As a dog owner, even the slightest change in your dog’s body language can be concerning for you. One of the most common questions can be, ‘Why Is My Dog Avoiding Me?’
Read on to find out why your dog is avoiding you and what you can do to fix that.
Why Is My Dog Avoiding Me?
Below are a few of the most common reasons for your dog avoiding you.
1. An Underlying Illness
Your dog could be suffering from an underlying illness like a ruptured eardrum, diarrhea, parasite infection, and many more.
If your dog shows any of the below symptoms, consult a vet as soon as possible:
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Fever
- Restlessness
- Blood coming out of the nose or while defecating
Your dog could be avoiding you because he is in pain and any physical contact can hurt him more.
2. Age
Unlike a young pup, a senior dog is not as energetic. With age, your adult dog can develop lethargy and might not be able to keep up with you as to when he was a puppy. An older dog can also suffer from dementia, another reason why he could be avoiding you.
3. Mental Health Issues
Your dog could be suffering from mental health issues like depression. Or, he could be haunted by a traumatic event.
For example, many military dogs suffer from PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). These mental health issues could be the reason why your dog is distant or avoiding you.
4. Punishments
Dogs are sensitive animals and if your punishment has gone overboard, he might end up thinking that he is in serious trouble. This can lead to a disturbed relationship and the dog could be avoiding you because he feels intimidated.
5. You Encouraged The Behavior
You might have positively reinforced the behavior for avoiding you. If you have given a treat to your dog, which is a form of positive reinforcement when he avoided you, this will encourage your dog’s behavior of avoiding you.
You can reverse this with the help of little dog training.
6. He Grew Up In Isolation
If your dog comes from an environment where he was isolated or abused, he can show signs of fear and distress. He will avoid you, shiver, become restless when you try to get closer. But all this is because your furry friend is scared.
A little love for your pooch can go a long way in helping him gain confidence.
What Should I Do When My Dog Ignores Me?
As a pet owner, it can be worrisome when your pet avoids you. The good thing is, this can be solved.
1. Professional help
Your dog could be avoiding you due to some underlying health issues. Immediately contact a veterinarian and make sure you get proper treatment to help your dog.
2. Do Not Punish Them
Dogs are sensitive animals and when you punish them too harshly, they can get hurt. Instead, positively reinforce good behavior. Or get a dog trainer to improve your dog’s behavior.
3. Give Them Love And Patience
You can expect aggression and avoidance in dogs, especially a rescue dog that comes from an abusive environment. It will take time for them to warm up to you and receive your love. But eventually, he will. So, keep spoiling him with all the love!
Why Is My Dog Scared Of Me All Of A Sudden?
If your dog is scared of you all of a sudden, he might have developed a fear against you. Below are few reasons behind this:
- You punished your dog too harshly and he feels intimidated by your presence
- Your dog had negative experiences and stimuli during his socialization age
- He underwent a traumatic event or a change or environment which can cause anxiety and fear due to new stimuli
- Your dog has developed a phobia or anxiety that is rooted in fear
- Your dog is suffering from a medical condition
How Can You Tell If Your Dog Doesn’t Like You?
You can see obvious signs in your dog if he doesn’t like you:
- He growls at you or barks at you too much
- He avoids you and does not cuddle or play with you
- He prefers the presence of another human
- He does not wag his tail or greets you positively when you go near him
You can easily understand when your dog does not prefer and like you.
What Does It Mean If Your Dog Avoids You?
If your dog avoids you, it could be an indication of several things:
- A physical illness
- Mental illness like depression
- He underwent a traumatic experience
- You punished him too hard and he feels intimidated
- You encouraged him when he avoided you
- Presence of a phobia or anxiety
- He came from an isolating or abusive environment
Giving your furry friend a little affection can go a long way to help him overcome most of these problems. If your dog is suffering from physical illness, seek professional help.
Also Read: Best Supplements For Your Dog If He Is Suffering From Luxating Patella
Can Your Dog Be Mad At You?
Your dog can be mad at you but it might be more of an in-the-moment emotion. Your dog does not show vengeful anger. His anger could also be coming from anxiety, fear, frustration, or disappointment.
If you feel he is mad, you could also be wrong. He could be dealing with separation anxiety, a lack of exercise, or even frustration. Your dog’s anger will vanish as soon as you resolve the root problem.
To read more about a dog’s emotions, click here.
Why Is My Dog Avoiding Me When I’m Sick?
Your dog can sense when you are sick and they tend to show weird behavior when that happens. Dogs, especially training dogs can sense and smell out disease in you with about 90 percent accuracy.
The change in your body chemistry can be new to your dog and maybe that is why he is avoiding you. Your dog can detect even the slightest change.
Can Dogs Sense If Your Sick?
Dogs can sense when you are sick. The chemical and hormonal changes in your body are easily recognizable by dogs.
A dog can sense when you are sick. They tend to show weird behavior when this happens.
Why Does My Dog Ignore Me When I Cry?
An anxious dog can get confused or scared when you cry and he might avoid you because of the anxiety. They can feel intimidated when you cry and might think you are doing fine without them.
Your dog could also be avoiding you if you should signs of dislike when he tries to come near you before. You could have unknowingly trained your dog into ignoring you while crying.
Why Does My Dog Not Want To Be Around Me?
There are several reasons why your dog does not want to be around you:
- You punished him too hard and he is intimidated by you
- He is suffering from physical illness
- He underwent a traumatic experience that caused him anxiety and fear
- Your dog’s personality is a highly sociable one and he is trying to mingle with everyone
Make sure that your dog is not suffering from any health scares. If his avoidance is related to dog behavior, proper training and affection can fix that.
Also Read: Best Supplements For Dogs With Anal Gland Issues
Do Dogs Hold A Grudge?
Dogs do not hold grudges. They can get angry or frustrated but this is more in-the-moment behavior rather than a grudge.
Your dog does not hold a grudge but is simply reacting to the negative association around them. Once the negative association is solved, you have your happy puppy back.
Why Does My Dog Ignore Me When I Call Him?
As a pet owner, it can get frustrating when your dog ignores you while you call him. There can be many reasons for this dog behavior:
- He is intimidated by you. He fears that you want to punish him or be angry at him
- Improper training methods
- You don’t spend much time with him
Giving your pet friend your precious time and affection can go a long way in helping him be a good boy!
Why Has My Dog Suddenly Started Avoiding Me?
Your dog could be avoiding you due to several reasons like:
- Harsh punishment. If you punished your dog’s behavior too hard, he might be intimidated by you
- Physical illness
- Mental health issues such as depression
- A development of phobia or anxiety due to a traumatic event
Why Is My Dog Suddenly Ignoring Commands?
Your dog could be ignoring your commands due to distraction issues, lack of proper training, or even fear.
Senior dogs who are not as energetic as they were can ignore your commands too. They may not have the energy to cope up with you.
Why Does My Dog Not Listen To Me Without Food?
Your dog must have been used to the visual presence of treats and that gave them a reason to follow your commands. Without the luring factor, your dog can get confused and have nothing to follow.
Some dogs rely heavily on the visual presence of a treat. Without that, it can be confusing for our canine companion. Proper training methods can help solve this issue.
Conclusion: Why Is My Dog Avoiding Me?
So the next time you wonder, ‘Why Is My Dog Avoiding Me?’, remember to check first for physical illnesses. Once you make sure that he is physically fit, it could be an environmental, mental, or behavioral problem.
Spend lots of time and love with your furry friend and often take him out to the dog park! He will love it! Don’t forget to use a dog leash like Strong Dog Leash for its safety.
