a day.
5. Leaving Her With Too Many Dogs
Your pup might get anxious if surrounded by too many other dogs in a dog park or a doggy day care. Make sure you aren't overwhelming your dog by surrounding her with too many other dogs, especially if she is already a timid pooch.
6. Waking Her Up Suddenly
Abruptly interrupting your dog's sleep is jarring and, quite frankly, rude! How would you like to be suddenly woken up by a loud noise or someone petting you on the head in the middle of a really great dream? My assumption is that you wouldn't like it one bit.
7. Yelling
Even if you aren't yelling directly at your dog, it can stress her out. Shouting at the TV or at a burned pot of rice can scare your pup and make her think that you are angrily barking at something. No one likes to be in a tense and negative environment, including your dog.
8. Neglecting To Stick To A Schedule
Dogs like to have some stability in their schedules, so feeding and walking them at roughly the same time every day makes them happy campers. Don't you like to know what your day is going to be like when you wake up in the morning? Your dog feels the same way.
9. Creating Scary Sounds
If your dog doesn't like the sound of the vacuum cleaner, try to gradually introduce her to it rather than just exposing her to it all at once. You can temporarily avoid creating loud sounds she doesn't like, but also reward her when she gets brave and confronts her fears on her own.
10. Using Too Many Words
If anyone is guilty of talking to their pet like they understand English, it's me. Dogs can get frustrated and confused when you use too many words in a command. Dogs love to learn new tricks and want to listen to you, but they can only understand simple commands and very short phrases. Imagine if someone was trying to ask you for something in a language you do not speak. Annoying, right?
11. Not Letting Her Sniff
Dogs love to sniff in order to get a handle on their surroundings. They get lots of messages from other dogs about territory when they are allowed to sniff around during a walk. If you pull her away before she can get the full message, she'll be left totally unfulfilled.
Do you ever do any of these things to your dog? Please SHARE with family and friends on Facebook!
