All you want to do is show your dog you love them, but some things you are doing might irritate them. Some things you could be doing might be uncomfortable, or they might just generally hate it. Here are ten things small dogs hate that we do.
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Hugging
It may be surprising, but most dogs actually don’t like it when you hug them. Putting your arms around their neck or body looks like a sign of aggression to them, and they may tolerate it because they want to make you happy or they don’t want to make you more aggressive. An excellent alternative is allowing them to sit by you or your lap and stroking their back or behind their ears.
Being Left on Their Own
Generally, dogs don’t like being left on their own for a long time. Most will learn to tolerate the amount you leave them alone to go to work, but they get bored quickly and sit there and wait for you to get home. Small dogs like Cockapoos have an especially hard time dealing with you leaving them. These dogs can easily get separation anxiety, and it could get to where anytime you leave the room, they get worried. If you are in the market for Cockapoo puppies for sale, you should be prepared to spend the requisite amount of time they will need to stay happy and healthy.
Not Being Able to Sniff Things on a Walk
When you take your dog out for a walk, their brain gets flooded with all the new information and different smells from the environment. They will instinctively wander a little to smell the plants and places around them. It will irritate your dog if you try to keep them going in a straight line. If you don’t let them sniff a little, they could learn not to like going on walks. Especially if it is your dog’s first time on that walking route, you should let them smell their surroundings a little. After a couple of times going that route they should get used to the walk and walk by your side, but if it is their first time, they will want to inspect their surroundings.
Lack of Routine and Rules
It might not seem like it, but your dog loves it when you have a daily routine that you follow. It might take a little while for your dog to get used to it, but when you establish a routine, they will be comforted by being able to rely on things happening at certain times. Randomness and surprises will tend to set them on edge. Being able to tell when they will go on a walk or when it is time to eat will ease their mind. Dogs have an amazing sense of time, and they can tell when it is time for things to happen. They will come to rely on you and your schedule, so be sure to be consistent!
Yelling and Harsh Punishment
Sometimes we may get frustrated with our dogs, but it is never ok to give harsh punishments to our dogs. If you constantly yell or get frustrated with your dog, they will become scared of you which will harm your relationship with them. Each dog will all react differently to these situations, but you should always be calm and caring when dealing with your dog.
Dressing Them Up
Having a picture of your dog in a cute costume might look cute, but most dogs don’t like being dressed up. They might be squirming while you are putting the outfit on; this is because they are uncomfortable and they don’t want to be dressed up. If you want to dress up your dog but still want them to be comfortable, you could try a simple bandana collar or other collars to dress them up.
Forcing Them Into Uncomfortable Situations
As said before, dressing up your dog is uncomfortable for them, but other situations are also awkward. Some situations can’t be helped like going to the vet or riding in a car, but some things that can be avoided are forcing them to meet new people or play with other dogs. If your dog wants to play with another dog, they will; you don’t have to force a friendship with them.
Keeping a Tight Leash, Literally
You might think you are keeping your dog safe by keeping the leash tight, but your dog knows how to keep itself safe. It isn’t enjoyable to always have a tight leash. It limits their freedom, and they will learn to pull more on the leash to get a little slack. You can get an adjustable leash to tighten it when you need it, but you can also give it slack when circumstances allow.
Teasing Them
Teasing your dog with treats might seem like fun and games to you, but your dog finds it very mean. Treats should be used as positive reinforcement, not as a way to tease your dog or as a keep-away game. You should use their toys to play tug of war and keep away not their treats.
Touching Sensitive Areas
Sometimes you need to handle your dog a little rougher, touching sensitive areas. You can train your dog to tolerate this, but it will always be uncomfortable for them. Some sensitive areas are their feet, ears, nose, and tail. You can train them to tolerate you touching them by giving them treats while handling these areas. They need to be ok with you touching them sometimes because the vet will need to inspect areas like this during their checkups.
You can show your dog love in many ways without doing things that irritate them. You could play games with them, train them with treats, or simply sit and watch movies together.
