10 Human Behaviors That Stress Dogs Out
October 12, 2015 |
Original
version by Valarie V. Tynes, DVM, DACVB, Colleen S. Koch, DVM
Dr. Becker, Mercola Health
Your dog can become stressed for a variety of reasons. For example, dogs on
leashes typically feel stress when they encounter other dogs - especially if the
other dog is off-leash. This is probably because it's difficult for our canine
companions to greet each other in natural doggy fashion while tethered to
us.
But what many people don't realize is the extent to which we, as pet
guardians, can create stress in our dog. The veterinary publication dvm360 has
compiled a list of stress triggers for dogs... and I think some of them may
surprise you.
10 Ways to Stress Out Your Dog
1. Punish him for behaving like a dog. Your canine companion is a creature of
opportunity, and when you give him opportunities to "misbehave" by leaving
tantalizing items within his reach, he'll take advantage. Translation: don't
leave food or scraps where he can smell or see them.
Don't leave him in the
bedroom alone with your slippers or socks. Insure the only opportunities you
provide your dog are ones he can succeed at.
2. Tell her "no" over and over. If your dog is doing something she shouldn't
be doing, telling her "no" will probably cause her to stop the behavior
temporarily. But saying no to a dog without offering an alternative turns your
"no" into merely an interruption, not a request or demand.
Unless you show
your dog what you want her to do instead of what she's doing, chances are she'll
be right back doing it sooner or later.
3. Give her a variety of verbal commands for a single behavior. Many pet
guardians assume their dog or cat knows English, and therefore knows that "drop
it" and "leave it" mean the same thing, or that "get it" and "bring it to me"
are the same.
Train your dog to respond to simple, preferably single-word
commands (sit, stay, come, down, pee, poop, etc.) and then use those words, and
only those words, to communicate. Otherwise, you'll create stress in your dog
because she knows you want her to do something, but she doesn't know what based
on the words you're using.
4. Tell him "it's okay." Many dog guardians tend to say this phrase to their
pet when something decidedly not okay is about to happen. For example, you're
driving your dog to the groomer, which is a place he's not fond of. You've
driven him there often enough that as always, he starts to whine when the
grooming shop comes into view.
And as always, you say, "it's okay" in an
effort to comfort him. The second you utter those words he knows without a doubt
where he's going, and his stress level shoots through the roof.
"It's okay"
becomes a verbal cue to panic. Instead, help your dog learn to relax and cope
with anxiety-producing situations.
5. Pull his leash. A dog that has been properly trained to walk on a
leashdoesn't typically do a lot of pulling, so if you feel the need to
constantly yank the leash to redirect him, it's probably time to refresh your
pet's leash manners.
It's also important to anticipate that your dog will
naturally stop and sniff as often as possible, and pull in the direction of
someone or something interesting. Be kind and understanding - allow your furry
friend a reasonable amount of time to smell-inspect his outdoor territory and
pick up his pee-mail without yanking him toward your destination.
6. Hold him while you hug or kiss him. Canines really don't get these human
expressions of affection and can be confused by them - especially when the
hugger or kisser is a relative stranger. Also, since dogs are typically being
held (restrained) during the bear hug or smooch-fest, it increases their stress
level.
Imagine how you would feel if someone large and in charge grabbed hold
of you and wouldn't let go. It's not a good feeling and does nothing to generate
trust, right?
Unless your dog is remaining contentedly still on his own while
being hugged or kissed, it's best to stick to stroking andpetting, which most
dogs can't get enough of.
7. Stare at her. Most people are uncomfortable being stared at by other
people, so it's easy to imagine how unsettling it might be for your dog. The
canine species views staring as a confrontational sort of a "Let's get ready to
rumble" signal, which naturally triggers a stress response. There's no need to
stare at your dog unless you're returning her gaze.
8. Point or shake your finger at her. The finger pointing/shaking thing is a
universal stress inducer for dogs (and many humans). That's probably because
it's usually done while you're standing over your pooch in a menacing posture,
or while you're speaking in a tone of voice that signals your
displeasure.
Many a guilty dog look is the result of the finger-pointing
thing, but your pet isn't so much feeling guilty as uncomfortable, wary,
confused, and yes… stressed.
9. Tell him to "get down" when he jumps up. If like most people you use the
verbal cue "down" to ask your dog to go from a sit to a lie-down, it's not going
to work in situations where he's jumping up on you or someone else (or a piece
of furniture). Train him to stop jumping with the verbal command "off" or "paws
on floor" instead. You'll save your dog the confusion and stress that comes from
trying to understand your command, and you'll potentially save yourself or a
guest from a friendly mauling.
10. Wake her up. Unless there's a pressing reason to awaken your four-legged family member from a nice snooze, try to avoid it. Being shaken or shouted awake is stressful for all of us.
Copyright Mercola Health 2015