Why is my dog suddenly ignoring me?
If you have teenage kids like me, the you will know why your puppy or adolescent dog goes through phases of ignoring you.
Earlier, when my young pup learned to ignore me, I found myself asking this question to my dog trainer friend. It seems as if my pet had suddenly developed selective deafness and would often not follow even the most basic commands.
My dog trainer told me that positive reinforcement was the only way to go ahead. He assured me that this stage would soon pass and that I should simply continue rewarding the behaviors I wanted to see in my pet.
This post is a gist of our conversation on ‘Why is my dog suddenly ignoring me’. I hope it will help fellow dog parents decode their pet’s sudden behavioral changes.
Why is My Dog Suddenly Ignoring Me? 9 Common Reasons
Here are some common reasons behind dog ignoring a pet parent:
1. Training-related issues
If your dog is young and you are training it, some common dog training issues could be the cause behind dog’s ignoring behavior.
For one, you may be overloading it with too many verbal commands. Dogs have simple brains and they cannot process too much all at once. So keep training commands limited to one or two words and be consistent in using them.
Secondly, you might unknowingly be prolonging each session too much. Keep the sessions short and repeat every command two-three times.
2. Illness
In older dog, sudden ignoring behavior can be attributed to an illness. A senior dog with canine cognitive dysfunction (the equivalent of dog dementia) might suddenly start ignoring the owners. Pain and discomfort can also prompt the dog to withdraw, hide, and even avoid all routine activities.
If an old dog continues to ignore you, it can also be hearing loss, ear infection, or some other health disorder. Please see your veterinarian to rule out these problems.
3. Injury
Has your dog suffered an injury recently? Perhaps, it has experienced some kind of mental or physical trauma. In such a case too, dogs could display behavioral changes like suddenly ignoring the dog owner.
4. Separation anxiety
Dogs with separation anxiety also display such behavioral issues. Some dogs simply hate being left alone all day. They might indulge in excessive barking, indoor urination, and other forms of attention-seeking behavior.
Such dogs might also ignore their pet parents when they are back from work in the evening.
5. Generalized anxiety
Many dogs develop generalized anxiety due to old age or illness, loud noises, fireworks, etc. In such cases too, they might hide, show signs of fear, and other behavior changes. The presence of another dog or house pet in the family can also intimidate a dog – which can result in such behavior changes.
It is best to speak to a professional canine behaviorist or a dog trainer to help with the dog’s behavior modification.
6. Pet parent’s positive reinforcement
This is the most common reason why a dog might suddenly start ignoring the pet owner. If you end up treating your pet every time it ignores you thinking that that would get it to pay attention, then this is a huge mistake.
Remember: your dog does not think the way you think. It will think back to what it was doing when you treated it – and that was ignoring you. So, then your pet will go right back to ignoring you because that would get it more treats!
7. Stress
Dogs also experience stress. For most dogs, stress can arise in the form of changes in routine, the presence of another larger/intimidating house dog/pet, the arrival of a baby, visitors/guests, change in residence, etc.
In such a case, the dog’s brain triggers a fight-or-flight response which can cause it to ignore you temporarily.
8. It thinks it has done something wrong
Dogs are sensitive beings. They experience emotions like guilt, sorrow, jealousy, etc. just like humans do. If your dog thinks it has done something wrong, then too it might avoid or ignore you.
For example, a dog might eye-contact with its pet parent when rebuked for barking at the neighbor’s dog. Even the slightest use of a slightly harsh tone of voice is all it might take for the dog to feel guilt and ignore the dog parent for a while.
9. Depression
Yes, dogs can get depressed. The passing away of a beloved human being or a fellow house dog can trigger feelings of sorrow in dogs. Depression is especially common in re-homed dogs or rescued dogs. In such a phase, your pet might ignore you. Speak to your veterinarian to start the right treatment and help your pet recover.
Also Read: Why Does My Dog Ignore Me?
How to Decode the Reasons behind ‘Why is My Dog Suddenly Ignoring Me’?
Here are the steps to take to find out why your dog has behavioral changes:
1. Think back to the time it first happened
The main thing to do is reflect on what happened the first time your dog ignored you. Perhaps you were training it. May be you treated it when it wasn’t paying attention.
In any case, this will help you decode the exact reason behind the attitude change.
2. What is different now
Most dogs won’t hold grudges or ignore the dog owner for too long. Dogs are inherently loving, loyal creatures. They cannot stay mad at their pet parent for long. In fact; very few well-trained dogs are even capable of anger, hatred, etc.
Find out what has changed in your present circumstances. Perhaps you have visitors. Many dogs ignore the pet parents when they have visitors.
Perhaps you have a new baby, a cat, or another house pet. All these changes could stress out a dog and might cause behavioral issues in it.
