Affection something, I talk a lot about. It can be good, or it can be bad awfully bad. Lots of folks disagree with me because they say they love their dog and it builds their relationship and their dog loves them. Ok, but what kind of relationship are you or have you built? It’s about the right love.
From what I have seen training dogs and seeing how folks interact with their dogs most of the time the affection they are giving is bad and is what is causing issues with their dog. Affection given at the wrong times, freely and only emotionally and only benefiting the human’s emotions is what I see the most of. If you are always giving your dog affection when it wants or it’s nervous because it makes you feel good that can be very detrimental to your dog and relationship. The owner that allows their dog to just do as it pleases because it makes them smile, happy and feel good could be causing their dog to be reactive, protective, and just be a plain rotten dog.
Folks will give themselves reasons why or excuses as to why they love their dog so much and give so much affection, well that is good for you but what does it do for the dog? Most of the time it is not good.
I see dogs that get in fights with other dogs, growl at people even bite humans and almost every time the owner is over affectionate with the dog. Always petting and comforting their dog. Allowing their dog to be on furniture, have free roam of the house, do as they please and worst of all let the dog sleep in their bed with them all because it makes them feel good with little to no benefit for the dog.
Then they wonder why their dog has issues. They do not realize that what they are doing and how they are living with their dog is what is causing their dog to have issues.
If you want to change your dog, you need to change the way you interact with your dog. If you keep doing the same things giving your dog unwarranted affection you can only expect the same.
It’s not that all affection is bad but when it’s given freely to just please the human or is given to comfort the dog in fearful or nervous situation it can be bad. Give affection at times when your dog is being good or doing what you want or when your dog is not nervous or acting fearful. Just because giving your dog affection and it makes you feel good ask yourself is it benefiting you or your dog?
