HOW TO GET A DOG THAT HATES YOU TO LIKE YOU
We all know the popular saying, “A dog is a man’s best friend”. It is something sunk into our subconscious. So when we find ourselves in a situation where a dog, especially one that seems friendly does not like us, it hurts in our soul. Whether they move away from us, cower or snarl a bit, our emotions tend to be wounded by that act, and why not! Dogs are supposed to be these loving creatures that we should be able to get along with when we want to and for some reason, we are becoming the anomaly, the ones that dogs don’t like. This leaves you thinking about “How to get a dog that hates you to like you“.
The good thing about dogs is that there is always a good chance that they will respond positively to you if you don’t give up on trying to get them to like you. This is more true if you try to get them to like you using the proper techniques. But before we get into that, you need to understand some of the behavior which a dog can put up around you if they do not like you.
SIGNS A DOG HATES YOU
1. The Dog is always nervous around you.
If every time you come around, the dog starts pacing around, smacking their lips, and looks a bit agitated. It is likely that the dog is nervous or uncomfortable around you. It can also be an indication that the dog is afraid of you.
2. The dog always leaves when you come around.
If the dog is trained to act this way when visitors come around, then you shouldn’t make a fuss about it. But a dog that leaves a room or an area once you come into it definitely does not like you at all. The dog would prefer staying out of your way totally instead of engaging in any type of activity that would bring two of you together. Simply put, the dog does not like you.
3. Goes great lengths to avoid making eye contact with you.
Dogs that we are familiar with use eye contact to try and read and understand what we want from them at any given. For dogs that we don’t have any relationship with, maintaining eye contact with them for a long period can be misinterpreted as a challenge.
An average dog that does not like you would not want to make eye contact with you simply because he or she does not want to have any interaction with you. He or she just doesn’t want anything to do with you, on the flip side, if such a dog maintains eye contact with you, it would be to display aggression towards you.
4. The dog refuses treats from you.
Most dogs find it hard to resist treats, it is like that bribe in the dog kingdom that is accepted first before asking what it was meant for. So if you offer a dog treats and they refuse it outright. Then obviously you have a dog that does not like or trust you.
5. The dog stiffens at your touch.
A dog that does not like you might also believe that you too do not like him or her. With this belief at hand, when you try to touch such a dog, if they are not aggressive by nature, they would stiffen up or freeze, this is because they are already anticipating that you are reaching out to cause them pain. Of course, this is not the situation, but still, a dog with such perception would not be easy to entreat.
6. The dog hides from you.
A dog hiding away from you is an indication that in addition to not liking you, they are also scared of you. Remember, an average dog would go to great lengths to avoid conflicts instead of creating one, and if hiding from you will help them avoid a conflict, then they would do the same over and over again.
7. The dog acts aggressively around you.
A dog that doesn’t like you would snarl and growl at you. This is the only warning you are going to get from such a dog, especially if they are aggressive. It is them telling you that they don’t like you and that you should not be coming close to them. Not heeding this warning can result in them biting you, so it is always advisable to keep your distance from a dog that acts aggressively towards you.
So you know all the signs which you a dog would give you if they hate you. Back to the main subject. How to get a dog that hates you to like you. In summary, you have to try and bond with your dog and create commitments between the two of you.
Follow the guideline below to learn how to “how to get a friends dog to like you” or “how to get a dog to like you more than someone else”
HOW TO GET A DOG TO LIKE YOU MORE THAN SOMEONE ELSE.
a. Understudy the dog.
It’s common sense but most times emotions get the best of us. If you are attracted to a stranger in a foreign environment, you don’t just walk up to him or her and start talking. You take some time to observe their countenance, try to strike up some eye contact, and some other possible indicator that it is ok to approach.
The same thing goes for dogs, you don’t just see a dog and try to act as if the dog is some old friend. First of all the approach will not be wholly appreciated by the dog and secondly, you may be doing the wrong things which brings us to the first actual step.
Understudy the dog.
What is the dog breed? What is the dog’s everyday activity like? How old is the dog? What are the more possible likes and dislikes? You see, most dog trainers understand different dog breeds and instinctively remember what to expect and how to act around most dogs. This can be as a result of training or experience gained from working with so many dogs over time.
