20+ Tips To Help Pet Parents Better Communicate With Their Dogs

#1 Not giving treats at the right time

Treats should not be given just anyhow; it’s not as simple as most people assume it to be. For instance, experts argue that treats should only be given while the animal remains calm and only if it has sat or lied down quietly waiting for its treat.

One thing not to do is to give treats during mealtime, as treats should never replace regular and nutritious meals. The lesson here is to not give it too soon. But don’t give it too late either; wait a few minutes after their meal to give them a delicious treat.

#2 Leaving your dogs for a bit

For pet parents, there is nothing more disheartening than leaving one’s doggos alone at home while going to school, work or even on a trip. Yet this is an undeniable reality since some places don’t allow dogs within their premises.

Whenever we are away from home, our canine companions feel abandoned because they do not comprehend work or school. For them, loneliness means abandonment, albeit only for a few hours. People must realize that dogs have no concept of time; consequently they do not know when their human beings are coming back.

#3 The low growl

Even though dogs are the best and most loyal pets ever, sometimes they can be possessive especially with their favorite people. Dogs do not always bite immediately as most people would think or show off their teeth each time they get angry.

Each pet owner should be familiar with the quiet growl. It acts as a warning to stay away from what it sees as its own food or toys including humans too. When you see your dog doing such things get back slowly.

#4 The meaning of howling

Dogs howl in order to broadcast their presence, attract attention or communicate with other dogs. No, not every time does it have to do with horror, non-human creatures and the haunting of something dark or bad like that. That’s just fiction.

Sometimes, however, the howling means that there is something which irritates your dog more than anything else does. What could this be? You will have to go out of bed simply to find out what it is but don’t be surprised if it turns out to be some silly thing like the smell of citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.

#5 Sleeping on the stomach

Some dogs sleep in very funny positions that can either look cute or really alarming according to people who do not understand these positions well. The lion pose and tummy sleeper are two sleeping positions with few semblances.

Most dogs lie on their tummies when they feel hot thus wishing for a cold surface that would help them regulate their body temperature. Unfortunately, vets say this isn’t the best way for little ones to sleep because they may end up struggling to get enough rest.

#6 The right amount of exercise

Like human beings, dogs too need exercise and are recommended to spend at least 30 minutes to two hours in daily activities. Some may require more exercise than others. However, it is true that nobody likes being confined within the four walls of a home including dogs.

Sometimes the quality not quantity of exercise is important. If you want your dog to be entertained, he can get an outlet for energy and also have a bonding chance with you through just going for a walk even if it will take few minutes.

#7 Side-sleeping pooches

In addition to the sleeping positions we have discussed before, we would also like to touch on side-sleeping dogs. Is my dog’s side sleeping something I should be concerned about? The fact is, there is no reason for concern; all is well.

Dogs sleep on their side because they feel relaxed and comfortable in them; hence they love this position. In this position they expose their vital organs and extend their legs like this also means that they feel secure in their environment.

#8 Rules that can be bent or broken

Reasons are why there is a rule. They should not be bent for any person, nor broken by any, the same goes for dogs also. If you don’t want your dogs to become confused, you must be strict about the rules.

You can let them on the couch one day and then simply allow them to jump on it the next. By doing so, you are not establishing limits effectively. In addition to making dogs misbehave, inconsistency will also stress their lives.

#9 Knowing they bark

However owners should remember that barking doesn’t always imply that your dog is stressed out or angry with your pooch. Pay attention to the bark and act accordingly without confusing your dogs.

A low starting bark that gradually rises means they want to play with you while higher pitched ones show how excited they are. Your dog is not afraid of anything so relax.

#10 Understanding puppy eyes

All of us have come across puppy dog eyes, either in person or as depicted in movies and it is among the most adorable set of eyes known to mankind. Even when humans mimic these features, it’s hard not to cave in to them because the squinting makes the eye appear larger and the face more juvenile.

You must know what puppy eyes mean so that you don’t get confused and your dogs too. When a dog gives you “puppy dog eyes,” it means they are showing you how much they love you and depend on you.

#11 Chasing tails

Dogs are full of tricks, including running circles around themselves while trying to catch their tails. It’s amusing but what does it indicate? Puppies chase their first tails because they have no knowledge about owning tail which is somehow cute.

