What Should I Do If My Dog Insists on Being Petted?
It’s great having a dog who loves being social. But it’s not so much fun when your pup constantly insists on being petted.
You may have something else to do.
If you can’t pet at the time he nudges or barks at you to be petted, your dog may become stressed and pace and whine.
So it’s important to properly set limits as you would with any behavior.
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.
Find food that fits your pet’s needs
It seems like a dogs head and a persons hand were meant to go together. But why do dogs like to be pet so much, and what are the best places to pet a dog? To answer these questions, its important to understand the signs dogs give before, during and after petting. Get ready — were about to explore the science behind dog petting.
Have you ever heard the saying, “Let sleeping dogs lie?” Although all dogs like a good hand massage, they should be the ones to initiate the petting. Whether theyre a new puppy, your long-time fur kid or a dog youve never met before, you should always look for the mutual agreement that the dog wants you to pet them. If a dog wants to be petted, they will sniff you, and then their ears, tail and other parts of their body will become relaxed. Watch for loose shoulders, a soft gaze and an open mouth. When they start to wiggle a little bit or nuzzle up against you, thats your sign that theyre ready for a good round of petting.
You should first pet the dog on the chest, shoulder or base of the neck rather than moving your hand over the top of their head. Make the initial petting slow and a little bit like a light massage. Avoid the base of the tail, under the chin and the back of the neck. Definitely dont grab at the dogs face or pet their ears roughly, since most dogs do not like that type of petting. Once you get to know a dog well, you can try to pet other areas and see what they like. When youre done petting, be sure to use a consistent response like “all done” so that your dog doesnt keep jumping up or try to nuzzle into you and knock you over for more pets.
Does Your Dog REALLY Want to be Petted?
Most people know that dogs like to be petted. In fact, most people’s first instinct when introduced to a dog is to pet them. But few people actually know why dogs like to be petted.
While we can’t ask a dog for the answer to this question, we can make a few educated guesses.