Dog doesn't like me anymore.

scar_tissue · 30/09/14 - 21:46

So I'm aware this may sound a bit pathetic but I am genuinely thinking my dog now dislikes me.

I have moved out of my parents home in with my boyfriend and in that time my parents noticed she has been calmer and not barking so much.

When I take her for walks she is always a lot more hyper with me than what she is with my dad for example, I am a very anxious person so maybe she picks up on that. I think she wishes I weren't around as she scoffs at me when she's around me sometimes. She also walks with a limp which she doesn't do with my dad and I can't help thinking she's trying to tell me something. It might all be in my head though. I'm not sure.

Rednell · 30/09/14 - 22:28

She's probably sulking. I snorted derisively at the thought of a dog sulking, and then I got my springer who is a right diva and became convinced that they do. Just ignore the undesirable behaviour.

JJ75 · 01/10/14 - 13:28

She's probably more hyper with you because you are younger and have more energy! I always wind my parents dogs up

They are usually chilled out but within 5 mins of me arriving I have them going mad. I think its good for them to have a bit of crazy time.

Dont worry about it.

Elyan · 01/10/14 - 13:34

If you are anxious when you are around the dog she will almost certainly pick up on it, and become anxious herself - thinking that there is something to be anxious about.

camira · 01/10/14 - 15:03

You have to understand about how a dog thinks. Dogs see their masters as the "leader of the pack". If a dog is living with more than one human then all of the humans will be in a pecking order in its mind. Obviously your dad, to your doggy, is Alpha 1 and you are down on the totem pole a bit. The dog may perceive you as being an equal and also pick up on your flightiness. What you need to do is talk to your dog EXACTLY like your dad does and treat it the same way when walking, etc. Dogs are opportunists and they will take advantage of you if they perceive weakness. It's not that your dog no longer likes you...more that the dog does not see you as "boss".

[Deleted User] · 01/10/14 - 15:06

I'm 29 and my dad is 60 and some nights he takes the dog for a walk and other nights i do. When i do he runs to the door excited eager to go, when my dad does he is far less enthusiastic and practically has to be forced out the door. This i think is because i am younger and i take him on a longer and more exciting walk, i know he prefers my walks. he is very hyper on mine and drags me along and sometimes he even decides which way we will go, i might be about to go one way and he drags me accross the road to go another way

frisky python · 01/10/14 - 18:16

camira wrote: »

You have to understand about how a dog thinks. Dogs see their masters as the "leader of the pack". If a dog is living with more than one human then all of the humans will be in a pecking order in its mind. Obviously your dad, to your doggy, is Alpha 1 and you are down on the totem pole a bit. The dog may perceive you as being an equal and also pick up on your flightiness. What you need to do is talk to your dog EXACTLY like your dad does and treat it the same way when walking, etc. Dogs are opportunists and they will take advantage of you if they perceive weakness. It's not that your dog no longer likes you...more that the dog does not see you as "boss".

That whole leader of the pack alpha male theory has been debunked. You can read more here: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007250,00.html and here http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201007/canine-dominance-is-the-concept-the-alpha-dog-valid

OP if you are anxious then she may well be picking that up. I suffer anxiety, and I was anxious around my dog until my dog trainers pointed out that my dog needed a leader in order to feel comfortable and confident. The training ended up being for me rather than my dog.

Si_Crewe · 01/10/14 - 18:40

frisky python wrote: »

That whole leader of the pack alpha male theory has been debunked. You can read more here: http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2007250,00.html and here http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/canine-corner/201007/canine-dominance-is-the-concept-the-alpha-dog-valid

OP if you are anxious then she may well be picking that up. I suffer anxiety, and I was anxious around my dog until my dog trainers pointed out that my dog needed a leader in order to feel comfortable and confident. The training ended up being for me rather than my dog.

Must say, I think there's a lot of truth in the idea that dogs pick themselves a "pack leader" even if a lot of the stuff related to that is bunkum.

Could be that the OPs dog thinks that he can "get away with" more stuff with the OP than with her dad and that's why it's happening or it could be that the dog always thought of her as the "fun human" and that's why he's acting differently around her.

I used to leave my Lab' with my parents at times and my dad always said she was perfectly placid and obedient as he pottered along.
He was quite surprised to see, when we took her for a walk together, that she'd roll in puddles, charge through the undergrowth, slide around in mud and generally act like a head-case.

I reckon that it's partly due to dogs gauging how much they can "get away with" with each person they know and partly due to the dog actually trying to fulfil the expectations that the person has of them.

In the OPs case, I wouldn't be surprised if the dog was also "sulking" because she hasn't been around as much, too, and that's making him a bit more stand-offish.

Again, sometimes I'm away from home for months on end and when I get home I'm usually greeted by my dogs going bonkers at first but then they barely come near me for several days.
It's as if they're saying "Hey, this other human has looked after us for the last 2 months so we don't need you, you know!"

scar_tissue · 01/10/14 - 20:09

pjw1985 wrote: »

I'm 29 and my dad is 60 and some nights he takes the dog for a walk and other nights i do. When i do he runs to the door excited eager to go, when my dad does he is far less enthusiastic and practically has to be forced out the door. This i think is because i am younger and i take him on a longer and more exciting walk, i know he prefers my walks. he is very hyper on mine and drags me along and sometimes he even decides which way we will go, i might be about to go one way and he drags me accross the road to go another way

My dog used to be like that and I used to think it was because she thought it was more exiciting when going with me, now I think the opposite. She grumbles when I take her, I'm shy and she barks at people which attracts attention and get's me flustered so I end up apologising for her behaviour.

I would hire a dog behaviourist but I really can't afford it right now. I will admit I haven't always been consistent with her and have been a bit soft. I'm the only one who will let her on the sofa when my parents are out except for when she is moulting but she gets annoyed with me when I don't let her so I have stopped doing it. She isn't interested in coming in the house any more with me here, think she just doesn't like me now.

DigitalSpyUser · 05/10/14 - 01:19

Rednell wrote: »

She's probably sulking. I snorted derisively at the thought of a dog sulking, and then I got my springer who is a right diva and became convinced that they do. Just ignore the undesirable behaviour.

We've had dogs that could sulk for England, In particular a cairn terrier, who would shoot you a filthy look and then turn his back to you and ignore you.

We have a lovely pair of dogs now, also cairns who have lovely temperaments.

If I'm eating, and I say "oy" in short, sharp voice they take that as a warning and move to the other side of the room. In doggy speak, distance is respect for leader of the pack. They behave much better for me than they do for my Mother and regard me a leader.

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