3. Speak to an expert
If you are unable to know the exact cause behind ‘why is my dog suddenly ignoring me?’, then it might be a good idea to visit your vet. Have her/him examine your dog to rule out canine cognitive dysfunction which is equivalent of doggy dementia, hearing loss, or other underlying health problems.
It might be something as simple as an ear infection or hearing loss in an older dog. Once you know the root cause, you can help you the right treatment and prevent the issue from escalating.
In case there is no health issue causing the behavior change, you could consider talking to a dog behaviorist or a dog trainer. Together you can set up a behavior modification training program for your pet.
What To Do If Your Dog Is Suddenly Ignoring You?
If there are no health issues, use the following steps to deal with your dog:
1. Training changes
If your pet is ignoring you during training or not following the basic commands, then try revisiting the older commands. This will help your dog refresh all that it has learnt. You can also use positive training methods to bond with your pet again and start afresh. Just remember to keep the training sessions short, full of playtime, petting, and healthy dog treats.
2. Never punish/hit your dog
A dog that does not listen or pay attention should only be made to pay attention with love and positive reinforcement. Never use physical punishment or even shouting or yelling to get your dog to listen. These methods don’t work and worse, they could make your dog aggressive or timid.
3. Spend time with your pet
In addition to daily walks and play time, try and spend as much time as possible with your dog whenever time permits. If your pet is healthy, you can even take it hiking, camping, to the beaches, or malls. This will provide your dog with mental stimulation and also help deepen your bond.
Why Does My Dog Not Want to Be Around Me Anymore?
Many pet parents have faced a situation where their dog appears distant and aloof. However, that does not mean that things will be this way forever. You can bond with your pet and your furry friend certainly does not hate you.
If you have had your dog for a while now, its sudden behavioral change can be alarming. If the behavior continues, please have your veterinarian examine your dog. Health issues, hearing loss, pain, cognitive difficulties can all cause such changes.
A dog might also lose interest in its pack members due to the addition of new pet and/or other changes like change of residence. Perhaps you haven’t been taking it out on walks. Even small changes in routine can cause stress in dogs and cause a lack of interest in you.
Here are some simple tips that can help enhance the bond between you and your distant doggo:
- Take it out for walks at the same time, daily.
- Feed it nutritious and tasty food.
- Play with it: set up obstacle courses.
- Speak to your pet in a soothing tone of voice; doesn’t matter if its meaningless banter.
- Take it out on car rides
- Groom it nightly.
How to Tell If Your Dog Does Not Like You Anymore?
Dogs cannot hate their dog owner- mostly. Some dogs might show a lack of respect towards their pet parent in the following ways:
1. Urinating indoors
A few dogs start urinating indoors. This is typically a cry for attention. A well-trained dog won’t indulge in such behavior. Also, a trained dog that suddenly voids indoors could be sick. So, rule out health issues before declaring that your pet hates you.
2. Chewing up things
Dogs love to chew but a well-behaved dog won’t chew things up and certainly would know better. Provide your dog plenty of chew toys and rule out health issues if the destructive behavior has suddenly started recently.
3. Signs of aggression
Again, aggressive behavior (biting, growling, snarling, scratching, etc.) isn’t normal canine behavior. A well-trained, socialized dog won’t show aggression unless there is some underlying health issue, stress, or change in its environment. Speak to your vet or dog trainer and find out the root cause while working on dog behavior modification.
4. Hiding from you
Dogs also tend to hide instead of getting confrontational when they want to avoid something or someone. If your pooch is constantly hiding from you, chances are it is sick or afraid of you. It doesn’t hate you but it might even feel guilty because it thinks it might have done something you won’t approve of.
5. Yowling when you pet them
A dog that loves you will wag its tail and purr when you pet it. But if your pet yowls when you touch it, it may be asking you to back off.
6. Refusing treats
Dogs love treats and if your pet refuses treats from you, then chances are that it is upset, scared, or stressed out. It is the same reason why your dog never accepts treats from your vet!
Pets often manifest behaviors which pet parents might interpret as anger, dislike, or hatred. It could be that you could be projecting what you think your pet feels about you. If you are concerned that your pet dislikes you, then bring it over to the veterinarian for a health checkup.
Conclusion – Why is my Dog Suddenly Ignoring Me?
If you find that your dog is suddenly ignoring you, it could be due to a health issue, injury, or trauma. Changes in your pet’s routine can also cause behavioral changes.
Sometimes, dogs ignore their pet parents when they have separation anxiety or generalized anxiety. If your pet is otherwise healthy, eating and sleeping normally, then simply spending more time with it can help you bond again with your pet.
We hope this guide helps you have a wonderful loving bond with your pet.
