I have met many people and trust me, that is one of the reasons I love dogs so much! They are truly man’s best friends. Having a dog is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have in life. But, just like they have some behaviors that irritate you, like barking during the night, pawing the doors early in the morning ( I mean really early!) or jumping at you to play with you the second you put on your favorite suit or dress…, we as their owner also have certain habits that irritate our dogs. Every relationship is a two way street and it is the same with our furry little friends. So, here are a few things you should avoid doing if you don’t want to go on your French Bulldog’s nerves:
Shouting commands over and over. First of all, when it comes to some basic commands, like teaching your dog to come, go potty and stuff like that, it is best done while they are young. But, when it comes to some more complex things you want your dog to understand, never underestimate the power of the tone of your voice and your body language! Yelling at them is not going to help, because dogs first understand the outer world through their nose, then their eyes and hearing is in the last place. Instead of raising your voice, try to show your dog what you want him to do by using your body language.
Giving them a big strong hug! It comes naturally to us humans, because we perceive hugging as a genuine expression of love, friendship and intimacy, but dogs perceive it quite differently! First of all, they don’t have arms like we do. Second, it is not their natural way of expressing affection and third- dogs descended from wolves and wild dogs and a gesture like hug is something they will more likely perceive as an attempt of dominance or even act of aggression and react with anxiety and perhaps even try to bite. It is especially import to keep this in mind if you have small children, because they tend to be more clumsy and unpredictable and a dog might find your kid’s attempt of bonding threatening and try to bite him (or her)… so, it is better to be safe than sorry!
Strangers petting him on the head. The way that you raised your dog will very much determine the degree to which he will be comfortable and relaxed around known and unknown people, but many dogs will pull away after a completely strange person tries to pet them on the head. You would probably do the same if a stranger came up to you… Except, for the dog it is even stranger, because the human hand comes from above, which can be interpreted as a threatening gesture. Instead, it is better to pet him from the side or under his chin.
Looking at them directly in the eye. In animal kingdom looking another animal straight in the eye can be translated as “You want to take this outside!?” or at least as an attempt of establishing dominance. Most French Bulldogs are not generally aggressive, so you don’t need to worry about some more extreme reactions, but they might feel a bit unpleasant or respond to such gesture by staring back at you constantly. Also, distant ancestor of today’s canine- wolf, would certainly not like to see your smile, because to animals showing your pearly white teeth means you are ready to fight. Luckily, Frenchies are smart enough to know the deference, but with some other dogs, you might want to watch your moves.
Too much affection. They say that, when it comes to love, there can never be enough of it, but if you are constantly petting, hugging and snuggling your French Bulldog, he would probably prefer having a bit more space to himself and an occasional chance to fight for your love and affectation. But, because they are so nice and usually too kind, they will never tell you that and break your heart! Lols!
Teasing them. Although sometimes it might be funny to play with your dog and tease him just a little bit, like gently pulling his tail to get his attention or putting a towel over him to see him struggling to get out form under it, repeating these kind of gestures is very bad and no matter how much it amuses you, your dog probably doesn’t like it that much. Maybe he even hates it and finds it tiring and frustrating, so… just don’t do it more than once! Or better yet- don’t do it at all! Thank you!
