Almost every dog owner out there considers their pet as if they’re their kids and treat them accordingly, but what many people don’t know is that there are things we do that really confuse our beloved furry friends.
Although you believe that your dog understands every word you’re saying, the truth is that they don’t – or at least in some cases. Even though we treat them the way we treat our family, it’s important to always remember that they can’t understand us like our human relatives.
For example, if you change the rules at home, move into a new house, force your pet to interact with other pets, give them the wrong name and so on, all of these factors can leave your pet feel confused and frustrated.
Before bringing a new pet home, it’s essential to do a bit of research first and try to find more info about their behavior, personality traits and the breed per se.
It’s no secret that novice dog owners will gradually learn over time and have plenty of time to experience things together, but it’s important to discover what your dog hates and which habits can confuse them. Understanding your dog’s needs is as important as meeting them.
However, to help you better understand your dog, here are some things that could be confusing and frustrating for your dog. Read on to find out more info!
You gave your pet the wrong name
One of the most important and lovely things a dog owner will have to do when adopting a dog is to give them a name. There are many name ideas, just a simple internet search shows you hundreds of names for your dog, regardless of their gender.
For example, some of the most popular dog names are Stella, Sadie, Jay, Kim and Milo – but even though they are popular it doesn’t mean that they are right for your dog. According to pet experts, dog owners should avoid the names that start with “S” or “F” as well as those that may sound similar to certain dog commands, such as “sit”, “stay”, “no”, “come” and so on, because they can confuse your dog.
So, the names listed above sound very similar to those commands, depending on your accent of course, for instance, Kim can sound like “come”, Stella like “stay”, Sadie like “sit”, Jay like “stay”, Milo like “no” so it’s best to avoid them – however, this was just an example to help you understand that, although they’re popular, they can still be confusing your dog.
Instead, you can opt for names that start with “D” or “T”, such as Daisy, Duke, Tucker, Diesel, Dexter, Tank, Teddy, Thor, Toby, Tyson, to name a few because they can be easy for your beloved furry friend to learn.
You let them bite your finger while playing
If you’re a dog owner right now, you know that they like to nibble your finger while you are playing, but letting them do this is among the most common mistakes that people make, without realizing it. According to animal experts, when your dog munches your finger and you let them, they think that it’s alright to bite.
So, when your dog does this, you should adopt a serious voice and say “no”, removing your hand from their mouth at the same time. Your dog doesn’t know that it’s not alright to bite a person, so you have to teach them how to behave properly.
You play “tug of war” with them
Before becoming a dog owner and bringing a new pet home, it’s important to know that playing with them is very important because in this way you not only stimulate their mind and form a strong bond between you, but you also help them consume their energy and sleep during the night.
So, the types of games a dog owner chooses to play with their furry friend has a significant impact on the development of a young dog’s behavior. That being said, a “tug of war” may be a bad idea, because it can eventually lead to aggressive behavior in the future.
Also, they can ‘play’ this game with someone’s hands when they become aggressive. So, try to get rid of this type of game. Instead, dog owners should provide them with various toys and games to stimulate their minds as well.
You don’t have different commands for different things
According to veterinarian and consultant for DogLab, Sara Ochoa, when you use different words for the same things, all you do is put your dog in trouble, which can confuse them.
However, dog owners shouldn’t forget that dogs learn commands by associating sounds with various actions and they memorize them only through constant practice.
Yet, if you opt for other words to describe a command you can confuse them.
For instance, if a dog owner generally used the word “no” when you wanted to stop your dog from doing something wrong, and then you replaced this word with “stop” or whatever, then your dogs won’t immediately stop from what they were doing because it’s a new command for them that they don’t understand.
However, keep in mind that socializing is one of the crucial things to consider when adopting a dog. You should socialize your dog properly from an early age. Otherwise, they may develop destructive behavior.
You let them break the house rules, without realizing it
Another common mistake that many dog owners make when it comes to their dogs is that they let them break the house rules without realizing it. To be more specific, if one day you let them sleep in your bed and the next you scold them when they do exactly the same thing, you risk frustrating your pet.
So, it is vital to establish exactly what your dog is permitted to do and what is completely forbidden and try to stick to these rules. Otherwise, you will have a confused dog.
…Having a hard time training your pooch? These treats can be a lifesaver!
You encourage negative behavior
If you want to have a brave and ambitious dog, then you should stop encouraging fearful behavior. It’s true that dog owners do this without realizing it. How? They pet and talk nicely to them when they are scared of something.
Well, the truth is that our dogs are just like our kids and we can’t say anything when they are scared, so we try to comfort them in order to make them feel safe again. But, it seems like this is one of the most common mistakes dog owners make. Why? Well, it seems that they encourage fearful behavior.
According to veterinarian Heather Venkat, “you can actually make your dog think it’s good to be scared if you pet them and say ‘good boy’. You’re actually encouraging fearful behavior through sweet talk and petting” which is not recommended. So, it’s your task to train your dog so that they can be more comfortable around a source of fear.
In other words, your dog will think this is a normal reaction, so when they need to be protective or territorial of their families, they will hide in a small place and wait for the thief to leave. So you don’t want such behavior, do you? That is why it’s important to socialize your dog properly.
If you’re a dog owner and you have some more smart tips for our readers, please leave us a comment below! And if you found this article worthwhile, you may also enjoy reading: 20 Problem Solving Items That Make Having A Dog Even Simpler
