Stop Petting Your Dog Like This: The Common Mistakes That Actually Stress Your Pup Out

Every dog owner knows that their pet is a part of their family, so no wonder they want to show their love and spend hours hugging the furry friend. However, many tend to forget that, apart from not being an actual toy, the dogs are also conscious creatures that definitely know whether they want to stay alone or spend some quality time with their owner.

If you feel like there’s been some tension between you and your dog lately, read further to see if your pet is tired of constant signs of your affection.

How to Know If Your Dog Is Stressed?

Even dog can’t tell us to get off with words, they can still do so by using their voice. For instance, if you see that your dog is growling or snapping back, it’s one of the most obvious signs of the pet being stressed because of too much attention.

Unfortunately, it’s the dog that gets punished for such behavior later, though it’s pretty clear that the owner is to blame.

Among those that need to pay extra attention to their dog’s signs of stress are those having small dogs like chihuahua (since they can be carried around in bags and arms, they’re often considered “toy” dogs), people with small children and the owners of sensible and introverted dogs.

This Hack Will Help You See If Your Dog Wants Your Attention

Since there’s no other way to try and understand your dog, the first thing you need to learn is to read the language of your pet’s body. It’s actually much easier than you could’ve imagined, and there’s a simple hack that will show you your dog’s current mood for caress and hugs.

All you need to do is to stretch out your hands towards your dog palm up (as if you were offering treats to your dog) and stop just several centimetres away from your dog’s face. Then wait a little bit and check: if the dog leans towards you, its tail is wigging and body is relaxed, it means that the pet will be happy to spend some time with you.

Alternatively, if the dog turns away, freeze and presses its ears, you better leave your pet alone for some time.