We see all sides of our dogs, including their good, terrible, and ugly ones. But have you ever witnessed your pet become irritable? Like people, dogs can harbor envy for food, toys, other animals, and even their owners' attention. If not correctly handled, jealous dog behavior can quickly turn into violent dog behavior. Even though they sometimes act jealous like humans do, dogs only do so when they perceive a social danger. Dogs are skilled at interpreting and reacting to human cues. This suggests that they are conversant with social cues and are able to mimic pointing and eye contact.
Unlike humans, your dog may well not experience "jealousy" in a comparable way. Instead of being jealous, they can be aggressive, demanding, or rude. Your dog creates social hierarchy in this way. This was observed in a study when canines searched for hidden food using social cues from humans. By monitoring our social cues, some dogs are able to tell when they aren't getting as much praise or attention as their companions. Jealous dog attitudes can get out of control if left unchecked, which can be problematic for pet owners.
Thus, if your adorable dog appears agitated whenever your new partner, child, or other dog enters the room, it is probably not your imagination. Dogs may show some signs of jealousy, but don't worry; you can teach them that they'll be fine. Let's examine the signs of canine jealousy, which range from strengthening habits to the desire for more awareness to positive reinforcement.
Here are some suggestions for handling an envious dog.
1 - Treat each of your dogs fairly.
Do not openly prefer your favorite dog if you have more than one dog. Like people, dogs are affectionate, and they can sense when their owners are treating them unfairly. Just make sure that each of your dogs receives the same attention as it pertains to feeding and praising them.
2 - See to it that your two pets remain together.
If you have two or even more dogs, getting them to get along well by becoming friends is the first goal you should try to accomplish. Once your dogs have been pets since they were puppies, this is not a problem. However, there is a good chance that your dog won't get along with the new dog if you bring in an adult dog. Making your dogs aware of the value of one another in their lives by taking them on walks together will help you achieve this. If the dogs share a small sleeping area, you can expand the area and provide each dog with a bowl for water and treats.
3 - Ignore undesirable behaviors and encourage positive ones.
When your dog exhibits jealousy behaviors, such as barking while playing with other animals, do not instantly turn your attention to him because if you do, he will believe that this is the proper way to receive your attention. You can instead calmly leave that area, having left your dog behind. Also, you must be changed when your dog exhibits behavior that merits praise. When a forceful dog joins a calm dog and other dogs in playing, give them a treat and a hug as a reward.
4 - Arrange to teach your dogs on a regular basis.
Review the training sessions you had with your pets. Provide a daily time slot for teaching the dog appropriate behaviors and helping it to unlearn bad ones. Also, you need a mechanism to gauge how well your dogs are doing throughout training sessions. Be kind to your dogs when leading them on walks, and make sure they are both wearing dog leashes.
5 - Provide your dogs with enough resources.
If you have more than one dog, you must make sure there are sufficient chew toys and bones inside the house for every dog to enjoy alone, free from the distraction of the others. Also, you need to have adequate dog bowls for each dog in your home. Every dog needs his own soothing bed. All dogs' sleeping areas need to be neat and evenly spaced apart; otherwise, jealousy might readily occur.
6 - Include every member of the family in dog activities.
Make sure the dogs inside the house are well known to every member of your family. You can accomplish this by encouraging each family member to occasionally help with dog-feeding. Make absolutely sure your dog is aware of any guests who will be staying with you for an extended period of time.
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