Why doesn't my dog like me?
This is a question that we often get from sitters and owners who work with Rover. Help the community out by answering them in our forum!
2 Answers
People and dogs communicate differently. If you are trying to communicate with your dog just like you would a person, you might be preventing yourself from connecting to your dog in ways they can understand.
I don't know how your interactions with your dog are, but try completely ignoring them. Don't make eye contact, talk to or attempt to touch them. The leader of the pack demands space and time - so if you come home and are actively trying to get your dog's attention, you may be making them feel uncomfortable. Try ignoring them until they come to you - then reinforce good behaviors like laying at your side or at your feet (not on your feet). Take it easy and give it time.
Dogs are going to have their favorites and maybe if you have a multi-person household, you just aren't their first choice in regards to connecting personality wise. That's ok. But try acting a little more like a pack leader and see if that helps your dog around.
Sometimes, for reasons even vets don't understand, dogs have conflicts with one or both of their owners. And just like humans, when dogs get annoyed or angry with those closest to them, they lash out. Sometimes pets simply prefer one owner over the other