Teach your dog to go to a place
Teaching your pup to go to a bed or mat across the room will help him get used to not always being next to you.
Of course, you’ll teach him to stay on the mat until released.
If your dog gets too pushy and demands that you pet him, one way to stop it is to ignore him briefly.
You can turn away or walk away. If you do this consistently, he’ll get the idea that pushy behavior doesn’t get what he wants: to be petted.
It’s important that dogs have some impulse control.
My Aussie mix Millie LOVES to be petted. But she insisted on it by nudging or barking for such attention.
My getting up and walking away taught her that behavior doesn’t get the petting she desires.
But of course I do pet her when I call her over. I want her to be happy and enjoy our bond.
It furthers the bond with us
Of course our pups don’t consciously realize there are scientific benefits to petting that benefit our dogs as well as us.
Petting increases the level of oxytocin in us and our canine companions. This hormone is responsible for the mother-baby connection.
It’s a “feel good” hormone that helps us trust and be kind to others.
Petting our dog usually shows them how much we care for them. They can also show their affection to us by their body language while being petted.
If they have relaxed body language and a “happy mouth” in which their tongue hangs out, they probably enjoy the contact.
Some goldens even rub against us when we pet them. And their tail often happily wags in a relaxed, loose, not stiff, motion.
The best way to get your dog to stop displaying attention-seeking behaviors is to ignore him when he does display them. By giving in and fussing him, or even by telling him off, hes getting what he wants — your attention. The behavior is likely to get worse before it gets better. For instance, he might start barking more loudly and urgently but, once he realizes its not getting the desired effect, he gives up. Once hes calmed down and stopped seeking attention, pet him and praise him. This way youre reinforcing the positive behavior rather than the negative one.
Dogs who are always seeking attention can get on your last nerve, no matter how much your love them. While all dogs need an adequate amount of attention to fulfill their needs as social animals, they shouldnt require your undivided attention 24 hours a day. Its usually fairly easy to break a dog of needing your attention all the time; the key is to learn not to reinforce these behaviors.
You need to understand why your dog is seeking your attention. Make sure that hes getting enough exercise — all dogs need at least 20 to 30 minutes of walking a day, but larger and more active ones need more, in some cases, a couple hours of exercise daily. Besides exercise, consider whether youre spending enough time with your dog, petting him and generally hanging out — dogs are pack animals who need social contact to stay happy. Some dogs also require a fair amount of mental stimulation, such as obedience training, trick training or regimented activities like dog agility.
If making lifestyle changes — such as increasing the amount of exercise he gets — and ignoring his attention-seeking behaviors have no effect, it might be time to bring in the big guns. Go to see a canine behaviorist or psychologist, who should be able to give you some insight into why your pooch is acting this way, and what you can do to stop him.
Your dog may try to solicit your attention by using a range of behaviors. Common tactics include pawing at you, trying to stick his nose under your arm, jumping up, barking, howling, whining, scratching at doors and stealing or chewing up items. While these kinds of behaviors, exhibited sparingly, might seem like a reasonable way to communicate with you, responding to them can serve to reinforce the behavior and make it worse.
Does Your Dog REALLY Want to be Petted?
Dogs who are always seeking attention can get on your last nerve, no matter how much your love them. While all dogs need an adequate amount of attention to fulfill their needs as social animals, they shouldnt require your undivided attention 24 hours a day. Its usually fairly easy to break a dog of needing your attention all the time; the key is to learn not to reinforce these behaviors.
Your dog may try to solicit your attention by using a range of behaviors. Common tactics include pawing at you, trying to stick his nose under your arm, jumping up, barking, howling, whining, scratching at doors and stealing or chewing up items. While these kinds of behaviors, exhibited sparingly, might seem like a reasonable way to communicate with you, responding to them can serve to reinforce the behavior and make it worse.
You need to understand why your dog is seeking your attention. Make sure that hes getting enough exercise — all dogs need at least 20 to 30 minutes of walking a day, but larger and more active ones need more, in some cases, a couple hours of exercise daily. Besides exercise, consider whether youre spending enough time with your dog, petting him and generally hanging out — dogs are pack animals who need social contact to stay happy. Some dogs also require a fair amount of mental stimulation, such as obedience training, trick training or regimented activities like dog agility.
The best way to get your dog to stop displaying attention-seeking behaviors is to ignore him when he does display them. By giving in and fussing him, or even by telling him off, hes getting what he wants — your attention. The behavior is likely to get worse before it gets better. For instance, he might start barking more loudly and urgently but, once he realizes its not getting the desired effect, he gives up. Once hes calmed down and stopped seeking attention, pet him and praise him. This way youre reinforcing the positive behavior rather than the negative one.
If making lifestyle changes — such as increasing the amount of exercise he gets — and ignoring his attention-seeking behaviors have no effect, it might be time to bring in the big guns. Go to see a canine behaviorist or psychologist, who should be able to give you some insight into why your pooch is acting this way, and what you can do to stop him.