He did a test where a dog watched their owner struggle to open a container. The owner then asked another person for help. Sometimes the person helped, and sometimes they refused. After each interaction, the dog was given the choice whether to accept attention from the other person or ignore them. On turns when the person refused to help the dog’s owner, the dog was more likely to show signs of not liking the rude person. The study shows if a person in your life is regularly rude to you, your dog will decide for themselves they don’t like them. Dogs are Team Owner all the way!
Eye contact, for example, means different things to different species. Between humans, someone who doesn’t make direct eye contact is perceived as shifty, untruthful, or suspicious. In a dog’s world, however, direct eye contact is rude and even threatening. Giving “soft eyes,” or looking slightly to the side, is a sign of respect or deference. Bending over the dog, making wide gestures with your arms, erratic movements, and forcing a dog into a hug are all bad body moves dogs don’t appreciate.
Rescue dogs with histories of abuse and abandonment don’t forget about their traumatic experiences. Even when they move on and are adopted by loving families, the suffering they went through will often stick with them. In some cases, they develop fears and mistrust toward people who remind them of their difficult pasts.
Everyone knows a dog’s sense of smell is incredibly powerful. Their first move when being introduced to a new dog or person is to give them a good sniff. If they like what they smell and the interaction goes well—BAM, best friends for life. But if they get a whiff of something intimidating, confusing, or downright repugnant, they’ll follow their nose to better smells.
While your dog is assessing a person’s tone of voice, they’re also observing their body language. Dogs depend on body language to help fill in communication gaps. The trouble comes when comparing the way humans perceive specific body movements to how dogs interpret those same signs.
Signs your dog doesn’t like you
When we encounter other people, we may get the impression they dont like us. They dont have to say anything or behave aggressively. We can often tell from their body language they have not warmed to us. Dogs may not be as psychologically complicated, but determining if they dont like us is not always easy.
Since we cant ask them outright, we need to look for signs a dog doesnt like us. These signs are most seen in terms of body language and include:
Evade your presence: the first sign our dog doesnt like us is fairly obvious. If every time we go near them they move away, it is likely they have an issue with us. Dogs dont judge humans in the same way they do each other. It is likely the dog hides from your presence because they are threatened by you. There is something about you which makes them feel insecure.
Do not like being touched: petting a dog reassures them, releases stress and improves the bond between dog and guardian. While there are times they are just uninterested and dont want to be petted, if the dog regularly recoils at your touch it is a sign of a problem.
Tuck their tail: a dog may be afraid of you, but they remain in your presence. By looking at their body language, we can see how they feel about a person. Having their tail lowered and tucked when in your company usually exhibits fear, discomfort and/or stress.
Look away: while dogs generally do not like to be looked directly in the eye, if they always avoid your gaze or seem to cower whenever you look at them, it is a sign they are uncomfortable with you.
Flatten ears: while flattening their ears can be a sign of aggression, it can also be a sign of discomfort. We need to look at their body language as a whole to know for sure.
Bark or growl: one of the most obvious signs are dog has a problem with us is if they are making aggressive noises. When a dog wants to be close to their guardian, they can whine and call out for them. They may even bark out of frustration. When a dog is unhappy or feels threatened, their vocalizations will be more aggressive.
Bear teeth: similar to growling or barking, bearing teeth is a sign the dog is not happy. If they do it to you, they may be doing it defensively. We need to be very careful because a scared dog can attack. Some dogs may bear their teeth more casually, so we need to be aware of individual dog behavior.
Bite or scratch: some puppies may not have learned bite inhibition and will bite us too hard, even if they are only playing. If a dog doesnt like you or feels threatened by you, they may try to bite. We need to be very careful in cases like these, especially if there is any possibility they are carriers of disease or vulnerable people are present.
As we can see, many of the signs a dog doesnt like you are shared with other behavioral issues in dogs. This is why it is so essential we look at the context of this behavior as well as their body language.
Is my dog afraid of me?
When we invite a new dog into our home, there will be a certain period of adjustment for all parties. Some dogs will become part of the family immediately. Others will need more time to gain our trust. Part of the reason may be to do with their past. Often the root cause is fear. Here are some reasons a dog may be afraid of you:
Traumatic experience: when something traumatic happens to them, a dog can have a hard time dealing with it. Rescue dogs are particularly prone to this problem. They may carry it with them into a new home and will need constant reassurance to feel comfortable again.
Abuse: similar to a traumatic experience, this can manifest in different signs of abuse in dogs. If they were regularly beaten by a human in the past, they may think you will do the same to them. Earning the dogs trust again can take a long time, but it will depend on the individual as even rescue dogs or those which have been abused can adjust to a new family.
Lack of socialization: a dog needs to stay with their mother for a minimum of 8 weeks, ideally longer. During this time they are not only weaned and cared for, but they start to learn how to interact with others in a healthy way. If the dog is removed too soon, they may not heave learned the proper skills to socialize.
Negative association: if the dog associates certain objects or circumstances with stress or fear, then they may not be able to behave when around them. Removing any stressors can start them on the road to feeling safe and secure.
To know more, you can look at our article on why my dog is scared of me all of a sudden. Here we provide more signs and reasons why they may be frightened as well as some helpful techniques to regain their trust.
14 Signs Your Dog Doesn’t Love You (Even if You Think They Do)