Jealousy in dogs: how to fix it?

It can happen that a dog reacts badly to the arrival of a new being in the home, whether it is a congener, another animal, a human or even a baby, especially if he feels put aside following this event which can constitute for him a real upheaval of his habits and his comfort and a decentration of the attention which was carried to him before. However, the existence of a real feeling of jealousy in dogs can not be scientifically proven.

Can a dog really be jealous?

It is not easy to know if the dog can really feel jealousy, at least as we understand it from our human experience. However, being a social animal and extremely attached to his master , he seems to have more reason to feel this feeling than a solitary animal like the cat. In any case, the arrival of a new member in the family causes some animals reactions of frustration, even aggression and / or behavioral changes that can be troublesome: barking, complaints, needs made inside, destruction ... To overcome these inconveniences, we must first understand what motivates them in the dog.

The reasons for jealousy in dogs

In fact, what one can understand by "jealousy" in the dog would rather be, according to the experts, a defense and resource-saving behavior, which is the case for example when a new dog wants to climb on the ground. sofa, access the bowl, or approach the business and individuals that the first dog considers part of his attributes and his pack. In addition, the social hierarchy that governs the groups of dogs in the wild necessarily has an impact on the behavior of our domestic dogs who will then, instinctively, try to preserve their place in the pack and preserve the attentions and the rights which are normally assigned.

Finally, the dog is an animal of habits, attached to its rhythm and its rituals, and any change in these can cause stress if it feels abandoned or disadvantaged following the arrival of a new individual then perceived as a rival and a threat to his comfort and privileges.

Behaviors related to "jealousy"

Several behaviors can be a sign of a problem of "jealousy" in the dog especially if they are triggered by the presence of a newcomer in the house. Once again, it is appropriate to put quotation marks on this anthropomorphic term but the facts are often very real!

For example, here are some situations where the dog is likely to experience a sense of rivalry or intrusion and the signs that can help you detect and understand it:

·         Faced with a new dog or animal, or even a human (spouse, friend, roommate...), he tries to get your attention with barking, crying or grunts.

·         When you physically get closer to the third, he grunts or even shows aggressive in order to remove the latter from you and "break" the link that is established between you and the "rival".

·         When "the intruder" approaches his business (baskets, toys, bowls...) or the place where he is or usually goes to bed (carpet, sofa ...) he will try to "keep" these objects or his place by threatening him with grunts, barking, attempts to bite etc.

·         When you take care of the other (talk to him, look at him, touch him...), he turns around with excitement or a threatening / dominant attitude: tail high, ears erect...

·         You observe behavioral changes at home even if they do not seem to be in direct contact with the newcomer: he needs it, no longer eats, stays behind, barks, destroys objects, is more nervous than habit or seems depressed...

·         In short, any behavior or reaction that shows that the dog does not want to "share" with his new friend and that he does everything to remain the center of your attention! It can also happen in the presence of guests, a friend met in the street, etc.

My dog ​​seems jealous, what to do?

To manage the feeling of "jealousy" in your dog, it should first not scold him, which could make things worse because he will feel even more disadvantaged! If he shows himself too possessive towards you in the presence of a third party, you must return him calmly but firmly in his place and not give him the attention he seeks, otherwise he will start again each time: even if it's difficult, so you should ignore her crying as much as possible and not look at it. If he is too insistent, send him back again and keep ignoring him. Repeat until he has understood that he will not get what he wants by behaving like that and not Whenever he will be quiet in a similar situation, congratulate him with benevolence but without effusion!

To avoid jealousy in the dog and not have to completely resume his education, treat the problem upstream by ensuring to keep all the habits that punctuate his life and especially your life together: diet, walks, play sessions. Do not move his stuff too much when the newcomer arrives and continue to lavish love and attention on him . If you anticipate changes in the pace and in the house, apply them gradually in the weeks before so that he does not make the connection between "the intruder" and these changes.

Finally, keep in mind that a dog too spoiled may become jealous every time and do not neglect his education even if you do not think you will ever find yourself in this situation.