For us as everyday individuals, taking out time to learn about the dog’s breed type and other things mentioned would give you a better chance to bond properly and help you to act right around the dog.
Most dog parents find it easy to open up about their dog’s status even to complete strangers and you would find them rattling on and on about what the dog likes and wants.
Keep the mindset of love.
Seeing things from our dog’s perspective is very key in approaching them, a dog that can perceive the warmth and care in a person would allow such person (you in this case) the opportunity to make advances towards the dog and to build a loving relationship with them.
Now Start interacting with the dog.
You may be thinking “how to get a dog to like you when you first meet them” as many people do but truth be told, these things rarely happen in that manner. Any honest dog trainer would advise that if you are not ready to give a dog constant attention, you might as well leave the dog alone.
As we stated earlier, interacting with a dog is actually about developing a new relationship with them. The idea is, whether it is once or more in a day that you see such a dog, the dog would automatically associate your presence with something good.
Now you are armed with the knowledge of not just this dog breed, but also this particular dog’s like and dislike.
The best way to interact with a dog for the first time would be first to get permission from the owner, (we are assuming it is not a stray dog). If the dog is already showing body signals that they are receptive to you, then you are good to go, a gentle back rub (not head rub).
If the dog is non-challant about the whole situation, start by standing beside the dog and facing the same direction, no eye contact at this stage, the aim is for each other to get comfortable in the same space without being confrontational. Some people would squat at this stage, you should do whatever you are comfortable with.
Give the dog a quick glance then look away just as the dog is about to look at you. This way you get the dog’s attention.
Finally, give the dog some treats, you do this by just dropping them in front of him or her. If the dog doesn’t have any problem, you will likely find him or her eating the treats and coming closer to you. You can give another treat and give the dog a back rub.
As we mentioned above, dogs are social creatures, no matter the situation if they feel they can form a bond with an individual and this bond comes with benefits, their natural disposition would be to go for the bond.
Please note: Do not put yourself in danger! If a dog shows any signs of physical aggression, gently move away from their space. Sharp movements do not work well in situations like this.
Now if things have worked out perfectly now, you can take your relationship with this dog to another level. If the dog is in the same household or if he is in the neighborhood and you always have access to him. Maybe you are planning on making the dog yours. Here are some tips to make the dog like you more.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR DOG LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOUR SIBLINGS
I. Take control of the dog’s feeding: Dogs don’t joke with their food, creating a feeding schedule for such a dog and feeding and keeping to it or feeding it together with the current owner can actually increase the bonding you have with this dog and make them like you more.
You can take things to the next level for your dog by preparing natural, tasty, delicious, and healthy food for the dog. Best Believe, the dog love you more if you implement this option.
II. Improve your dog’s communication skills: Just as you have taken out time to understudy the dog, you can also take out time to improve your communication skills with your dog. Get involved in some dog training program or some obedience training program to improve your odds.
III.Schedule daily walks with the dog: Dogs see anytime spent outside their homes as moments of freedom. They get to explore more and enjoy the outdoors not to talk of meeting other pets and people in the area. Scheduling daily walks with this dog will definitely give him or her something to look forward to which involves you.
IV. Talk to the dog: Obviously, the dog would not understand what you are saying. But the act of talking to the dog while engaging in your normal daily activity makes the dog feel as if he or she is part of what is going on. Besides, do not underestimate the power of deductive reasoning in a dog.
V. Engage in more bonding activities with the dog: Playing with them from time to time, bathing and grooming the dog, exercising with them, having quiet alone times, etc. these are some of the things which you can do to make a dog love you more than any other person around.
IN CONCLUSION
Getting a dog to like you is not just a one-off thing, it is like going into a new relationship. You don’t just interact with them, disappear and believe that when you next appear you will get the same reaction from them. There is a need for you to be consistent in the way you treat the dog and more importantly be available in their life. If you cannot give in to the basic level of commitment to the dog, it is best advised to leave the dog alone.
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Hi, I am Charles Nwankwo Editor-in-Chief, Mydoggything.com. Gleaning from Professional Dog Trainers, behaviorist, Registered Veterinarians, and Breeders. We are passionate about making dog care easy for you. My job is to make sure that you get the best-updated dog care information to understand and take care of your dog or dogs.
