Beware, you could be unintentionally hurting your dog's feelings
As a responsible pet parent, you wouldn't want to hurt your little pooch intentionally. However, some of your actions or way of handling your dog could be hurting them. Small unintentional behaviors like not having enough playtime to feeding them food that is meant for you, could be bad for their well-being. Here is a list of actions that could be hurting your dog.
Ignoring your dog
You are the center of your dog's universe, they depend on you for everything from their happiness to their food, and they thrive on your attention. Actions like pushing them away when they try to climb on your lap will give them an indication that they are not worthy of your love. Constant deprivation of your affection can lead them to depression.
Not engaging enough with them to play
Dogs are the happiest during playtime. They thrive on exercise and mental stimulation. Not finding enough time to play with them could hurt your dog's feelings, and they might resort to unhealthy attention-seeking behavior to get your attention. Take out time to play with your dog, no matter how busy you are in life; your canine friend needs your attention.
Being inconsistent with rules
Dogs are hardwired to follow the Alpha energy. If you come off as someone inconsistent with rules, they might get confused about the rules. If sleeping on the bed along with you is a strict no, but some days you let them sleep, that will confuse them to the core. And eventually, they may refuse to obey you.
Laughing at your dog's fears
Tail tucked in, ears back, body low towards the ground could be some signs that your dog is in an uncomfortable situation. This may get triggered when they are afraid of something. If you laugh at them during those situations, your dog could incur a mental scar. The best you can do in that case is remain calm and remove them from the area.
Using their crate as a punishment
Your dog's crate is your dog's home. Dogs are supposed to feel comfortable in their crate. Their crate is supposed to function as their happy place. But if you lock your dog in the crate as a punishment, they will start fearing that space. If you do so often, you could be destroying their happy place leaving them confused and upset.
