Why do dogs do this
Discussion
My last dog was a male Neopolitan MastifF he was definitely my dog. I walked him but me or the wife would feed him. He loved his mum but it was me he came to whenever we returned home to him.
What I could never quite understand was why if me and the wife had a hug the dog would apparently want to stop us, he would try to get inbetween us and give a friendly growl type bark. Sometimes we did it just to wind him up.
He never bothered doing it if either of us hugged someone else(like our adult children). I am sure it wasn't jealousy.
What I could never quite understand was why if me and the wife had a hug the dog would apparently want to stop us, he would try to get inbetween us and give a friendly growl type bark. Sometimes we did it just to wind him up.
He never bothered doing it if either of us hugged someone else(like our adult children). I am sure it wasn't jealousy.
That is him asserting his control - dominance - over the domestic situation.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me 
Digga said:
That is him asserting his control - dominance - over the domestic situation.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
^^^^If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
This
Saved me typing all that, cheers
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
Digga said:
That is him asserting his control - dominance - over the domestic situation.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
+1If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
You need to show your dog dominance.
When he does this, DOMINATE him.
Steve_W said:
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
Mr Green said:
My last dog was a male Neopolitan MastifF he was definitely my dog. I walked him but me or the wife would feed him. He loved his mum but it was me he came to whenever we returned home to him.
What I could never quite understand was why if me and the wife had a hug the dog would apparently want to stop us, he would try to get inbetween us and give a friendly growl type bark. Sometimes we did it just to wind him up.
He never bothered doing it if either of us hugged someone else(like our adult children). I am sure it wasn't jealousy.
Am I the only one who finds it creepy when people treat pets as if they were their children?What I could never quite understand was why if me and the wife had a hug the dog would apparently want to stop us, he would try to get inbetween us and give a friendly growl type bark. Sometimes we did it just to wind him up.
He never bothered doing it if either of us hugged someone else(like our adult children). I am sure it wasn't jealousy.
JakeS said:
Steve_W said:
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
I think any dog, from time to time, will benefit from being shunted off the furniture and onto the floor for a while - just so they know they're on the furniture if and because they behave and not because it's their 'place'.
RobCrezz said:
Digga said:
That is him asserting his control - dominance - over the domestic situation.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
+1If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
You need to show your dog dominance.
When he does this, DOMINATE him.
Digga said:
JakeS said:
Steve_W said:
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
I think any dog, from time to time, will benefit from being shunted off the furniture and onto the floor for a while - just so they know they're on the furniture if and because they behave and not because it's their 'place'.
Digga said:
JakeS said:
Steve_W said:
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
I think any dog, from time to time, will benefit from being shunted off the furniture and onto the floor for a while - just so they know they're on the furniture if and because they behave and not because it's their 'place'.
She isn't allowed on any of the furniture anyway. She only tends to jump up when we are in the kitchen that is where she spends most her time and where she sleeps and things. In the rest of the house she is fine. Digga said:
JakeS said:
Steve_W said:
JakeS said:
It happens with me and my other half and her German Shepard. She is a lovely Dog and tends to prefer males to women. in fact she does not listen to women at all and will only really do what a male that she knows tells her, But whenever I hug the girlfriend she growls and jumps up. I can't work out if it is to get me away from her or her away from me
As posted, it's a pecking order/dominance thing.Can turn nasty if left unchecked; I used to work with a guy who's Rottweiler was like this whenever he cuddled his wife. They thought it cute at first when the dog would try to nuzzle between them and use it's nose to lift their arms apart if they were next to each other on the sofa.
As the dog got bigger it became more of a problem that included the dog growling and snapping at the wife. In the end the poor dog had to be rehomed because they didn't establish who was boss early on.
Not the dog's fault.
Digga said:
That is him asserting his control - dominance - over the domestic situation.
If any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
Completely agree - well saidIf any dog of mine tries anything like that, they are reminded, sharply and without hesitation, who's in charge. In principle, it's unfair to let dogs up onto furniture and be pampered or cuddled like a human, because it wil cause some confusion for them but in reality, most know their place and most owners do.
Dogs are dogs and need to be treated as such. Sounds harsh, but they are animals that happen to exhibit traits and behaviours that we attribute to feeling, understanding and awareness of human relationships and language. The are just animals, quite clever animals, but animals the same. They need to be treated with respect but they are pack animals and their position in the pack needs to be determined, maintained and kept - they are lower than humans (well most anyway). Otherwise you run the risk of a whole world of pain and grief.
I am sick to my back teeth of some dog that blatantly attacks other dogs and the owner says 'they are just saying hello, they don't mean any harm'. Errr, sorry to disagree, but they do - this is a dominance thing and they are attempting to assert it. Same goes for this situation - dog is trying to assert its position and place in the pack and is resorting to barking. Who is to say that this wont get worse? Maybe a nip or two? Unacceptable. Needs resolving. Sorry for the harsh comments BTW. Not meant to be horrible, just winds me up.
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