While dogs are often known as being social and friendly animals, not all dogs will warm up to people quickly. Some dogs have naturally guarded personalities and may be more wary of strangers. It can even take some dogs months to trust a new person.
When it comes to boyfriends or other significant others, it’s not entirely uncommon for dogs to be wary of them. So, your boyfriend does not have to take it too personally if your dog doesn’t seem to show him much interest at first. There can be a variety of reasons why dogs may not like their owners’ significant others. Fortunately, you can try several things to encourage your dog to warm up to your boyfriend.
The 7 Helpful Tips to Make Your Dog Like Your Boyfriend
When getting a dog to trust a new person, it’s important to go at a pace that is comfortable for the dog. Always be mindful of how your dog is doing when you introduce them to new people. Rushing the process will only cause more discomfort and distrust.
1. Speak in a Friendly Tone
Dogs are very emotionally intelligent and can pick up on when people feel stressed out. As their bond with their owners strengthens, they’re capable of feeling and mirroring their owners’ emotions. Therefore, it’s safe to say that your dog is very observant of your behavior and will notice when you act comfortably or uncomfortably around someone.
It’s very possible that your dog may have become wary of your boyfriend if you’ve argued with him in front of your dog. So, make sure to be aware of your tone and body language when you’re around your boyfriend. Continuously speaking in a friendly manner to your boyfriend can help your dog begin to feel more comfortable around him and see him as a friend.
2. Reward Your Dog
A way to a dog’s heart is through their stomach. Rewarding your dog with treats can help a positive association with your boyfriend. You can start by giving your dog treats when your dog is calm while in the same room as your boyfriend. As your dog gets more comfortable eating treats around your boyfriend, close the gap slightly by tossing treats closer to your boyfriend. Gradually shorten the distance until your dog is comfortably eating treats while standing right next to your boyfriend.
Your boyfriend can also give your dog treats. Using high-value treats may help your dog start to like your boyfriend more quickly. So, if you know your dog’s favorite treats, let your boyfriend be the one to give them those treats.
3. Let Your Boyfriend Feed Your Dog
Another way to build trust between your dog and your boyfriend is to let your boyfriend start feeding your dog their meals. This begins to show your dog that your boyfriend is someone that they can trust and rely on.
Just make sure your boyfriend steps away and gives your dog enough space when they’re eating. Standing too near the food bowl can make your dog feel nervous or threatened.
Similar to feeding times, dogs can start to trust others who show responsible care and love towards them. Once your dog gets used to your boyfriend feeding them, you can start to increase the amount of interaction your boyfriend has with them. Start by letting your boyfriend accompany you and your dog on walks. When your dog gets used to your boyfriend going on walks, you can let them go on walks without you.
When sharing responsibilities, stick to giving your boyfriend tasks that your dog enjoys. For example, if your dog likes getting brushed, let your boyfriend brush them. If your dog doesn’t like taking baths, refrain from giving your boyfriend this responsibility, as your dog can build a negative association with your boyfriend due to negative experiences.
5. Learn Canine Body Language
If your boyfriend isn’t a dog person, make sure to teach them basic canine body language and behavior. Knowing how to identify an anxious or agitated dog can keep both your boyfriend and dog safe and prevent negative interactions. On the flip side, being able to identify when a dog is happy can help your boyfriend know what sorts of activities your dog enjoys and increase the number of positive interactions they have with each other.
6. Respect Your Dog’s Boundaries
Earning a dog’s trust can take a long time. It’s important to be patient and work in increments that are comfortable for your dog. Overstepping your dog’s boundaries will only increase your dog’s distrust. Therefore, make sure not to place your dog in situations that make them feel uncomfortable. For example, don’t leave your boyfriend and your dog alone together because it’s likely your dog will feel very unsafe without you there.
Although working gradually may feel slow, it’s the most efficient way to get your dog comfortable around your boyfriend. Going too fast and creating a negative experience can cause a significant setback that takes even more time for your dog to build trust with your boyfriend.
7. Hire a Professional Dog Trainer
Don’t hesitate to work with a professional dog trainer if you aren’t seeing much progress between your dog and your boyfriend. A dog trainer can help you identify what’s triggering your dog’s behaviors and create a training plan to help your dog start to like your boyfriend. They can also track progress and provide useful feedback to ensure your dog and your boyfriend are working towards a healthy friendship.
Reasons a Dog Might Not Like Someone
A dog doesn’t just wake up one day deciding not to like someone. There’s always a reason for a dog to feel mistrustful of a person. Dogs can feel uncomfortable around certain people for a variety of reasons.
For example, if you’ve adopted a shelter dog that has experienced abuse in the past, it’s possible for them to feel nervous and uneasy around someone who looks or sounds similar to their abuser. Dogs that didn’t get enough socialization may also feel more timid around new people and strangers.
Sometimes, articles of clothing can trigger dogs to feel unsafe around people. For example, if your dog has had a negative experience that involved someone wearing a hat, they may not like it when people wear hats.
Another factor to keep in mind is your dog’s incredible observation skills. Your dog will be able to gather information and identify people who make you feel uncomfortable or stressed out. Therefore, it’s possible for your dog to feel distrustful of people that you’ve had an argument with or that made you feel upset.
Identifying and knowing triggers that upset your dog can help you prevent future incidents and make the process of building trust between your dog and your boyfriend much easier. When you’re as observant of your dog as your dog is of you, you’ll gain a wealth of information that’ll help you understand your dog better.
Conclusion
With some time and patience, your dog can get used to your boyfriend and even build a beautiful friendship with him. It’s helpful to identify triggers that cause your dog to feel wary of your boyfriend so that you can avoid putting your dog in unnecessarily uncomfortable situations. Use plenty of treats to help your boyfriend earn your dog’s trust. If the situation feels too complicated or overwhelming, don’t hesitate to work with a professional dog trainer who can help your boyfriend and your dog build a harmonious friendship with each other.
Featured Image Credit: Tatyana__K, Shutterstock
