We have heard everyone say, dogs are a human’s best friend. They are. Dogs are the most selfless creatures on this planet, and they are the most loving creatures. Almost all persons love dogs and would like to get one for themselves. We might have seen viral videos on YouTube and social media about how much a dog cares about its human, how easily it trusts someone and would do anything to save them. But not everyone loves dogs. Some people don’t like dogs and hate them. There are many reasons for this, and usually, it is through no fault of their own. Some people have inherent hate for dogs for no reason, some might have a particularly good reason to hate dogs, some might have loved them but after getting one, they seem to start hating the dogs. It has become a stereotype to love dogs, and those who say they don’t like them are very few but have good reasons to do so. In this article, we will look at the reasons why someone might hate their dog, and what to do about it. So, the topic is ‘Why do I Hate My Dog?’
Is it bad to hate dogs?
Before we get into the reasons, let us talk about an issue. Is it bad to hate dogs? Are you a bad person if you hate dogs? These are the reactions you will get when you say to someone that you don’t like dogs. Whenever someone says they hate dogs, they are seen someone weird. While dogs are the most loving pets you can ever get, it doesn’t mean that everyone should like dogs. It is perfectly normal to hate dogs because no two people are the same. You might have a particularly good reason to do so. Even if you don’t, it is completely normal.
Finding The Root Cause of the Hate
The first and foremost thing we must do is to find out the root cause of the hate. There can be a couple of reasons to do so.
- You might have had a bad experience with a dog in the past. We usually tend to stay away from things that hurt us in the past, be it certain actions, or things. Some people might have had a bad experience with a dog in the past. You might have been chased down by dogs, especially street dogs who tend to do so, and this might be the reason you developed a hate for dogs. Or, you might have gone to your friend’s house, and you might have had a bad experience with their dog, being aggressive.
- Because of a dog’s bark. Dogs, as we all know, tend to bark. We do not know the exact reason behind each of their barks, but dogs that are not trained properly, tend to bark at everything and almost always. This will be annoying and frustrating even for dog lovers. Street dogs usually bark at night, when you are fast asleep, and might have disturbed your sleep, almost every day. This might have led you to develop a dislike for them. A dog’s bark can get easily annoying fast.
- Dogs are aggressive. Dogs are aggressive by nature. Unless given training, dogs tend to roam everywhere, destroy objects, and be annoying to those who are not that fond of dogs. You might have a dog of your neighbor that is out of control, that destroys your plants, poops at your place, this might have led you to hate the dogs.
- When you are allergic to dogs. Some people are allergic to dogs. They cannot stand being around dogs and may have allergic reactions to their hair. They start sneezing, get rashes, and so on. This is also a reason why some people tend to stay away from dogs.
- When you are afraid of dogs. Some people are afraid of dogs, especially if they have an experience. Dogs are dangerous animals too, and it is natural to have a fear of dogs. A dog’s bite can cause rabies, if it is infected with one, and is not neutered.
- When dogs disturb your sleep. Unlike us, dogs don’t have a sleep schedule. They sleep whenever they want and eat whenever they want. If you do not have a separate place for your dog that is separated from your room where you sleep, you might find your dog disturbing your sleep. Even if you don’t own a dog, street dogs that bark at night might have caused an aversion of dogs for you.
- You hate spending. Dogs require a significant amount of money to grow and maintain. Unlike street dogs, adopted dogs, need to be neutered, should be checked regularly in a hospital, must provide them with specific diets, and should spend time in their toys, during walks, and must train them. This will take time and effort to do so, and if you are someone who likes saving up, or you are someone who gets an average salary, then the cost will be a reason for your hate. Dogs may bite and destroy the toys you buy for them or can break your furniture and appliances if not noticed properly. This can be a cause of irritation for some people.
Before we get into what to do, let us talk a bit about adopting dogs. Not only dogs, adopting, any pet, requires so much effort, love, and patience. Especially, dogs are the most attention-seeking pets and require so much discipline to be taught to maintain them. Dogs that are not disciplined tend to bite at strangers, including their owners, destroy properties and furniture, have no manners, and are sore when it comes to walking, as it will be hard to control it with a leash. Such dogs tend to fight with other dogs, have an increased sense of anger and if a dog is not mannered, it will be a nuisance for the neighbors. Hence, dogs require as much effort as we put in ourselves.
