What Your Dog is Trying to Tell You
It can be amazing to see how much your dog makes an effort to communicate with you. While their needs may seem basic, our dogs or cat do need to be able to tell us things from time to time. You can be a great pet parent when you learn to recognize what your dog is trying to tell you. Also cat parent need to be understand what is most necessary things for his/her own cats. Best Self Cleaning Litter Box on of this.
The loyalty of a dog is a priceless gift that comes for patience and understanding.
The Basics
Your dog needs to eat and go outside to use the restroom on a regular basis. Many dogs will learn over time to go to the door when they need to use the restroom. If you are to that stage of training yet, however, keep an eye out for other behaviors.
Dogs will often start to sniff around or walk in circles before they use the restroom. If a dog needs to use the restroom urgently, they may even start panting quite a bit. If your dog knows he should not use the restroom in the house, he may pace around restlessly and come looking for you.
Dogs generally aim to please their owners and will try to do what you have trained them to do when it comes to restroom habits.
Bringing You Things
You might want to think twice before throwing a toy across the room if your dog just brought it to you. Dogs will often bring their owners “gifts”. Some dogs may bring toys or other items from around the house and set it down in front of you.
If your dog does not seem to be in a particularly playful mood, it may simply be a sign of affection. Many dog breeds were bred for hunting over hundreds of years. These dogs were trained to bring the prey back to their master after retrieval.
Dogs in the wild have the natural tendency to wait for the alpha dog of the pack to eat first, as well. Take this gift giving as a sign of affection and respect.
Feelings of Fear
Many family dogs today have been rescued from a shelter or other negative living situation. These dogs often have fears that have resulted from abuse or difficult living situations.
Since you have no way of knowing what your new family member has been through earlier in life you should be educated on how to identify a fearful dog. There is a big difference between misplaced aggression and fear-related responses.
Fear can also result from something has simple as the noise from a thunder storm. A dog will completely change its body posture when it is afraid. They will hunch over, curl up in a ball, or attempt to hide. Some dogs may appreciate staying close to their owners when afraid while others would prefer to have some space.
A dog in a new environment may hide for weeks before coming deciding to introduce themselves to you. Be patient and let them come to you. Never force interaction. They will most likely do a tentative sniff of their new surroundings, staying close to furniture or walls.
This enables them to hide quickly if startled. This is not that farfetched from wild animals that stay close to trees or bushes to avoid detection from predators.
Dogs may also flinch like they are expecting to be hit or kicked if they have been abused in the past. This behavior will take time to overcome. They are telling you that sudden movements frighten them. Be sure to move slowly around animals like this.
They may also jump up when you walk near them as they are resting on the floor. This is telling you that they are uncomfortable with the situation. Try to give them ample space when you are walking around them. Many dogs will learn to trust you and gain confidence in your kindness over time.
Public domain image/C. E. Price
Step Away
There are times when a dog is telling you to back off. Most dogs will give you warnings before biting. If a dog feels uncomfortable you will usually be greeted with a growl first. If you listen to this warning, you may never see any other sign of discomfort.
Try to remember the growl is simply a warning. This does not always constitute aggression or anger. Dogs that are in pain or feeling ill will want to be left alone and will use a growl to tell you this, as well. This is a protective instinct. When they feel unable to defend themselves, dogs will become protective.
An air snap will usually take place after the growl, this will allow you time to move away before the dog attempts a real bite. If you are very in tune with body language, you may even be able to know it is time to step away before the initial growl.
The dog may back up, look at you intently, or simply try to get away from you. Bites usually happen when people ignore other warning signs.
What a Mess!
Your dog is not really trying to ruin everything you own. Destructive behavior usually has an underlying cause. Puppies may have no outlet for their extensive energy and urge to chew.
If you are finding items chewed up all over the house, try to introduce proper chew toys and give your dog more exercise time. Crate training is an excellent tool for controlling this behavior in young dogs.
If you come home to a dog that has broken out of a crate and eaten half of the couch, you may have a bigger issue on your hands. Your dog may be exhibiting signs of boredom or anxiety.
A dog may even be chewing on things that smell like you because they want to be around you or feel upset that they have been left alone.
Dogs are pack animals and many do much better with another dog around if the humans are gone from home a lot. A strong crate can help an anxious dog to feel safer when alone. Dogs in the wild sleep in dens. A nice dark crate mimics this safety.
A truly anxious dog may never be able to stay out alone in the house. It is best to keep them safe, as they could get seriously hurt if they break a window or other items around the house while you are gone. Medication is necessary in some instances.
Pay attention to how your dog acts when you are getting ready to leave in the morning. If your dog watches you intently, follows your around, and looks generally upset, you may have a dog that is anxious about you leaving for the day.
If you have time to play or exercise before you leave for work, destructive behavior might begin to decrease. Your dog will also sleep better at night after a good run. It can take a little trial and error to figure out why your dog is exhibiting destructive behavior, but there are some good tactics to help you overcome it.
Your dog may not be able to speak in words, but they have plenty to say. You will learn, over time, to recognize your dog’s needs.
Every dog has a different personality, so pay close attention as you make your new dog a part of your family. It is a relationship that takes time to build. However, the bond is well worth the effort.
Author: Rakib Talukder
Photo/Femke Jenkins Photography
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