Things Not to Do with Your Dog

There are things we often do with our dog, even with naive affection, but they are evaluated very negatively, and can even irritate him. Looking him in the eye and smiling is an attitude that the dog can interpret as a threat, What an affectionate gesture! Just like the head pats we're used to giving children, they only annoy dogs. If we walk our dog on a leash that's too short, we're torturing him, and chasing dog trends that constantly promote new, useless items is just a waste of money.

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Treat him like a puppet

The temptation is always strong: under the guise of cuddling, we turn our dog into a toy, a puppet. Hugs, kisses, hands everywhere. Almost always, the dog doesn't react and endures these behaviors, displaying only signs of annoyance and discomfort (turning his head away, stiffening, yawning, licking his nose) that consistently leave us indifferent. A typical example involves petting his head, which dogs almost never enjoy. If you don't want to give up, at least try this quick test: lightly pet the dog and then stop by withdrawing your hand; if he comes back, it means he appreciates it and you can continue. Otherwise, stop.

Look him in the eye and smile

Another wrong and annoying approach, from a dog's perspective, is to stare into his eyes, smile, and hug him from the front. These are all normal and affectionate gestures for us, but dogs might interpret them differently, as a threat. Have you ever seen a dog smile to show affection? If he bares his teeth, he might even threaten you. Therefore, the best thing to do, to respect his language and his different way of communicating, is to wait for him to approach you, and not the other way around.

Hug him like he was a child

For us, a hug is a friendly and affectionate gesture; for a dog, it can be a prelude to a threat and even a way to block its movements and reduce its escape routes. Hugging is an unnatural signal for dogs (and this should also be explained to children), and when we overdo it, we can even trigger the opposite reaction (such as a bite). Another mistake to avoid: bringing our face close to theirs. This is a gesture that the dog interprets as an act of hostility.

Keep the leash short

Il leash It's necessary and sometimes (when we enter a bar or a public place) indispensable. But why torture your dog during a walk by using a short leash? This communicates anxiety and stress, and asks the dog to relax freely, sniffing as and where it pleases, an attitude that for dogs is also a form of social interaction. Remember that dogs use their noses like we use our eyes: they see the world and build relationships through smell. And the leash isn't a punitive tool, but rather serves to strengthen the quality of the trust between dog and owner. Speaking of smell, considering a dog's sensitivity to this sense, don't do anything reckless like putting air freshener where he sleeps: you're violating him.

Not respecting his routine

Dogs are animals that easily adapt to their routines, and are much less prone to unpredictable behavior than humans. Respect this dog's lifestyle: he must eat at regular times, go out for his needs on time, get outdoor exercise (especially for certain breeds), and have the necessary time to rest.

Leaving him alone for too long

Without falling into the trap of owners who no longer leave the house or travel to avoid leaving their dogs alone, always be careful not to let your dog slip into the quicksand of loneliness. Dogs are social animals, accustomed to being in a group and ready to live intensely in their special relationship with their owners. Know this and keep it in mind when deciding to bring a dog into your household. Some dogs, when left alone for too long, even develop a specific stress disorder known as "separation anxiety," and can have completely unexpected reactions. They may destroy objects, soil the house, or attempt to escape.

Making him meet dogs or unwelcome people

Conversely, compared to the previous behavior, it's a mistake to force a dog to meet other dogs or unwanted people. Dogs, just like us, are not all the same; they have likes and dislikes, and they may even show clear hostility if you try to force them to be available for unwanted encounters. This rather senseless behavior is pure malice, and the dog interprets it as such.

Being tense and fearful with him

Except in very exceptional situations, you shouldn't be tense, nervous, or fearful with your dog: he reads our body language and interprets it as a negative signal, as if "something's wrong." This way, you simply transmit your negative mood to the dog and align him, in a spiral of discomfort. If you're not in the right frame of mind, avoid contact with the dog (same goes for moments of boredom), and rather indulge him when you return after a period of absence, indulging his celebrations and his desire to play.

Scream

The dog needs discipline, rules, habits. Yelling when he does something that doesn't follow this pattern is useless and counterproductive: the dog, picking up on the tone of voice and not the meaning of the words, interprets the yell as an invitation to get excited or a threat. In either case, he won't understand his mistake and won't become more obedient. What works, however, is a calm and firm tone of voice, and some rewards when he learns a behavior, such as no longer doing his business in the house.

Chasing dog fashion

The pet industry knows no bounds and takes advantage of any weakness in owners to speculate and offer unnecessary purchases at a waste of money. The entire catalog of the fashion dog, Clothing (often luxury) and accessories can be considered a sum of unnecessary expenses. Coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, and even hats and shoes, they are objects, applied to the dog, that border on the ridiculous.

10 things not to do with your dog