Why do dogs ignore their owners? Here’s What to Do Next

What to do when your dog is ignoring you

In the previous sections we have detailed why your dog ignores you and how you can try to determine the reason. Here we suggest some practical ways to improve your relationship and have them pay attention. They include:

Firstly exercise patience. Results do not happen immediately. The basis of your relationship needs to be love and understanding. Also, some dogs are simply smarter than others. Some will need more time to understand commands and to internalize information.

Establishing or recovering the emotional bond. It might be helpful to look at the situation a little like a couple in crisis. Spend time with your dog, make it quality time and give them the chance to feel comfortable and secure. For your dog, you are the center of their universe. Show them this devotion is not unfounded.

To regain a positive relationship with your dog, there is a specific way of encouraging closeness. You can do this by:

Going for a long walk.

Letting the dog go to their favorite place when they get home.

Get close, but dont look at them directly.

Say their name.

If they turn to look at you, reward them with a treat.

Start with treats, but do not overfeed them. Move on to petting and then phase out rewarding with treats altogether until they want to pay attention to you because they love you.

Your Dog Ignores You Because You Do This (Probably)

No! Non! Nein! Нет! No matter in what language you say it, this one word will hold you back when dealing with dogs. And they don’t even know what it means!

But what they do know is that the sound it makes when coming from your mouth means that you are not happy. And when you are not happy, your dog is not happy.

When your dog is not happy, it is harder to train him. So why beat your head against a linguistic wall? Get rid of the word from your vocabulary and see the results.

Saying no over and over again in most cases is the reason why dogs ignore their owners. If you really want to know why your dog is ignoring you, the answer probably lies in this very simple fact. Ask yourself honestly, do I do this? Is this why my dog is ignoring me?

Asked and answered – why does my dog ignore me? Its because Ive made myself ignorable.

Linguistically, you could argue that the word ‘no’ is wholly appropriate as a marker to correct undesired behaviours, but what people fail to realise is that by issuing the word ‘no’, they have not only uttered a word, but their body language will have changed, the tone of voice will have changed.

When dealing with a creature as perceptive as a dog, these non-verbal communications will be noted, remembered and disliked. So how do we get around using this ugly, ugly word?

Positive reinforcement when a dog is ignoring you:

Positive reinforcement is a popular alternative to the grind and graft of using the word ‘no’ in training. Many seasoned dog trainers swear by the agreeable effect that using this method has. In essence, positive reinforcement relies on the trainer not drawing attention to the shortcomings of a dog but giving hearty consent to the progress, however small, made during the session.

How To Get Your Dog To Stop Ignoring You

Now that we’ve gone over reasons why your dog may be ignoring you – let’s move on to what you can do to keep your furry companion from snubbing you.

I know I’ve mentioned the ‘vet‘ countless times throughout this article. But, the fact remains that your vet is your primary source of reliable information – that’s specific to your canine.

I know you lead busy lives, but trust me, the effort you expend in taking your pup to the vet is way less than what you may have to go through (emotionally) if your pet’s condition worsens.

Additionally, regular visits to the vet are crucial not only for keeping your doggo healthy but also for the early detection of any illness. Catching a disease before it does significant damage can help save your pet’s life.

That’s why, if your pet is ignoring you, taking it to the vet will help you discover the reason behind your pet’s strange behavior in a faster and safer manner – for you and your canine.

Why Your Dog Ignores You (You Taught Him To)

While all dogs will have their own personalities, it is not uncommon for dogs to ignore people. With strangers, many dogs are reserved or are simply so strongly bonded to their guardian that they do not have interest in other humans. However, a dog ignoring their owner completely is not common and likely the symptom of a greater issue. For the vast majority of cases, the problem is to do with communication.

At AnimalWised, we look at the reasons why your dog keeps ignoring you. By learning these reasons, we can find out the best ways for them to pay a healthy amount of attention to their human guardians. You may also be interested in: