As soon as your dog starts to act up, your first reaction is to shout at them. This is something that all dog owners are guilty of doing, especially when training them or if you’re in a bad mood already.
As any expert dog trainer will tell you, yelling at your dog when they misbehave or will not do as they’re told can do more harm than good. It could make your dog’s behavior worse than it already is. Not only could their bad behavior get worse, but it could also cause them to become stressed, depressed, and anxious.
So in answer to the question, do dogs get sad when you yell at them? Yes, they do.
Why do Dogs Get Sad When You Yell at Them?
It is important to note that dogs can feel a basic range of emotions. When you use loud voices to tell them off, it makes them sad, confused, and scared.
It is important to watch your tone of voice when preventing unwanted behavior in your pooch. When giving your dog a command, or instructing them during potty training, you will need your tone to be assertive but not aggressive.
Just like us, your dog has a personality, and when you start yelling at them, it can cause all kinds of emotional reactions.
As soon as you begin yelling at your dog, it places them under a lot of stress and they can start to develop anxiety issues.
There are clear signs that your dog is starting to develop an anxiety disorder. You must know what these are to prevent your dog’s stress levels from becoming too high. So make sure you closely monitor what their body language is when you raise your voice at them.
Signs of Anxiety in Your Dog
- Their bowel movements start to change
- There is a loss of appetite
- Your sweet puppy starts to become more aggressive
- You may find that they don’t want to make direct eye contact with you
- They don’t seem to have as much energy
- You may suddenly start to notice that they prefer their own company more
Any time you use a harsh voice, your puppy will start to feel upset. You will also see an obvious change in their demeanor. Oftentimes, anxiety in dogs may lead to them suffering from similar issues to those a depressed person has.
Why Yelling at Your Dog Doesn’t Work
You may think using loud voices to improve your dog’s behavior is your best option when it comes to teaching them to behave. However, you are mistaken. Below, we look at reasons why using a calm voice along with positive reinforcement is your better option.
It Isn’t Efficient
Your dog doesn’t understand what you are saying. So, while yelling at them may make you feel as though you’re getting your point across, your dog doesn’t have a clue. It is best to stick to short, concise commands spoken in a firm voice.
As you yell at your dog, they will just become confused and it will make them feel frightened.
Causes Confusion
Have you come home to find that your dog has had an accident while you were away? As soon as we spot it, we shout at them but your dog won’t actually associate such angry emotions with their awful behavior.
What happens is your dog will start to give you those puppy dog eyes and tuck their tail between their legs. They use this type of behavior to try and calm you down.
Can Lead to Training Problems
Yelling at dogs may stop them from misbehaving momentarily but you’ll find that it won’t stop them from doing it again. If you want to see changes in your dog’s behavior during training, you must teach them through an alternative method.
For example, does your dog like to jump up at people when they visit you? Instead of shouting at them to stop, they use behavior management techniques. These are the kind of techniques where you teach them to sit and wait for the person to approach them.
They May Begin to Fear You
Just like us, dogs have a wide range of emotions that they feel. Rather than acting positively towards you as you yell at them, they become more submissive. In some cases, you may find that they don’t react at all because they are feeling frightened.
Encourages Them to Behave Badly
Do you often find yourself shouting at your dog when they start barking? If you do, do you notice they just bark even more? Well, they are doing this because they think you are telling them how good they are.
You need to find out what is making them bark and then use the right kind of commands to deal with it.
Why Consistency is Key
All dogs have unique personalities and can become sad or anxious just like us. When you begin yelling at your dog, they do not understand what is happening or why you are acting so aggressively.
As well as making them feel sad, your dog will also become confused and fearful. In turn, it could end up with their lousy behavior becoming even worse.
When it comes to stopping your dog from doing something wrong, you’ll find that consistency is vital. Also, make sure that you maintain eye contact with them when training them and use the correct body posture as dogs are quick to react to anything they don’t understand.
The best method when it comes to stopping any unwanted behavior is through using reward-based training. Throughout the training, your dog needs stability, and you need to talk to them in a calm voice. Though a calm voice is needed, you should avoid using a baby-like voice when praising them as it will only make them more excitable.
Remember that dogs get sad when you yell at them, leading to them not trusting you. Without trust, you will not be able to establish a strong bond with your dog, and they will continue to misbehave.
We hope we have been able to answer the question: do dogs get sad when you yell at them? This guide has gone through the emotions a dog may feel when you scold them aggressively and alternative methods you can use instead of yelling at them. Remember, dogs are loyal companions who only want to make their owners happy. Treat them with respect and they will be a faithful friend for life.