If you are someone who does not have the patience or does not like your private space to be invaded, as dogs always tend to follow their owners wherever they go, it is advised not to adopt a dog. Because dogs tend to become emotionally attached very quickly, it will be mentally bad for your dog if you give it up as soon as you adopt it. Hence, it is always better to think more than twice, ask dog owners and professionals, about the pros and cons of adopting a dog, and then making a good decision. Dogs are like children. They require your utmost care, and most importantly, your responsibility. Your dog is your responsibility and for whatever it does. You must take care of washing your dog, cleaning its poop, training it, and disciplining it. If a dog does a bad thing, the bad name falls upon the owner. Not to mention, the vaccinations you must give to your dogs, which, if not, would have serious consequences if it bites someone. And, dogs require a significant amount of expense, from their food to their regular checkups, vaccinations, dog parks, and much more. Hence, these are the criteria that one must consider before deciding to adopt a dog.
One of the other reasons you might hate a dog is because they smell. You can say if a house has a dog just by smelling it, and the hygiene to keep a dog clean requires significant effort. Some people do not like this smell and may give them headaches, and other reactions. This might be one of the reasons why you hate a dog. The other reason is your dog is always on your face. Let’s say, you had a tough day at the office, and come home tired. The first thing that happens when you come home is a dog that is in your face, licking you, and wanting to play with you, as it missed you while you were away. Some people might not like this, and you might be one of them. There is little personal space when you adopt a dog, and you must give it constant attention. Another reason is the dog is out of control. Dogs take time and training to be obedient, and out of control dogs tend to annoy their owners. They bite everywhere, are aggressive with other dogs. Dogs also tend to get dirty. Washing dogs is a tedious process, and especially when you take them out on walks, and they see a puddle of water, they roll in it and get dirty. This can become irritating after a while if you are a person who doesn’t have a high patience level.
Why are dogs so difficult to maintain?
While dogs are the most loving pets, they are also one of the most difficult pets to maintain. They require constant attention, including so much love. You must take them out to everyday walks, potty train them, give medications, and manner them so they don’t annoy others. The initial stages of getting a dog to trust you will be difficult, as they bite and chew at everything, and destroy things. Plus, it costs significant money to maintain a dog.
So, what to do after finding the root cause? Well, the first thing you must do is, to take them to dog school. Dog schools are schools that help in training dogs and make them better behaved with other dogs and strangers. Dog schools train dogs to be smarter, calmer, and less aggressive. If your primary reason for the hate is the behavior of your dog, then this is a good solution. You will see a difference in the behavior of your dog.
If your lifestyle is such that your dog is alone for most of the time in a day, consider enrolling the dog in daycare, while you perform your work. This will help the dog to be not anxious, play with other dogs, and can bring about a change in the behavior of the dog. There are various courses that a dog can undertake in such schools, which will help them control their aggression. There are many reasons for a dog’s aggressive behavior.
Their experience can play a crucial role in the behavior of a dog. If you are adopting a dog that has been surrendered to a shelter by its previous owners, it can affect a dog mentally. It affects their trust. Now, there can be 2 consequences. One is, the dog becomes aggressive, and will not trust another human for a long period of time. This can be a reason for their aggressive behavior and cannot be cured by the owner alone. In this case, the help of dog shelters, and doctors are required to change their behavior.
Another consequence is, they may lose trust and become sad and whiny. They will just sit in a corner and not move, eat, or do anything. In this case, it will take even longer to regain their lost trust. Growing these dogs requires patience, and you must make sure to know about a dog’s background before adopting it. If at any point you think of growing a dog as a burden, then everything will be frustrating and look like a chore.
What to do if you hate your dog?
Now that we have looked at the reasons, we will see how and what to do if you hate your dog. Well, the first thing to do is to study and learn about dogs. Before you adopt, or even after you have adopted, learn from articles about dogs. How their behavior changes, what is the meaning of their different barks, how to play with them, etc. This will give you a better idea to approach different issues with your dog. The first solution, as discussed, is to know more about it earlier, and talk to a dog therapist. They can identify the problems and can provide solutions. If your dog is an older one, then this can help. If you adopted a puppy, and if it has any issues that you do not like, then you can enroll in the dog school, to train the dog and let it play with other dogs.
