Dogs are capable of feeling a wide range of emotions. They can be happy and excited, but they can also feel sad and hurt. And there are many circumstances that can crush a dog’s spirit.
In this video, we will talk about 15 surprising ways you could be hurting your dog's feelings.
Calling them for something they don’t like
Dogs get excited when you call them because they expect attention, treats or rewards. When you call your pet when something unpleasant is about to happen, like being forced into a bathtub or leaving the dog park, it can hurt their feelings.
Pushing them away
Do you push your dog away when they try to climb in your lap and give you kisses? Constantly rejecting or ignoring your dog’s attempts to get attention can hurt their feelings.
A dog’s life revolves around the love and support they anticipate from their human.
Pulling on your dog’s tail, scaring them during a deep sleep, letting your kids ride a big dog, and offering your pet a treat and then pulling it away—such behaviors confuse and agitate your dog. Moving a dog’s dish while they eat, pretending to throw the ball and then hiding it behind your back, and playing keep-away without ever letting the dog have the toy isn’t fun for your pet.
Skipping the small stuff
Skipping your dog’s heart worm medications. Ignoring non-stop scratching at ears, paws, face, which can signal food allergies or fleas. Allowing their nails to grow too long that they snag them around the house. Not checking their ears for mites or infection, even when they shake their head repeatedly. These are things that can harm your dog’s well-being.
Being a Party Pooper
Dogs want to be able to take their time when they go out for walks. Aside from doing their business, they also like to have some time to explore and sniff. Rushing your dog through a walk without allowing them to stop is unkind.
Ignoring their pain
Dogs don’t speak human language so it's often up to pet owners to decipher clues about their dog's condition.
Whether it is an eye-irritant that causes frequent blinking, or an injury that makes your dog lick an area of its body repeatedly, it is up to us to recognize the subtle signs and give them the help they need.
Punishing them
Hitting your dog and scolding them does inform your pet that you are angry, but they’ll have no idea why. Rubbing their nose in their pee or poop when they’ve had an accident will leave them petrified and confused. Anger does not teach your dog to “behave,” it simply teaches them to be afraid of you. It leads to hurt feelings, anxiety, and lack of trust. One of the basic needs a dog has is to feel safe and secure in your home.
Not Providing Mental Stimulation
A bored dog means a sad dog. Humans can do a lot of different things with their lives, but your dog is limited to the home you provide them with.
Try walking your pup more often or providing some puzzle toys that will keep them entertained while you’re away at work. Consider enrolling you pooch in doggy daycare and ensure your dog has access to a window so they can see what’s going on outdoors.
Being Put Away When Friends come over
Dogs are very social animals. Keeping your dog in the backyard and ignoring them when your friends come over is like solitary confinement for your dog and it leads to hurt feelings and anxiety.
Forcing them into a situation they dislike
Dogs may have specific fears about the weirdest things. They can be afraid of thunder, skateboards, fireworks, vacuum cleaner, or even dominant dogs in the dog park.
What they need at these times is to be calmly and quietly removed from the upsetting situation. The worst you can do is to make fun of their fears.
Shouting
Dogs fear loud noises of any kind – vacuum cleaners, thunder, motorcycles. Yelling is another noise that will make them anxious or scared. Dogs need limits–but you’ll be more successful by encouraging good behaviors with a calm and reassuring voice rather than scolding them when they’re bad.
Ear cropping and tail docking
Docking and cropping are often done for appearance’s sake, like making the dog appear tougher or more aggressive.
Regardless of whether you like the look, a dog's ears should never be cropped. It causes dogs nothing but pain and trauma.
Using the Crate as a Punishment
A crate, when properly introduced as a happy and rewarding place, provides your pet a secure haven of their very own.
But if you send your dog to her crate as a punishment, and even worse, yell and lock them in, it will contradict the “safe space” mindset and cause your dog to fear the crate instead of feeling comfortable in it.
Ignoring Them After You Have A Baby
Some pet owners ignore their dogs when they bring a baby into their home. This can be a difficult time for a dog because they’re no longer the center of the attention. Don’t ignore your furry friend. Give your dog plenty of attention when the baby is around.
