Here, we will answer the frequently asked questions that new puppy owners have when getting used to their new life. No doubt dogs are full of strange behaviors like putting their paw on your face; you may also experience the not so welcome like, carpet scratching. These aren’t all necessarily a part of your pup’s personality either, but how can you tell when there is a deeper issue? We are here to help with that and first the most severe problem a new puppy owner could have.
Why does my dog hate me?
They do not hate you. But, they do need different types of social interactions from you than what they’re getting.
This is a terrible question that many new pet owners are faced with. Unfortunately there isn’t just one straight answer; instead, we have a few possibilities.
If you’ve been spoiling your new family member then they aren’t feeling the reward of working for something. This is an element of socializing that dogs crave desperately. Now, if your pup is acting out and you’re not spoiling him and he seems to be social with everyone else he may want a different kind of attention from you.
Often pups seek a special relationship with their owner. If you’re a homebody try getting your pup out for a walk. Or, if you’re constantly at the dog park your new pup might be trying to tell you they want some one-on-one time.
Why does my dog bark at me?
If it is not a happy or talkative bark then your dog needs a change in how you are interacting with them at that moment. What is great about this is that there is open communication here. They’re letting you know something is up rather than destroying your furniture, peeing on your bed or worse.
If your pup has been around for a while you may be able to tell their different types of barks. While some can be like the social seeking behavior mentioned above, an attempt to obtain a new interaction from you others can be less obvious.
A sharp or harsh sounding bark could be a warning that you’re in their personal space or they want some alone time. While a higher pitched, or “happy” bark can be a welcome into their zone or call for attention.
Low or whining barks are the sign of a budding separation anxiety. This is often solved with another furry friend if you absolutely can’t be home more. But what if what your new dog is doing is less of a bark and more of a growl?
Why is my dog growling at me all of a sudden?
This is a warning that they’re uncomfortable and choosing to take further measures. Be cautious in your actions and mindful of how you are approaching your pup
Do not worry you are probably not possessed, so do not believe the folklore that dogs sense the spirits within you. But there is cause for concern. The most common reason behind dogs growling if they haven’t been aggressive before: disease and illness.
This can be resolved with a trip to the vet to make sure your canine friend is healthy, and most of all happy. However, if there is not a disease or illness at play here the other possibilities all have the same central thought. Your pup isn’t comfortable and is communicating by growling instead of biting or snipping.
Imagine your favorite item is gone, but then you find it, then someone tries to take it away. You’d probably growl too. Your dog isn’t comfortable with you reaching for something she holds dear.
Why is my dog following me everywhere suddenly?
Give your dog some space to stave off the shadow effect. This works for both warding off separation anxiety from increasing, and to make them work a little harder for those treats!
This is usually quite the opposite of the past few questions, but out of nowhere, your dog is closer than your shadow. You can’t escape her. She sits outside the bathroom door and tries to crawl into bed before you do! Not every pet owner’s worst nightmare but it does get annoying after a while.
Odds are your pup is brewing some separation anxiety, or you’re being a little too rewarding with the treats! Although these can cause some concern, you and your pup will probably be fine.
Why does not my dog bark?
Your dog does not bark because of either personality, breed or in some very unlikely cases, illness. But you can relax and focus on enjoying the dog you have. If your vet gives your friend a clean bill of health you have nothing to worry about. Now you have to pay attention to all of the nonverbal cues your pup gives you, like nuzzling.
If you’ve wondered what normal dog behaviors could be like, you probably have a strange family friend. Maybe your furry pal doesn’t follow you around or take a regular social interest in you. Or maybe something stranger, for instance, does your dog not bark?
Although some breeds are more vocal, looking at you Huskies, other breeds like Beagles are simply quiet. Now, you may have a dog that is somewhere between Huskies and Beagles and still, no barking. It may be that you just have an introverted type of furry friend. Which happens, dogs have personalities and you’ll eventually learn to identify the traits of your pup.
