Why does my dog like to be babied? Here’s the Answer

Everything you need to know to raise a happy, healthy dog.

Most pet parents are guilty of it at one point or another—babying your dog. Whether it’s extra cookies, carrying them around, dressing them up in cute outfits or just plain letting them get their way, we can treat our furry friends the way we would treat our toddlers. But could this be making a good dog go bad?

San Francisco based dog trainer Beverly Ulbrich is helping us outline the pros and cons of treating your dog like a child.

Tips to enjoy a happy and well-balanced dog

Avoid the main errors of humanization and show your dog the right attitude to feel happy in the household:

Dont pick your dog up; this can cause a great feeling of insecurity.

The love that you give your dog should always have limits and discipline.

Your dogs physical requirements are not the same as your own. As the owner you should make sure its needs are met, including giving it daily physical exercise.

The dog needs contact with other animals, and you must therefore start socializing it when it is a puppy.

If you want to read similar articles to Is it Wrong to Treat a Dog like a Baby?, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.

Signs You’re Guilty of Babying

You might not even realize you’re doing it, but there is a good chance you’ve babied your dog.

“There is a wide range of possibilities,” Ulbrich says. “But typically it has to do with owners feeding into bad behavior, such as begging or whining, or allowing their dog to not obey commands.”

Here are some common behaviors that baby our dogs:

Giving into whining or barking for attention or food

Carrying an able-bodied dog around or pushing him in a stroller

Letting your dog ignore commands he knows

Not correcting bad behavior such as posturing, resource guarding, and forms of aggression—including dog-on-dog aggression, food aggression, and people aggression

Does Your Dog Respond Better When You Use a Baby Voice?

We know dogs do what works, which means they learn how best to get your attention, like jumping, for example. If your dog is doing this when there is a baby around, maybe she has learned to jump up to get your attention. This isn’t jealousy, however it does mean you need to do some training with your dog.