Senses

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5 min read

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Can Dogs Feel Annoyed?

Senses

|

5 min read

|

Can Dogs Feel Annoyed?

Introduction

We all go through times when we feel annoyed with something or someone and this is a natural human emotion. While you may not feel total anger as such, you may feel despair, frustration, and annoyance at a situation or a person that has done something that you don’t like. 

Well, it is important to remember that it is not just humans that can get annoyed – animals can also experience annoyance and there are many things that you do that may annoy your pet pooch. There are also various signs that can indicate your dog is annoyed with you or with a particular situation.

can-dogs-feel-annoyed

Signs Your Dog May be Annoyed

When we get annoyed, we often display a variety of traits such as rolling our eyes, storming off, ignoring someone, or speaking in a certain tone. Well, dogs also show various signs of annoyance and some of these are very similar to the ones that humans display. When your dog bares their teeth, puts their ears flat, and tucks their tail, this is often a display of anger rather than of annoyance. However, your dog may still growl and even snap if they are feeling annoyed.

Another thing your dog may do when they are annoyed is simply walk away from you. For example, if you are telling your dog off for something and they become annoyed they may just wander off mid-sentence. Dogs even roll their eyes sometimes when they feel annoyed, which again is very similar to humans. 

Some dogs will simply steer clear of you if they are annoyed and others will just give you a blank and unimpressed stare. If your dog is giving you a paw-smack on the leg or anywhere else about your person, this may also indicate that they are annoyed about something or want something but are fed up of being ignored by you.

The body language of an annoyed dog is also very similar to humans in many ways. Some of the things your dog may do are walk away from you, glare at you, look sulky or sheepish, and steer clear of you until they have calmed down. Also, if you try and hug or cuddle your dog while they are annoyed, they may pull away and march off even if they are usually very receptive to affection. 

There are various other signs that may give you an idea of whether your dog is feeling annoyed. You may find that your pooch as behaving restlessly, and this could be a sign that they are both bored and annoyed. Your dog doesn’t have to necessarily have to be annoyed at you – they could be annoyed simply because of something in their environment or by the fact that they are bored. You may find that your dog is pacing or that they just won’t respond when you call them.

Body Language

<p>Signs to watch for if your pooch is ticked include:</p>

  • Staring
  • Dropped Ears
  • Tail Tucking
  • Paw Raised

Other Signs

<p>Other signs that may mean your dog is annoyed are:</p>

  • Keeping Away From You
  • Not Responding To You
  • Walking Away
  • Rolling Eyes
  • Acting Sheepish

History Behind Dogs Being Annoyed

can-dogs-feel-annoyed

Historically, dogs were used as working animals by humans and were trained to work and obey no matter what. However, over the years, dogs have become far more domesticated and are now an integral part of the family for many households. 

Naturally, since they have become part of the family they have also started to display certain behavior because their domestication means that they are now in very different environments and situations than centuries ago when they were working dogs. The fact that interaction between humans and dogs has changed so much over the years means that dogs may find themselves in annoying situations more than they used to.

Since they became domesticated, dogs have had to put up with human behavior from their owners. Often, this is something that they love, such as the chance to play, go for walks, be fed nice food, and get lots of love and affection. 

However, there are also certain things that dogs feel annoyed at such as humans trying to stare them out (which you should never do to a dog that is frightened or aggressive unless you want your nose to be bitten off!). Being ignored by their humans when they want or need something can also annoy dogs, as can an over-display of affection when they are not in the mood for it. 

Science Behind Dogs Feeling Annoyed

can-dogs-feel-annoyed

Researchers have come to realize that there are various things that can cause dogs to feel annoyed, just as there are with humans. Of course, it is important to be able to tell the difference between annoyed and aggressive, as the two are not the same. 

When dogs feel annoyed, they are fed up, bored, or frustrated about something. When they are being aggressive, this is a direct response to something that has happened such as s stand-off with another dog or being smacked by someone. Research has shown that some of the common causes of annoyance in dogs include yelling at them, staring at them, hugging too tightly, and teasing them.  

Training Your Dog to Handle Their Annoyance

can-dogs-feel-annoyed

When it comes to trying to teach your dog not to get annoyed, you will have quite a challenge ahead of you. In all honesty, this is something that you have to work together on. In order to teach your dog to control their annoyance, you need to work at putting an end to the behavior or situation that you know makes them get more annoyed. You also need to learn not to be frustrated or angry with your dog if they do show signs of being annoyed, as this could make the problem even worse and the annoyance could become straight-up aggression.

Making sure that your dog attends obedience classes or receives proper obedience training at home will play a big part in keeping their frustration under control. Sometimes, dogs can become annoyed because they don’t like the tone you are using when reprimanding them or because they don’t want to do what you are trying to get them to do. 

If your pooch has been properly trained in obedience, these are things that are far less likely to cause annoyance. Another thing to bear in mind is that your dog may become annoyed because of another pet being in the house. Again, proper socialization early on is important to teach your pooch to get along with other animals and people so that this will be less of an issue in the future.

As a responsible dog owner, you should take the time to try and work out what it is that really annoys your dog. For example, you may find that every time you behave in a certain way, your dog becomes annoyed. By working out what makes your dog feel this way, you can work on reducing the risk of your dog being exposed to that particular type of situation or behavior. 

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Written by a Boston Terrier lover Reno Charlton

Veterinary reviewed by:

Published: 03/22/2018, edited: 04/06/2020

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