Why Does My Dog Hate One Family Member?
First things first — it’s important to distinguish dog behavior from human characteristics in situations like this.
Dogs probably can’t feel emotions as complex as hate. Reactions like growling, snarling, lunging, nipping and biting typically stem from either fear, pain, or learned aggression (such as dog fighting, past abuse, or even just an unwelcome interaction from puppyhood).
There are a lot of reasons that a dog may react aggressively toward a family member. If you’ve had your dog since puppyhood it may be easier to figure out the root cause, but for many adopted dogs the cause may never be discovered.
More often than not, the reason a dog reacts aggressively toward a family member is due to poor socialization or fear from a past experience.
If your dog doesn’t like kids, counter-conditioning, desensitization, and other training techniques can help him feel more comfortable in the presence of children.
Children and dogs often form wonderful relationships. But some dogs are uncomfortable around kids and may react with fear. They may walk away, hide, or bark and lunge at children. Why is that? Certainly, a dog that was taunted or teased by children in the past is likely to remember this experience and form negative associations with kids. But often, a dog’s discomfort around children stems from the lack of exposure to them during puppyhood. Here’s what to do if your own dog reacts negatively towards children.
What Not to Do When Your Dog Shows Discomfort
Like most canine behavior challenges, ignoring your dog’s discomfort with kids won’t make it go away. It’s a risky proposition anytime you’re dealing with reactivity, but especially so when dealing with children. Unfortunately, your dog won’t “grow out” of his discomfort around kids. Untreated, there’s a chance it might get worse.
Similarly, trying to make your dog “face his fears” can backfire. Pelar warns against putting your dog in a situation where he can’t get away when he’s worried, like holding your dog so that a child can pet him. Forcing your dog to cope with children at close range won’t help him to enjoy them. It might actually cause him to escalate his warnings if he feels that he has no other option.
14 Signs Your Dog Doesn’t Love You (Even if You Think They Do)
Is your dog starting to act indifferent and suddenly starting to act very distant? Is he not showing the same level of excitement or affection every time he greets you? These reasons might help explain the change in behavior.