Q&A for How to Make a Dog Love You

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  • Question
    Do dogs understand when you kiss them?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    While kissing is not a natural dog behavior, there is something close in the way a mother dog licks her pups. Most dogs will interpret the bigger picture of your body language, tone of voice, and facial expression to understand a kiss is a sign of deep affection.
  • Question
    How do I tell my dog I love him?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Your dog will interpret your body language and tone of voice, and understand that they are treasured and loved. Setting boundaries, so the dog knows what's expected of them, is hugely reassuring to the dog and another way of showing your love.
  • Question
    How do you make your dog happy?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Dogs love to have a routine. It helps a dog feel content if they know when to expect meals and walks, and have a rich life with plenty of opportunity to exercise and play.
  • Question
    How do you bond with your dog?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    Spend time together doing pleasant activities such as walking. Use reward-based training methods which teach the dog to look to you for instruction, and help them understand you represent safety and stability.
  • Question
    How can I help a dog that's scared of me?
    Community Answer
    You could offer treats or kneel down and hold out your hand so they can smell it. Let the dog come to you at its own pace, do not rush things.
  • Question
    Why does my Dad's dog follow him but when I go near her when he is not around, she looks like she's going to cry when I try to be nice to her?
    Community Answer
    It's because your dog considers your dad as the "master". Try to gain trust of the dog step by step. It works to show your dog that you and your dad are friends, so the dog will think "oh so they know each other".
  • Question
    My dog is a 5 month puppy. While I'm at school, he's with my mom so he just loves her. If we are laying on the couch and my mom gets up to go to the bathroom, my puppy gets up and if I try to hold him, he will bark. How do I get him to love me?
    Community Answer
    If you spend more time with him, he'll love you. But don't be surprised that he'll always consider your mom as the "master", because she is around more and there's nothing you can do about that. Your dog is young, so he's scared when you leave the room, that's totally okay.
  • Question
    What if you got a puppy and you want it to bond with you?
    Community Answer
    If the puppy is young, and always sleepy, then let it sleep. As the puppy gets older, it will want to play all the time. Let it play, but make sure to say "No bite!" and pull your hand or shirt away when he/she bites you. You have to teach it to not bite. A puppy's feelings are easily told by its actions. Play, play, sleep. You can play with it, then just let it curl up on your lap and fall asleep. Bonding will slowly but surely grow.
  • Question
    I really want my boyfriend's dog to love me more. He doesn't do anything with me. If I go to give him a pet on the head, he runs away from me or he tries to avoid me.
    Community Answer
    You shouldn't give your boyfriend's dog too much love, especially if this dog has had a problem with humans before or is deeply bonded only to your boyfriend. Try gently, step by step, first, make sure your dog knows you can be trusted. Gently throw biscuits, food pieces and show him/her some toys. Make sure you don't invade the dog's space. Spend time together with both your boyfriend and the dog, so that the dog can see your boyfriend thinks you're just as great as the dog!
  • Question
    I'm getting a dog soon and it's a 4 week old toy poodle. I want to make a good impression on the dog and make it like me before I take it home. Any ideas?
    Community Answer
    Firstly, do not take a dog home before it is 8 weeks old, as it needs to learn correct behaviour from its mother and littermates. To make a good impression, visit the puppy more than once leading up to the time that you take it home, and interact with the dog. You could bring a toy along to play with, and take it every visit so that it has the scent of your home on it, which can help the dog settle in when you bring it home. Make sure that you have a connection - most people say that the dog chose them!
  • Question
    How do you get an adopted young dog to realize that you are his supporter or best friend?
    Community Answer
    Adopted dogs can be difficult to deal with. If you can, spend a lot of time with that dog while visiting the shelter or the previous owner. Dogs live like there's no tomorrow, they won't be sad when separated from their siblings and they'll get used to new owners. If your dogs struggles with accepting you, speak to a dog trainer.
  • Question
    What do I do if the dog already loves someone else?
    Community Answer
    Dogs have a lot of love to give, and most have strong relationships with multiple people, being friends or family (malamutes and huskies often bond strongly with a single person, so it may be more difficult in that case). The best thing to do is to offer affection, give the dog exercise (which relaxes them and so builds the bond), and spend time together, perhaps 1:1 to take away the attention from the other person. Never force an animal, of any kind, to be with you, as it will have the opposite effect - you would give them something to back away from by pulling them towards you.
  • Question
    What does it mean if my dog is growling at people walking through the door and when they sit down? He is calm at first but then he walks off and puts his hackles up with his tail down and starts growling.
    Community Answer
    Your dog is probably territorial. Try to make sure that your friends get to know your dog better so he will be less worried about them.
  • Question
    Every time I go to my friend's house, her dog runs away from me. What should I do?
    Community Answer
    Try to make sure your friend's dog knows you are not intruding his/her space and try giving her bits of food and playing with toys. Also make sure you use a nice tone whilst trying to interact with the dog.
  • Question
    What does it mean if a dog bites you?