Now, if for some reason your dog stops barking, when they used to have a healthy bark, it may be a different story. You might want to make an appointment with your vet and check that your dog isn’t hoarse because of an illness.
Why does my dog rub his face on me?
These are a few of the reasons why you would be nuzzled so intently:
- Greeting, he missed you so much and wants you to know!
- Dominance, she’s trying to sniff out where you’ve been and who with.
- Submission, the opposite of above, she’s trying to let you know you can smell her if you’d like.
- Food. If you’ve eaten recently this isn’t an act of love, its hunger.
- Pay attention to this point: they’re craving that you weren’t picking up on.
It might seem like this one action could mean a lot of different things. But, really this is a short list, try working from the top down. When your pup nuzzles at you, provide some well-deserved attention, nuzzle her back, and deliver her food.
If it seems like she’s using it to make you submissive, put her away from your face and move on to food and attention. Be sure though to establish in these cases that you’re giving food and attention on your terms.
This is one of the nonverbal methods of communication that dogs have, their face and their paws are the two ways they can gently tell you what’s going on.
Why does my dog put his paw on my face?
A little attention goes a long way with pawing. Now, keep in mind if you give in every time they want attention you may end up with a spoiled pup that will start to act out. Overall enjoy that you have a playful friend. Put in some play time and tire them out for the night if you really need some space.
It’s adorable, right? A puppy comes up and sticks his paw on your cheek while panting and rolling about. Well, they’re not caressing you or trying to take you out on Friday. But, they do want some playtime, like right now. Think about it, how do little puppies play with each other? Well, the start by pushing each other around with their paws. This is a perfect introduction to draw more attention.
If it is not playtime they’re after they may have seen or experienced the praise that comes with commands like “shake” or “high five”. This means they’re expecting to get a little something (like a treat) for their good behavior.
Why does my dog stick the tip of his tongue out?
This is absolutely nothing to worry about. Some dogs even sleep like this to help their breathing stay regular! Now other licking concerns definitely need a closer look as they are often not signs of complete relaxation.
What is the opposite of play? Complete relaxation. There is your dog, lying off the edge of her bed and just the tip of her tongue is poking out. Be happy for her, she is the most relaxed she can ever be. Probably more relaxed than we’ll ever be in fact, so feel free to be slightly jealous.
That’s what it means when your dog’s tongue is slightly poking out. While some may mistakenly be identified as hanging tongue syndrome, it is far more noticeable. Hanging tongue syndrome is when your dog has no control over their tongue and it well, hangs. This is usually a good chunk of tongue hanging out.
Why does my dog lick my pillow?
A trip to the vet is definitely in order. Although this is not a sure sign of any of the diseases mentioned above, it is better to be safe. After a clean bill of health from the vet, it is probably worth it to start trying to identify where your dog could be stressed. But, what if your dog is less licking and more, sucking?
We mentioned that other licking habits needed some closer examination. Well, while the tip of their tongue poking out is no cause for concern, licking is. Although it seems normal, I mean they lick our faces and that pillow probably smells like your face this licking behavior is the sign of a potential health problem.
Liver failure, nutritional deficiencies, Cushing’s disease and neurological diseases are a few of the many possibilities. Even after a vet check watch for pillow licking as a possible sign of stress.
Why does my dog suck on blankets?
Blanket sucking is usually a result of the puppy being weaned from its mother too early. So they still have that desire to nurse and blankets are warm and fuzzy, just like their mom. This is usually accompanied by kneading on the blanket while sucking.
Stopping this behavior can be tricky. While it’s hard for some owners to pull away a blanket this is step number one. Then it’s feeding time. As this is associated with nursing it should be taught that this behavior is being replaced with food. That way they know to seek out their hunger needs from their food dish, not the blanket.
So what if your dog is doing more than sucking and on more personal items of clothing?
Blanket sucking is in the best light, cute as a puppy. Kind of like a kid sucking their thumb. Until all of a sudden, your puppy isn’t so small anymore, and the drool spots on your blankets are getting larger. When left unchecked blanket sucking turns into a gross adult dog habit that leaves your blankets hard and crunchy from dried dog slobber. So, what is it? Why do they do it and how do you stop it?
