Your dog might be your best friend that you love to spend time with, but there is still a chance that you’re doing some things that annoy the heck out of your dog.
You may not be doing these things intentionally. But sometimes, it’s just hard to tell that your dog is mad at what you do.
However, one good way to figure out if your dog is stressed is to look them in the eyes to see if they are worried. You’ll definitely see some signs from their body language.
That said, you must know some things that annoy your dog. Yeah, your furry friend can get ticked off and frustrated, just like you do, and they may become aggressive and defensive if you push them too far.
Angry dogs also tend to develop behavioral issues.
Without much ado, here are 12 things that really annoy your dog. Don’t be surprised that you do many of these things on regularly. Hence, make sure you stop doing the following:
1. Hugging too tightly
Some dogs tend to become stressed when you hug them too tightly. One study conducted at the University of British Columbia on dogs that were photographed while being hugged showed that 81.6% of them showed signs of discomfort.
2. Staring
Dogs get irritated and agitated when you stare at them for too long. They don’t like it and often see it as a challenge.
Try as much as possible not to get into a staring contest with your dog. The message they will get is that you’re trying to intimidate them.
3. Leaving your dog alone or ignoring them
Dogs are social and park animals, and they prefer to be part of a group than being left alone.
They see every member of your family as part of their pack, and when you’re all out, maybe on vacation, for a long period, they feel alienated and alone.
You shouldn’t leave your grown dog to be alone for more than four hours a day. It annoys them greatly.
4. Teasing
When you pretend to throw balls at your dog while you keep it in your hand, it drives them nuts.
Your dog is in for some fun and you’re there keeping the fun away and confusing them at the same time. Teasing makes your dog unhappy and angry.
5. Waking your dog up suddenly
It is quite rude to abruptly interrupt your dog’s sleep. Imagine you had a long day and you feel so exhausted that all you want is a peaceful sleep, and just 30 minutes into your deep sleep, someone makes a very loud noise that woke you up.
You’ll feel so angry, right? That’s just how it feels too with your pup.
Avoid waking your furry friend up suddenly, especially after excising them and they’re taking some rest.
6. Leaving your dog with too many dogs
Your dog might become anxious when they’re surrounded by too many dogs in doggy daycare or Dog Park. It overwhelms them and makes them feel so upset.
More so, if you have a timid pooch, it would be unfair to put them in a crowded space where they will feel very much uncomfortable.
If your dog shows signs of discomfort when left in a park, retrieve them and take them to a smaller circle or let them stay alone.
7. Yelling
Yelling at anything or anyone can stress your dog indirectly. You may not be shouting at them, but they become uncomfortable and angry.
More so, your dog can become scared when you shout at a burned pot of rice or on the TV. They may think that you are angrily barking at something and become tensed.
Remember, no one likes to stay in a tense and negative environment, including your dog. So avoid yelling too much at all cost.
8. Using too many words
Sometimes, some dog owners talk to their pets like they understand the English language perfectly. You might be guilty of this occasionally.
But the truth is that dogs get easily confused and even upset when you use too many words at a time.
You should teach them simple tricks and let them listen to you happily, and not using too many words in command.
Try to use very short phrases and simple commands. Give them time to learn and understand these words.
You would feel so much annoyed if someone speaks French to you and expect you to respond immediately but you only understand the English Language. That’s just how it feels!
9. Failing to stick to a schedule
Dogs are very smart and they learn to abide by the schedules you create for them. But it becomes heartbreaking and annoying when you neglect or fail to stick to a schedule.
Ensure you keep to time when it comes to feeding or walking them. Try to be stable every day; it makes them happy campers.
Imagine how exciting it is when you already know how your day is going to be like from the moment you wake up. Dogs also get the same feeling of excitement.
They often feel offended and betrayed when you don’t feed them at the scheduled time. The funny part is that they are already salivating when they know it’s almost mealtime. So, failing your dog makes them feel like you don’t love them at all.
10. Creating scary sounds
Some dogs hate the sound of a vacuum cleaner, so don’t just expose them to these machines all at once. Try to gradually introduce your dog to it and watch them adapt to the sound.
One trick you can use is to reward your dog whenever they confront their fear and stay calm in the midst of the unpleasant sound.
But if your dog remains agitated every time they hear a loud sound, you can temporarily avoid creating those sounds just to respect their feelings. Take it slow with them and watch them learn to adapt.
11. Brushing against the grain
Dogs shed regularly, and some shed more than others. This can cause a lot of sneeze-inducing dog hair floating around the house.
However, you can deal with these hairs and dust bunnies by brushing your dog regularly or combing their fur.
It is also an opportunity to spend time with your pup and build bond with them.
But brushing your dog’s hair can sometimes fail, especially when you brush against the grain. Many dogs find this annoying big time.
You may have good intentions to loosen up that hair and get it in the brush instead of on the floor, but the problem is that it makes your dog’s skin feel itchy and prickly. It even inflicts pain on dogs with long hair.
So, it is better to brush in the direction that keeps things comforting and smooth. Your floor may be covered in canine confetti, but your dog will appreciate you.
12. Assuming your dog knows the value of objects
Dogs naturally love to play with toys or things they can drag through the dirt, chew to bits, or rip up. These actions stimulate their brain and bring them great joy. In other words, they find it to be great fun.
Your dog delights in you through the ball, cheering him on, and pulling the other end in a thug of war.
But be careful because they may grab a valuable object and play with it. You don’t assume they know the worth of the object. Your duty is to keep valuable stuff off out of their reach.
Conclusion
Dogs are fun to have as a companion and they love to be around their owner. But doing any of these things listed above may annoy your dog and make them stressed. You have to be careful not to make your dog feel challenged or threatened.