    Community Answer
    It means that you have invaded its space or did not care about the warnings. Dogs don't bite because it's fun (unless they've been separated from the mother too soon, then consult your vet), they bite because they didn't like something and you kept on doing it anyway. Some dogs are trained to bite, keep that in mind while approaching a random dog.
  • Question
    What do I do if the dog still hates me?
    Community Answer
    Dogs show devotion and love when you give them plenty of love, play, feed and walk on time. To get a puppy to love you, play with it often, take good care of it and cuddle it if it lets you. When it feels you love it, the dog will love you back. There is an exception to get a puppy love––it takes longer to earn its love and trust when a puppy was abused previously. This puppy is afraid of people and often require special approach to help it trust a human.
  • Question
    My dog likes me but I want to become closer. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Spend more time with your special pup. Play her favorite games with her, talk to her in a gentle voice so she feels safe around you, don't punish her unless she really deserves it, and give her extra tummy rubs.
  • Question
    My friend has a dog and the dog gets excited every time I come to her house. Does this mean she loves me?
    Community Answer
    Some dogs just get excited whenever anybody comes over. Ask your friend how their dog normally reacts to company. If you want the dog to like you even more, just make sure to pay lots of attention to it when you're at your friend's house.
  • Question
    My dog was abused by my twin sister and now he hates me and I try to be friendly but he hates me. How can he become by dog and be more loving?
    Community Answer
    This might take time. Remember, dogs are just like humans and can be traumatized. Give it a couple of months. It takes lots of time to rebuild the trust.
  • Question
    Should I look a dog directly in the eyes?
    Community Answer
    Usually, when a dog won't look you in the eyes he/she respects you. But it is okay to look a dog in the eyes, even if they don't want to look at you back. Make sure to be calm and collected around her, this should make her feel safe. If they jump up on you a lot, tell her calmly to stay down, or stop, or whatever command her family uses. Be extra nice to her and she will be extra nice to you!
  • Question
    What if the dog does not like playing?
    Community Answer
    Dogs are like babies, they like to play and discover. There are moments when the dog won't like to be bothered, like puppies, who need a lot of sleep. Don't wake up the dog just to play. When you see that the dog is awake and sniffing around or looking at you, start throwing balls and it'll want to play.
  • Question
    Why does my dog only like adults from the house? When I try to pet her or play with her, she growls at me, but when the adults from the house play with her, she gets happy.
    Community Answer
    It depends. It might have had a bad experience with kids, so it is scared of them. It might be that that adult is the alpha and prefers other 'alphas'. Or you might just not be petting or playing with the dog in the right way.
  • Question
    When I was visiting my girlfriend's, I was so mean to her dog but now I realize she is amazing and she hates me. What do I have to do to get her to like me?
    Community Answer
    The dog now has bad association with you, which can be changed with good association. Depending on how much sge mistrusts you, keep your distance so that there is no confrontation. Over a period of time, she will trust you and become closer. Start by being around when the dog does things that makes her happy, like play and feeding time. Just be there and let your girlfriend to all the interacting. Eventually you can play with the dog yourself, you can gradually get to that point. If she sees that you can be trusted around food without threat or danger, then eventually you can hand her the treat yourself.
  • Question
    My dog seems to sense that I'm slightly afraid of him (he has snapped at me multiple times) and is really wary around me. What can I do to make him more comfortable and trusting around me?
    Community Answer
    Give him some treats. You should also spend more time with him and play around. Sometimes the dog is shy so you have to act as if you weren't scared.
  • Question
    How do I make a dog who sees me all the time love me after doing bad things to it?
    Community Answer
    Sometimes you may accidentally hurt a dog or insult it in some way, like yelling at it or stepping on its tail. If it was accidental, then console the dog right afterwards to let it know you meant no ill will. If it was yelling because it frustrated you, soon afterwards let it know you like it and pet it. If you have physically abused the dog, it may never trust you again and it might be best to keep your distance and make no sudden movements around it.
  • Question
    When you meet a new dog, how can you make it like you?
    Community Answer
    You can't. You have to click with the dog, and it's important that you display appropriate body language to calm the dog. If a dog remains uncomfortable with you, check your own body language and voice tone. Be friendly, but let the dog do most of the work of checking you out. If the dog seems afraid, don't force the dog to accept you, as there may be a history of abuse and it's possible that something you're wearing or doing recalls that abuse.
  • Question
    I have a 9 week old puppy, but she likes someone else more than me. She always follows him and is happy when she sees him, and when I try to play with her she always dies down. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Spend some bonding time with her. Play with her favorite toys with her, snuggle with her, and give her treats.
  • Question
    Can a dog really love you?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Absolutely! Dogs and humans have a special connection and can form bonds just as strong as humans can with other humans. Your dog can definitely love you in a very real sense.
  • Question
    Do dogs get jealous?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Yes, but not necessarily in the same way that humans can get jealous. Research suggests that dogs can feel envy about not receiving attention, but may not be jealous of another dog's relationship with you.
  • Question
    Why do dogs go to the bathroom with you?
    Drew Hawkins1
    Community Answer
    Dogs go to the bathroom with you because they love you! They don't want to leave your side and if that means going into the bathroom with you, then so be it!
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