Sometimes a dog's body will stiffen up if they feel uncomfortable in your presence. A dog's body language is very telling, so if the animal begins to stiffen up they may be in the presence of someone or something they don't like.
For example, if a dog doesn't like you, they may find some of your behaviors annoying, especially if you constantly do things that a lot of dogs are known to hate, like getting in their face, hugging them, teasing them, or yelling at them. Think about it; those things probably wouldn't make many humans like you either.
A different set of chemicals is released when you feel hatred or resentment towards someone and your dog can sense that too! Be careful – if they know you don't like someone, they may try to protect you from them which could result in some bad behavioural changes in your pooch.
Smelling faint scents and forming associations is one way dogs might not like a person. Research also shows that dogs can smell different human emotions through changes to chemosignals, such as adrenaline, sweat and body odor. And when it comes to their humans, they can determine if fear produced sweat.
Sometimes a dog's body will stiffen up if they feel uncomfortable in your presence. A dog's body language is very telling, so if the animal begins to stiffen up they may be in the presence of someone or something they don't like.
If a dog doesn't seem to like you, this might be a result of their history. Dogs with a rough past might have been abused or simply not exposed to enough people when they were young. First thing you need to do is figure out why the dog doesn't seem to like you. More often than not, the cause is fear.
Fear. If your dog typically growls at strangers, specific people, such as children or men, or when the dog is in an unfamiliar place, the growls are most likely due to fear. A dog may also growl in situations that trigger fears, such as during thunderstorms or fireworks displays.
Dogs can read our facial expressions: Dogs can recognize six basic emotions – anger, fear, happiness, sadness, surprise, and disgust – and process these in similar ways as humans, with changes to heart rate and gaze.
In many cases, being afraid of men can be traced to a lack of socialization with men when the dog was a puppy. Even a dog that has lived with a man can be fearful in the presence of unfamiliar men. Men can be more intimidating in a dog's eyes.
Approach toward the side of the dog, not toward his head, and avoid direct eye contact. Watch the dog out of the corner of your eye for signs of fear or aggression, such as: Body that is still or frozen. Hackles are up.
Sure, they don't like that we're yelling, but do they actually know that we're upset? Well, according to science, the answer is actually yes! Depending on the behaviors we exhibit when we're mad, dogs will recognize them and react differently.
Not only this, but a person's brain chemistry changes when they're angry and dogs can smell that too, which signals them to see the person as a threat. The only exception appears to be psychopaths… because they don't experience many emotions, changes in their brain chemistry are rare and not sensed by doggos…
Research clearly shows that dogs have the cognitive and emotional capacities to hold grudges. They remember events from the past and these memories can persist for a long while.
Dogs typically bite just one person in the household because they have a bad past experience, aren't well-socialized, or the person doesn't know how to interact properly with dogs. It could also be resource-guarding behavior.
Bottom Line: When your dog growls at you I recommend that you listen to what your dog is saying. Immediately stop doing whatever it is that you're doing and move away.
Dogs choose their favorite people based on positive interactions and socialization they have shared in the past. Like humans, dogs are especially impressionable as their brains develop, so puppies up to 6 months old are in their key socialization period.
Often, this is simply a case of access, or lack of it. If one person spends more time at home with the dog, naturally the dog will want to see and spend time with the other partner, too. When the absent partner rewards that behavior by handing out treats upon return, reinforcement and hardwiring occurs.
If we look at this behavior from a scientific standpoint, your dog can sense love because they can sense the levels of oxytocin in your brain rise when you are feeling happy to see them. They use their sense of smell to detect this rise in your hormone, oxytocin, which is your happiness hormone.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
“If a dog is taken care of by a female, they're more likely to prefer females, [whereas] if they're primarily taken care of by a male, they may prefer males.” And in some cases, these associations can be negative.
This can range from lack of socialization as a puppy, not being exposed to sights and sounds like car rides, children, and fireworks, to emotional scars from a history of abuse or surviving a traumatic event. Also, genetics can make some dogs more predisposed to being fearful.
Dogs feel safe with their owners and don't worry about their sleeping positions. They may sleep with their bums facing you because they have a sense of security around you. They perceive you as a pack member and can expose their vulnerability without fear.
Have you ever wished your dog could talk could talk to you? Well, he does; just not with words. Research shows that dogs have their own way of communicating with their owners, as well as with other dogs.