Sometimes, it is easy to misjudge a source of hate from ourselves. Think carefully whether your dog is the source of ALL your problems, or the extremely needy friend makes it worse. If it is the latter, then you must focus on what’s bothering you, before putting the blame on your dog, as sometimes, dogs are therapeutic animals, and can be a great companion to let go of stress.
Identify the source of your dislike, any behavior which you hate. Dogs and cats are disobedient, and how much ever you train them the right way, some things must be trained by means of strict lessons. If you do not want your dog to chew your shoes, then don’t allow him or her to. Try to reward them whenever they control themselves from chewing. This will develop a positive attitude, and dogs always look for rewards. Sometimes, the dog’s behavior can be correlated with boredom. Try to spend more time with them playing, or if you are busy, try to leave them with some sort of company, like your family members. If two or more people grow a dog, then you can efficiently train them by letting the one they respect the most. There will be someone that the dog will heed more to than the rest, and it will listen to them more. If you do not like the way they bark, try to understand what they mean. Most of the time, dogs bark when they are hungry. Try to reason with them, though it might seem to have no effect.
Another thing you can try is dog oils. If your dog is always out of control whenever you take it on a walk and barks at strangers and other dogs, you can try giving them essential oils that can calm them down. These oils are available commercially and have proven to have an effect on calming down a dog. Hence, before taking it to a walk, try giving the oil as prescribed along with their diet, and see if it has any effects.
Sometimes, ignoring a dog can make it come your way. Keeping them in timeout, and alone for bad behavior can make them not do it again. We must consider that dogs are also like kids and need to be handled with patience. Usually, petting a dog on its head is a way of rewarding a dog’s behavior. If you see your dog barking, try not to pet it. And if it stays under control, try to reward it by petting its head and giving it treats. This type of treatment can bring about a positive change in your dog’s behavior. Because, if you still allow an action that your dog does, which is intolerable to you, the dog thinks it is okay to continue to do so. And if it’s left for a long time, it will become a tedious process to change its behavior. You can also try tactics like if only your dog sits will it get its dinner. These are small things that will bring about a massive impact on your dog’s discipline and will cure your frustration. Always do not forget to reward your dog if it does something good. There are canine behaviorists and professionals that you can ask for if you cannot do it on your own. There are even dog sitters, who handle a dog professionally, to take care of your pup when you are busy or away.
Now, when you first started realizing that you hate your dog, the first thing that must have come to your mind is surrendering it to a shelter. In fact, that is the last possible solution, when you have no other choice left but to surrender your dog. This is never recommended, as it is extremely traumatizing for a dog and you as an owner. Dog shelters can take better care of dogs but think of it like this. After living a carefree life, the dog must spend its life in a cage, until another owner opts to adopt. This will make a serious dent in the trust level of your dog, and even for you, will be filled with guilt.
If you are financially unable to maintain a dog and are ready to give up, look for your friends or relatives who are eager to adopt a dog, before looking for shelters to surrender it. Maybe try focusing on the good stuff about your dog. Like their cuteness, their ever-lasting happiness on seeing you, there are some things that only a dog can provide. Before preparing your mindset to surrender or give up your dog, make sure they are the only reason you want to do so, or is your source of frustration coming from elsewhere. Dogs are like humans too, and not all dogs are the same. You cannot compare relatively dogs that are well behaved with your dog, as there is so much variability when it comes to dogs, in terms of behavior, and breeds. Different breeds of dogs require totally different treatment and management, and this shows that there is not a single way to raise a dog.
Right after you adopted your dog, it becomes the responsibility of its owner. How much ever of a ruckus your dog creates, the bad name falls on to you. Like raising a child, it is not an easy task to raise a dog and requires training, patience, and unlimited love from an owner’s side, to bring out a disciplined dog. You have made the right decision to adopt a dog, as many will not have the readiness in mind to do so. So, make sure you fulfill your responsibility as an owner, identify the problems that are bothering you, solve them, and give your furry friends the life they deserve.
