11 things you do that dogs hate

A loving dog is the one of the best friend that can happen to a person: they protect you, do your laundry with a bit of luck and even adjust their walking pace if necessary. To a dog, we humans are their everything. But, we can also be quite annoying to them.

You better not do these eleven things if you don’t want to get into a fight with a four-legged friend.

Dogs are always loyal to you, love you unconditionally, and hardly ever contradict you. However, the latter should not be a reason to think that dogs cannot be irritated. On the contrary, your doggo most likely hates the following.

1. More words than body language

Look, dogs don’t have as broad a vocabulary as humans. “Sit”, “lay down”, and” ‘stay” are terms that most animals understand, but say a whole sentence to them and then expect them to get it? Come on.

Body language is much more helpful to furry friends: Saying “stay” as you walk away is more evident than saying “stay” as you get closer and closer.

2. Hug your dog

Humans find embracing an excellent way to share our love, joy, or emotion with others of our kind. However, dogs are not our kind: they don’t have arms to cuddle with and don’t share feelings by holding someone else tight.

A hug can even seem very threatening because they are grasped so intensely. Some dogs occasionally put their paw on another dog, but that’s just a sign of dominance.

3. Stroking the head or face

Petting is, of course, excellent, and dogs often love it. However, being constantly petted on the head or touched in the face is something we humans, like dogs, probably don’t appreciate: it’s just irritating. What do they like? A pat just above their tail.

4. Walk up to an unfamiliar dog while looking it straight in the eye

We all know how powerful eye contact is. Feeling watched is extra annoying when a stranger does it, who walks straight at you. As a human, you can still ask what the intention is, but a dog has no idea what he or she can expect.

The best thing you can do if you want to get to know the dog is to approach the dog calmly, bend slightly, look away now and then, and use your voice reassuringly.

5. No rules and structure

If there is one thing a dog needs, it is structure. Be clear and consistent. Rules make life predictable, much less confusing, and a lot less stressful. Also important: a dog knows no exceptions. Their logic: If he can jump on your lap when you’re dressed, he can also when you’re naked. Or: if they can go on the couch when they’re clean, they can also do it when they’ve just rolled in the mud?!

6. Obliged to deal with peers they don’t know

Like many animals, dogs have BFFs and enemies. If you push a dog to have fun with a stranger, man, woman, or mate, he may become pissed and try to scare the stranger away by barking or biting. Pay close attention to a dog’s body language before deciding that your dog has a new friend.

7. Not allowed to smell

Imagine: you are dependent on others all your life, and you love exercise and being outdoors. How bad is life if you are pulled down the street fast, there is no time for sniffing, and you also have to do your thing quickly? Bad.

Therefore, allow a dog to sniff here and there; that nose is there for a reason.

8. Keep on a tight leash

A very tight leash will make a dog more stressed and frustrated. In principle, it is not necessary at all to keep him so close to you: with a dog course, you can teach your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash.

9. Being tense

A dog often mirrors his feeling with that of his master. So are you very tense? Then your four-legged friend will automatically become that too. When you are relaxed, the dog is much more.

10. Being Boring

Can you remember when you sometimes had to go with your parents to appointments that were intensely boring as a child? Wait, wait and wait some more. Terrible, isn’t it?

The best thing to do if a dog is going into a dull period (for example, being alone for an afternoon) is to ensure that the dog gets enough exercise beforehand. That way, he doesn’t have to wait but can take a nice nap.

11. Bullying and teasing

Do you like having your hair pulled or being imitated? Not really, right? The same goes for dogs: they don’t like it. It may even happen that he/she develops behavioral problems from bullying. Of course, you don’t want that.