People usually attribute emotions or feelings typical of human behavior to our animals. However, stating that dogs are jealous can be a very imprecise term, since there are several reasons that can explain why a dog behaves in a "jealous" way. " with us, our partner, children and even with another animal.
In this article on our site we will talk in depth about the considered jealous dogs, what symptoms or behaviors can warn us, what behavior problems they cause jealousy in dogs and most importantly: what to do when they show up
Are dogs jealous?
It is not easy to define what jealousy is, however, we can understand "jealousy" as a set of emotions and feelings that appear when a social figure that they consider important is threatened by a third party, whom they perceived as a rival.
Jealousy is common in gregarious animals, such as humans and dogs, and has an important adaptive function However, they are also complex emotions, which require the individual experiencing them to have high cognitive abilities that allow them to reason and compare with past experiences.
Thus, dogs can experience jealousy towards other individuals, but not towards inanimate objects. Even so, the use of this term is highly controversial, due to the few studies that exist, and there are doubts about whether this behavior is comparable to that experienced by human beings.
However, it is essential to point out that there are other behavior problems that can explain some behaviors that we would consider "jealousy in dogs", such as territoriality, protection of resources, boredom or play. To understand this behavior a little better, in the next section we will explain the behavior of jealous dogs.
The behavior of jealous dogs
As we have already mentioned, there are few studies that talk about the behavior of jealous dogs, which is why it is so difficult to determine the exact behaviors and the differences with respect to other common behavior problems in dogs.
Still, some of the symptoms of jealous dogs can be:
- Attempts to grab the attention of the "valued social partner" when they feel ignored.
- Attempts to disrupt the interaction between the "valued social partner" and the potential "social rival".
- Be attentive when "valued social partner" and "social rival" interact.
- May push, attack, or display various negative calming signals.
Videos of jealous dogs
We can find many videos of jealous dogs on the net, however, we must point out that some guardians reinforce inappropriate or aggressive behaviors in dogs, probably due to ignorance, which further increases these behaviors in dogs.
On the contrary, in this video of the milperthusky channel we can appreciate how the tutor manages appropriate way the jealousy of one of your dogs, providing attention and affection in equal measure. Likewise, in this case, jealousy does not include alarming behaviors:
Situations that can trigger jealousy in dogs
Jealous dogs can be jealous in the following situations:
- Dog jealous of a puppy or another dog: occurs when several dogs live together in the same home and the guardian ignores continued to one or pay more attention to another. We must differentiate jealousy from territoriality, which is shown only to unknown individuals.
- Dogs jealous of pregnancy: It is very common for pregnant women to change their habits and routine as their pregnancy progresses. In these cases, the dog may feel ignored and therefore will try to get the attention of the pregnant woman in various ways. It is important to prepare the dog for the arrival of the baby progressively, never changing her habits suddenly and always relying on another person to help us make that transition.
- Dog jealous of a baby or child: It is essential to introduce the dog and the baby correctly, sometimes even with the help of a professional. However, if it has not been done well or if there has been a negative association, it is likely that this will not happen. It can appear if we scold the dog in the presence of the child, if we do not let him get close to him and we have punished him, etc. We can prevent jealousy between children and babies through positive reinforcement, proper guidelines and professional supervision.
- Dog jealous of my partner: on YouTube we can find many funny videos of dogs jealous of couples kissing. Although we could talk about jealousy, in other cases we also talk about resource protection. The dog regards his guardian as something of her property and acts to protect him. Dogs jealous of their owners can show very aggressive behavior.
Now then, what do we do with jealous dogs? In the next section we will explain what to do temporarily and how you can solve this problem effectively.
What to do with jealous dogs?
Jealous dogs, especially if they carry out behaviors related to canine aggression, can become very dangerous, especially if they go directed toward a child or infant.
Therefore, we will begin by taking the pertinent security measures, thus avoiding direct contact between the dog and the third person or "rival Social". If we have made the muzzle positive, we can use it temporarily, but never exceeding 60 minutes. We will completely avoid the use of punishment, as this can further aggravate the picture. On the contrary, we will try to control the situation with basic obedience commands, asking our dog a sit, a lie down or a still
It will be essential to go to a veterinarian specialized in ethology or a certified canine trainer/educator to rule out he alth problems that may be behavioral problems and receive an accurate diagnosis. Only in this way will we be able to receive management guidelines and start carrying out sessions of behavior modification
It is very likely that the professional will ask us to supervise our dog's interactions with other individuals, offer us advice to handle this situation and propose a plan of activities that will help us improve the relationship with our dog through positive habits and routines. It may also be necessary to carry out work sessions, using positive reinforcement as the main tool, to improve the dog's behavior.
