10 Human Actions Dogs Are Upset About

Dogs can’t hide their emotions, that’s why you can easily see what mood they’re in. If a dog wags its tail and barks happily when seeing its owner, it’s crystal clear how it feels at the moment. However, it’s not that easy to recognize the feelings of resentment or sadness in a dog. In this article, you’ll find out what can make your pet upset and how the 2 of you can find ways to understand each other.

At Bright Side, we’ve put together 10 of the most common things that can spoil the mood of your pet.

You let strangers pet your dog.

If a child comes up to your a dog or a stranger tries to pet it while saying, “What a lovely dog!” — the best thing you can do is politely tell them “no.” Your dog’s character or mood can be different, and even the most sociable and kind dog can be reactive. If you let everyone touch your dog, you cause it to be stressed out and you stop being a leader in your dog’s eyes.

You haven’t set a daily routine for your dog.

Your dog has its biological clock, which is why routine is so important for it. Consistency and the daily routine makes the world predictable to it, so the animal becomes more confident and its level of stress decreases. Try to feed, walk, and train your dog at the same time every day. Just a few days after you’ve started practicing a daily routine, you’ll notice that your dog has become happier.

You like to dress up your dog.

If you haven’t trained your dog to wear clothing since it was a puppy, you’ll find it difficult to dress it in its older age. It’s OK to put a sweater or a coat on your dog if it’s cold during walks, but hats and costumes make it uncomfortable.

You pull on your dog’s leash.

Your pet becomes upset if:

• You forbid it to sniff around. A walk for a dog isn’t just a time when it can relieve itself, it’s also an opportunity to get to know the surrounding territory. That’s why your pet will become upset if you drag it away from trees and curbs all the time.
• You pull the leash. Dog specialists say that a leash is a means of communication between an owner and their dog. You shouldn’t let your dog drag you around either, if your pet is not listening to you, stop. As soon as the leash becomes loose and the dog looks at you, you can continue your walk. Don’t forget to take treats with you to encourage your dog’s good behavior.
• A leash that is too short makes the animal nervous. If you let your dog walk on a long leash, you make it clear that everything is under your control and that there is no danger. This way, it will be easier for you to walk your dog because it won’t feel constant tension.

You don’t take your dog’s fear of water seriously.

It’s pretty rare for a dog to like taking a bath. Even the breeds who love swimming in lakes, lying in puddles, and running through lawn sprinklers can hate taking baths. Dogs don’t like the sound of running water or the slippery surface. So, if you want to reduce your dog’s stress, place a slip-resistant mat in the bottom of the tub, give it treats, and compliment it for its good behavior.

You yell at your dog.

• If your puppy isn’t yet trained enough to wait for a walk and leaves puddles on the floor, your yelling at it will only make things worse. If you punish your dog physically or yell at it, it won’t become more trained, it will just become afraid of you.
• Don’t yell at your dog. Dogs are afraid of loud sounds and can’t understand what you want from them. Gestures are much more effective. If you’re unhappy with your dog’s behavior, take a certain pose of your choosing, and make an upset facial expression. Usually, this is enough for your pooch to realize that it’s at fault.
• Never use the dog’s sleeping place as a punishment.

You tease your pet.

What’s funny for a human, can be hurtful and offensive for an animal. Barking, pulling a dog’s tail, and teasing with food or a toy is not right. You’ll get only behavior problems and not mutual understanding.

You don’t play with your dog enough.

If you can’t find enough time to play with your pooch, be prepared to have it damage a lot of things when you’re not home. Your pet needs to release its energy, and if you can’t help it with this, it will find its own way. And you definitely won’t like it. Playing with your dog is important. It should develop your dog’s physical stamina (for example, running) and intelligence (for example, playing hide and seek with you).

You leave your pet alone.

Dogs are social animals and they don’t like to be by themselves. Of course, you can’t spend all of your time with your dog, but you can decrease the level of its anxiety.

• Spend as much time as possible with your dog when you’re at home. Don’t forget to play with your pooch.
• Follow a precise schedule. The animal should know the time when you leave home and when you come back.
• Buy different toys so that your dog can entertain itself while you’re away.

You are depressed.

If you’ve noticed that your dog is sad, pay attention to your own state of mind. Your pet feels your mood, and if you feel bad, your dog can become depressed too. Your pooch can make your mood better but you should put in some effort as well. Get yourself together and go for a walk with your dog or play with it at the park.

Quit smoking. Different studies showed that dogs suffer from passive smoking which can result in serious diseases for them.

What do you usually do when you see that your pet is upset?