As a dog owner, you may wonder why your dog acts aggressively and defensively when other dogs sniff him. There are several explanations for this behavior. You should rest assured that there is nothing significantly wrong with your dog. Many dogs go through this challenge, and with proper training, they overcome it and develop better social behaviors that align with their expected developmental stage.
All dogs that are able-bodied should be comfortable displaying basic behaviors like smelling each other. Are you looking for the best dog training fort Myers professionals? Contact H.K Dog Training. Read on for more information about why your dog hates when other dogs sniff him.
Why Do Dogs Sniff Each Other
The physicality of a dog and its evolutionary history, among other factors, inform its behavior. A lot of these factors are directly linked to the wild heritage. Dogs can use their keen sense of smell and a visual assessment to get important information concerning a new canine acquittance.
They have acute olfactory senses that enhance communication using the biochemical compounds they emit as their basis for chemical communication. Through the sense of smell, dogs can determine if their new friends are female or male, aggressive or happy, ill or healthy.
It is their quick way of getting a general idea concerning each other before they get up close and personal. Sniffing is a necessary canine social behavior that should be encouraged. If your dog prevents other dogs from doing it, it signifies a problem.
Reasons A Dog Won’t Let Another Sniff Them.
Social fear can make your dog react negatively when sniffed by another dog. They might be scared that the other dog intends to attack them, harm them, or take away their resources. It is aberrant for your dog not to let another dog sniff them because sniffing is crucial to canine communication. Even though dogs have individual personalities, they also have common traits. Here are the reasons why dogs are scared of other dogs:
- Trauma
- Poor socialization
- Stress
What To Do If Your Dog Is Scared Of Other Dogs
Before taking any action, have patience with your dog to avoid increasing fear and making things more difficult. You must understand that your dog needs help and not your frustration. Knowing why your dog is stressed may be difficult, and knowing the source of their trauma may be equally challenging.
Ensure you observe your dog; keen observation will help remove the causes of antagonism and stress in their lives. You must employ re-introduction to teach your dog to be comfortable with other dogs sniffing their butts. It is part of socialization, which is very important in the puppy stage. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t socialize with your adult dog.
What Not To Do
- Under no circumstances should you use your temper. As we stated above, your impatience will only make things worse. Refrain from threatening or shouting at your dogs, as it is counterproductive. Such deeds can only reinforce the negative feelings that your dog has because of the trauma.
- Never force socialization; Instead, the goal here is to allow the dog to move at their own pace. If they show you that they don’t feel safe at some point, take them away and reassure them so that they feel safe. To create a feeling of security, you slowly while you are beside them.
- Avoid taking your dog to a dog park, as they may easily feel overwhelmed upon seeing too many dogs at once.
- Avoid petting and giving your dog affection when they are around other dogs showing signs of fear. It can reinforce fearful behavior.
Seek Professional Help
As professionals, we believe that if a dog does not want to see other dogs sniff them, it is likely to be a psychological problem. However, you cannot ignore that the dog could have a physical problem altering their behavior. A dog can change their behavior due to neurological disorders linked to age as they bring confusion. A veterinarian is the most suitable individual to help rule out any physical problem.
In other cases, first-time dog owners may experience hardships related to changing a dog’s behavior, which is usually tricky. These cases may require you to get a canine behaviorist or ethologist. They are the professionals that help dog owners by observing the dog in search of particular signs and then implementing realistic exercises to lessen the fear. They also give you practical help once done with the sessions, as making the dog feel secure should always be part of their care.
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