Why does my dog eat my underwear?
Overall, this could be another sign of separation anxiety. Your pup went looking for you and instead, only found your, um, scent. Keep in mind, this is the scent that is strongest, and right about the height of their nose most of the time. So they take comfort in chewing the fabric that smells like you. We never said dogs weren’t strange!
It’s a nightmare come true when you get home and the sitter brings you a completely shredded pair of underwear from your hamper. What do you do? How do you let your dog know this is bad? Also, definitely tip the sitter, they handled dog chewed underwear.
Although dogs eat socks and shoes, underwear is by far the most embarrassing to have chewed up. But, keep in mind, chewing at any age is healthy for dogs. Although ingesting fabric is not.
We recommend keeping some chew toys on hand and keeping your personal items out of their reach. If you believe that your dog may have taken down a chunk of fabric in the mix, arrange for a quick trip to the vet just to check everything out. They may want to do an x-ray to see how much your furry friend ate.
If you think a vet trip might not be necessary, it would do good to keep a close watch on your dog’s mental state over the next few days. Chewing could be a sign of something more than a natural urge.
Why does my dog scratch the carpet?
Your dog needs comfort or activity. This is great because comfort and activity are both easy to deliver. A few walks a week or some soothing cuddling can relieve your carpets of a good deal of damage. Take notice of when your pup is acting out against your flooring and take immediate action. If its anxiety based plan ahead for the next storm or holiday that has fireworks.
Speaking of strange isn’t it strange when they begin digging. But, digging in the house and destroying the carpet in the process?
Well, just like digging outside, carpet scratching is a sign of pent-up energy. Your poor pup isn’t getting the walk or playtime they need to be tired. So instead they take it out on your carpet.
A buildup of energy can lead many dogs to destructive behavior, and if your pal is indoors well, the best option they have is your carpet. But, this could also be an expression of stress or anxiety. While built-up energy can cause a dog to destroy, anxiety can lead them to seek shelter through digging. Often dogs will dig their way out of backyards during storms or when they hear fireworks. It should be expected that indoor dogs will behave the same way only in a slightly more confined environment.
Why do puppies hump?
You are either a practice target or seen as the beta of this pack. But, either of these can be corrected through training and assertion on your part. Stop the behavior when it starts and be consistent in your response.
If there is a less adorable puppy habit, we haven’t heard of it yet. Puppy humping at best makes your guests uncomfortable but quickly becomes an annoying daily occurrence. You push them away but they don’t get the hint that you’re not that into it. But what is your pup trying to get out of this?
Well, they’re getting in a bit of practice. Unfortunately humping for puppies, just like dogs, is sexual in nature. You’re the practice round while their body is preparing them to be ready for the real thing. This also doesn’t stop if they are neutered or spayed, which means it can become a lifelong annoyance.
But, there is an alternative. Although the alternative isn’t much better there is hope from the lifelong target practice. Your pup could be using this to establish social dominance, by well, dominating you. He or she because girls are well known for this also, wants to establish that they’re the alpha. This can be corrected with training and lots of “I’m the alpha” reinforcement from you.
Why does my puppy pee so much?
- They are sick. Sorry to say, but a quick vet appointment could really ease your mind on this one.
- They are too old or too young. That’s right, puppies and older dogs pee more so be patient with their tiny bladders.
- Lack of a suitable schedule. Dogs like to live their lives in a regular rotation, which means doing the same things at about the same times every day. If your life is hectic they could just be taking advantage of every chance they get.
Not many pet owners really track how often their pets use the restroom. In fact, this might be something that only new owners going through house training and indoor pet owners are even aware of. But, here you are for your third time this morning taking Rex outside. Or you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night to let them in and out repeatedly? How much is too much? And then, why are they peeing so much?
We have gone through 14 of the most common questions from dog owners and hope you found everything you were looking for!