Do dogs become jealous? According to official research on animal behavior focused on jealousy in dogs, they exhibit envy. This jealousy in dogs sample focuses on another dog capturing an owner’s attention, but experts believe dogs are susceptible to jealousy in connection to any form of a social creature. Dogs, like people, have physical and emotional requirements. They become envious if they believe they are not receiving enough attention due to a new family member or a new puppy.
From reinforcing behaviors to positive reinforcement to a desire for more attention, here are major signs of jealousy in dogs. Read on!
Characteristics of a Jealous Dog
1. Exiting the Room
The most courteous method for a dog to show jealousy is to leave the room when the object of its envy enters. They, like humans, legitimately turn their backs on individuals they do not wish to attend to.
Dogs are very sociable animals, and retreat is a warning indication that there is a problem, so don’t dismiss it. Following them from room to room will just reinforce the behavior.
Instead, wait for them to return and shower them with gifts and attention when they behave nicely.
2. Excessive Grooming
If your dog appears to be constantly washing itself, this is an indicator that it is agitated. It utilizes grooming to self-soothe when it believes it is losing out on caressing and love that you appear to be offering to another person or creature.
Important: Frustration, boredom, and stress can all lead to your dog washing themselves excessively.
3. Doing Tricks Without Commands
If your dog is suddenly doing unusual tricks, this may be an attempt to earn your gift and attention.
4. Aggressive Behavior
If your dog is suddenly growling at other pets or being aggressive toward your family, it is in a jealous rage. It is feeling as if it is being dismissed by you and will behave in this manner until you give it attention.
5. Resource Guarding
Your dog may protect toys, beds, couches, food, etc. This behavior will begin to increase in frequency as it feels that it is being snubbed by you. It really does not have any other resource to guard, so it simply picks an object and protects it.
How to Overcome a Dog’s Jealousy
There are several ways for a dog to exhibit jealous dog behavior, so pay close attention to verify that you’ve diagnosed the problem accurately. There are numerous things you may take if it is jealousy.
Never Encourage Envious Behavior
Any attention is positive attention for a dog, just like it is for a child. If your dog is struggling to obtain the affection it craves, it will gladly take a reprimand as long as you pay attention to it. As a result, if you consistently respond aggressively to jealous dog behavior, it is likely to persist.
When it exhibits unpleasant behavior, turning away or walking out of the room without looking at it is a more effective strategy. Concentrate on the puppy’s obedience training and only provide goodies, praise, and playing in response to excellent conduct.
Get Moving and Start Training
The most effective way to deal with jealous dog behavior is to get your household moving. Dogs get bored and frustrated when they do not engage in activities, and training is a great way to keep them stimulated and challenged.
While you are training your pet, you’ll have lots of enjoyable bonding time with your life companion and will be in a position to provide it with the attention it craves. Training and bonding will go a long way toward discouraging jealous behavior.
Involve New Household Members
If you should bring home a brand-new family member, the best way to assist your dog move on with life is to involve the brand new baby or creature in its daily exercises.
Just as you would when training a pup, begin with basic commands. For example, start by just interacting with the new member. After that, slowly involve a command or two as you play.
Repeat this process a lot, and your dog will learn to respond to the new person.
Conclusion
Jealous behavior in dogs is a natural survival instinct. They are happy when you are experiencing positive emotions, and they are unhappy when you are happy with someone else. This is because dogs need a strong and close bond with their owners to feel safe and secure.
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