Though this will become serious when old dogs do this act. Which means that the animal is tired of being lonely for many hours. Make sure your dog has a way of venting out its pent-up energy such as exercise or walking through woods

#12 Changing your smell often

Most of the time, dogs’ brains are busy understanding their surrounding through their noses. Their sensory receptor sites number over 100 million while humans only have 6; therefore, a dog’s sense of smell is much better than that of humans.

Another reason why pet parents should not change their scent often because it confuses their pets. Sometimes they may even have trouble telling you apart from someone they’ve never met before so keep to your usual perfume.

#13 Allowing your dog to nip your hand

When a dog is in good mood, and most pet owners do not object nipping by the animal on their hand. Dogs, however, cannot tell the difference between biting and nipping which may cause confusion.

As long as you give them your hand freely, they can do anything with it – including biting it. This means that when children try to touch your doggy he or she might end up biting them which is something you do not want to happen at all costs.

#14 Sleeping back-to-back with other dogs

In another odd dog sleeping position, we take a look at back-to-back sleeping. This is quite similar to the cuddler position; the only difference being that your dog is back-to-back with another dog and not a human.

This indicates in its raw form that the other dog is loved and trusted by the canine. They are so at ease with one another that they have no problems being too close to each other. That’s incredibly cute, isn’t it?

#15 The proper way to deal with stressful situations

Pets can also get stressed just like humans do. Whining or barking, pacing or shaking, panting, shedding, and changes in body posture are some of the indicators of stress in dogs. Some situations that cause stress in dogs include fireworks and loud noise.

As pet parents must learn how to deal with stressed dogs, one way is never say good things about puppies because it will teach them that it’s good to be scared of something. Such behaviors may even be encouraged.

#16 Being too handsy for comfort

You can create a lot of confusion and also cause troubles down the line by being too intrusive or putting your hand right in front of your dog’s face. People will usually stretch their hands for dogs to sniff. However, there are times when dogs see it differently.

They may interpret this as aggression or something negative, and that could end up backfiring on you. You could however at least get your hand bitten. So mind where you put your hand because after all remember that dogs are descendants of wolves even though they have been tamed but they still have the ability to bite.

#17 Sleeping with their legs spread

Dogs are very cute when they sleep, and some of the positions they assume while falling asleep are hilarious, while others are downright perplexing to humans. What does open-leg sleeping position imply anyway?

If the little fellow above is sleeping like this dog in the picture, it only means that it feels safe and secured enough around people. Otherwise why would it assume such a vulnerable position where it can be easily injured?

#18 Not letting things go

When becoming a pet parent, especially to dogs, remember that it’s okay to be mad for few minutes but you should also let go. Don’t dwell on that nasty behavior your dog engaged in all its life.

Unlike humans, dogs don’t hold grudges so you should treat your dog the same way. This will confuse your dog since they won’t understand why you are mad at them after some time.

#19 Making sense of your dog’s high ears

Anytime your pooch is curious, its ears will stand up as an indication.If something catches their attention and raises their interest, these animals will generally tilt their ears towards such object.But what about a relaxed tail and opened mouth?

The open mouth shows relaxation; so not worrying over whether your pup is careful or on edge. It means that if all three points mentioned above apply to your canine friend then it is calm and there is nothing bothering it.

#20 Choosing the right name

Choosing your doggo’s name is both an art and a science. You can’t choose random names, and it seems that certain names must be avoided if you don’t want your dog confused. Steer clear from names that sound a lot like “no,” “heel,” or “sit.”

They are confusing to the dogs because they may think that you are asking them to do something instead of calling them. Don’t pick a complicated-sounding name, either. Your best bet is to pick a name with two syllables that end in a vowel.

#21 Dealing with dogs other than yours

Not all dogs are the same, and various things can contribute to this like training and environment. What may work for your dog may not work for other dogs; therefore, it is advisable to be cautious when dealing with other people’s dogs.

The strange dog might be trained in different manner compared to your dog. This implies that the hand gestures you use on your own pet could have a different meaning in relation to what they mean when used on a strange dog, hence don’t expect any results at all. The best thing you can do is just be careful and stay away from it.

#22 The language of gift giving

As much as we would want our pets to speak to us using words, it has never been possible for dogs to talk thus leaving parents guessing most of the times what they meant by that action or sound and one finds it really hard.

One of the many ways through which dogs show love is through gift-giving – but do not think of luxurious expensive items. Most of the time, dogs get their presents from outside as well as some may range from small dead animals up to others detritus around.