[DCrusader13]

His name is Sparky and he's about 11 years old, and a maltese/shi tzu. This dog just doesn't like me.... :frusty: He only likes the other two people I live with...his likeness for me is just on and off and he'll only come to me for comfort for example, when the other two are arguing he will come to me and act like he's my best friend and then he'll leave me as soon as the fighting ceases. So, how can I get him to like me more???? BTW, the only dog that liked me was someone else's dog.

 

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

How do you treat the dog? Do you scold it? Have you ever gotten physical with it? How well is the dog trained?

In general, we need to know more about the situation and you and the dog.

 

[DCrusader13]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

How do you treat the dog? Do you scold it? Have you ever gotten physical with it? How well is the dog trained?

In general, we need to know more about the situation and you and the dog.

I treat the dog very kindly. On a scale of one to ten on how much I scold it...3 maybe a 4 or 5. I only got physical with it once or twice...maybe three times, then I started to treat it kindly and he liked it, but then he started disliking me again but this was shortly before I posted this and I still treated him very nicely.

 

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

The dog probably thinks of you as unsteady and unpredictable then. Scolding a dog doesn't really do anything because you're not redirecting the behavior. You're just yelling and frightening the dog. getting physical NEVER helps anythings, just makes everything worse. You need to start reading about positive training, and learn t ore-train your own behavior. Yelling at the dog is a no, don't scold the, don't ever get physical with the dog.

Read stuff in the first time dog owners section and training section.

More people will also be along to offer more advice.

Good luck.

 

[DCrusader13]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

I don't think training is going to work because he isn't really into that stuff considering that he's very old even though he was trained when we got him.

 

[Willowy]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

Hot dog bits (not too big since he's a small dog) do wonders . And training with hot dog bits works with old dogs, too. Yeah, training with fear, pain, and intimidation wouldn't be a good idea, but some low-pressure treat training could improve your bond. But just be nice to him, make treats rain from the sky, make good things happen whenever you're around, and he should be your bestest friend before too long.

 

[silara]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

A dog is never too old to respond to training, unless they have health problems that prevent it.

With people, they say you have to have 10 positive interactions to overcome one negative one. Probably about the same with dogs. You have to make the dog think good things come from you. That will take spending lots of time with the dog, treats, petting him in ways he likes, going for walks, playing (not play fighting), that sort of thing.

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

No, when ingot buddy he hated leashes to the point that I had to I couldn't take him to places that required a leash (petsmart etc...) a few months & lots of treats later (it helps that he had a great foster home) I don't think he'll ever like being on a leash, but I will settle with acceptance

 

[Amaryllis]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

Training isn't just about getting the behaviors you want, it's about building a bond. Training allows the dog to learn about you, and you to learn about the dog, and if you use positive methods, the dog comes to see interacting with you as a good thing involving success and treats.

Scolding a dog is pointless. For one thing, dogs don't speak English so all scolding sounds like to them is ANGRYANGRYANGRYANGRY, which the dog already knew because dogs can read human emotion very well. For another, scolding doesn't tell the dog what you'd rather he do instead.

So right now, the dog thinks you're a person who is unpredictable and sometimes dangerous, so he'll avoid you unless he absolutely needs you. You just have to work through it by being calm, using positive methods and keeping yourself under control.

 

[Luann Combs]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

I agree with Amaryllis on the training thing for bonding and behavior. It has helped establish me as the pack leader. Whenever we get back-talk out of either Snoopy or Bridgett, it's back to obedience training. We are through Beginner and Intermediate training at Petsmart. We will do Advanced in the fall and get the K9 Good Citizenship accomplished. The mindset now is this: They are MY toys, (My treats), and they just get to play with them for a time, as I see fit. This is some of the best advise I have gotten which has changed our home environment dramatically. I am still learning of course, but would like to at least say, spending time training establishes the bond and improves behavior. Hope this helps some.

 

[Willowy]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

I agree with Amaryllis on the training thing for bonding and behavior. It has helped establish me as the pack leader. Whenever we get back-talk out of either Snoopy or Bridgett, it's back to obedience training. We are through Beginner and Intermediate training at Petsmart. We will do Advanced in the fall and get the K9 Good Citizenship accomplished. The mindset now is this: They are MY toys, (My treats), and they just get to play with them for a time, as I see fit. This is some of the best advise I have gotten which has changed our home environment dramatically. I am still learning of course, but would like to at least say, spending time training establishes the bond and improves behavior. Hope this helps some.

I have to say that this mindset would totally ruin my enjoyment of my dogs, which is of course the main reason I have dogs. Always needing to be boss. . .ugh. But I suppose some people enjoy that kind of thing, so whatever floats your boat, as long as nobody gets hurt.

What exactly does "back talk" from a dog entail, LOL? I don't actually understand what "back talk" from a human entails, but from dogs who don't talk. . .

 

[bgmacaw]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

I only got physical with it once or twice...maybe three times,

Physical how?

 

[bgmacaw]

Re: How to get a dog to like you?????????????????????????????

It has helped establish me as the pack leader.

Do you sniff their butt like a real dog pack leader would?

Dogs can tell the difference between a human and another dog. Dogs have been bred and conditioned for centuries to follow humans and to look to them for guidance. You use this aspect of a dog to guide and direct it's behavior, not some pseudo-scientific nonsense about pretending you're tricking the dog into thinking you're a wolf/dog and leading the imaginary pack (something that doesn't even exist in the wild for actual wolves).