For those of us who typically work all day and then devote a significant amount of time to taking care of the dog at home (walking, playing, petting, etc.), ), our presence all day every day may be confusing. Some dogs naturally assume that because we spend the day at home, we are now always available.
Dogs’ frustration and anxiety when we aren’t around can result in unwanted behaviors like barking, pawing and nosing, counter surfing, shoe stealing, and other undesirable behaviors that relieve their frustration and anxiety (for them) and get our attention.
It is crucial to understand that despite being annoying, these actions are not driven by resentment or revenge. Demand behaviors, or attention-seeking behaviors, can begin for a number of reasons, such as anxiety and uncertainty. But whatever the cause, these undesirable behaviors are always kept up by learning.
Take attention-seeking barking. Together with your colleagues and a client, you are in a Zoom meeting. You are taking notes on the computer. Normally sleeping during the day, your dog wanders in and lifts your hand off the keyboard so you can scratch his ears. You naturally respond, “Not now, Bandit. I must continue working because I have an important client meeting. ”.
Bandit responds by nosing your hand and woofing. You respond to his noise by immediately scratching his ears. In the meantime, steam starts to issue from your own.
Throughout the meeting, this routine is repeated a few more times. By the end of the day, Bandit has figured out that all he needs to do to get his ears scratched is wait until you are in an online meeting before entering and barking.
The fact that we ourselves are accountable for (inadvertently) rewarding and reinforcing attention-seeking or demand behaviors may be the most frustrating aspect of them.
The good news is that our dogs can unlearn anything they’ve learned from us.
You must strategically avoid your dog during times that the behavior is triggered, reward desired alternative behaviors, enrich the pet’s environment, set consistent and clear expectations, and ignore the unwanted behavior in order to reduce or eliminate demand- or attention-seeking barking (and other annoying learned demand and attention-seeking behaviors).
Ignore unwanted behaviors. This can be very challenging to do. Once you begin ignoring, you must continue doing so until your dog’s undesirable behavior has completely stopped. Also, a word of caution: Unwanted behavior won’t improve until it worsens. You reinforce a behavior if you give it attention in any form (petting, playing, reprimanding). So, if necessary, shut the door and leave the room to stop the dog from barking constantly. If your dog steals something, pretend not to notice. If he comes up to you carrying the stolen item, either pick up a book or run away. If the item in question is neither dangerous for him nor valuable to you (i e. a tissue) let him have it and continue to ignore. Use a diverting strategy to divert his attention if you need to get away from him for something. For example, ring the doorbell. Put him in another room and go pick up the item when he rushes to see who is at the door.
Reward desirable alternative behaviors. Tell your dog to sit if he approaches you without barking or by waving a stolen object in your face. Then pet him or play with him. If he approaches you and sits down right away, reward him by petting him or by offering to play.
Add (or increase) environmental enrichment. It may be harder than usual to improve a dog’s environment during COVID-19, especially if the dog previously relied on city walks, playdates, daycare, or training sessions for mental stimulation. The dog’s day is made more interesting by walks alone or with other dogs (where you can maintain a 6-foot space between other walkers), fetch games, food puzzles like the Kong Wobbler, and snuffle mats. There are many wonderful positive-reinforcement training classes available online. Agility and Nose Work dog sports have both gone online. Additionally, I urge you to check out the VALOR Project’s online agility league.
Establish consistent expectations. Establish a new schedule for your dog and follow it. Make sure all family members apply these new rules consistently. And be patient. Your dog is also experiencing new environmental changes brought on by the pandemic. Assume your dog is unclear about expectations if he misbehaves. Try again—and don’t forget to reward good behavior.
Avoid your dog during times that trigger the unwanted behavior. Give your dog a substitute activity to keep him occupied when he is most likely to exhibit attention-seeking behavior. For instance, just before you begin the teleconference, prepare his meal by placing it in a Kong or Snuffle Mat and freezing it so he can enjoy it away from you.
Veterinarian Dr. The behavior service at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center is run by Stephanie Borns-Weil. She graduated from Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in 2007
What counts as attention-seeking dog behaviour?
Your new puppy will likely jump up at you when you greet them, feed them, or leave them alone. However, as they get older, excessive begging, nudging, whining, barking, jumping on furniture, and bringing you toys may be signs of attention-seeking.
Some dogs and breeds can be “needier” than others, so this may all seem harmless enough, but excessive attention-seeking is typically a sign of more serious issues.
The most prevalent justification is boredom. They might not be getting enough mental or physical stimulation or attention from their owners, which could be the cause of this.
When a dog is left alone for an extended period of time, they may become much more clingy when their owner is present, and what may appear to be attention seeking may actually be a separation-related issue.
Other dogs who are timid or fearful might try to get their owners’ attention because it makes them feel safer.
Of course, as the owner, there may be a number of things you do that unintentionally contribute to them becoming attention-seekers.
Every time your dog jumps up at you, paws at your leg, barks without apparent cause, or drops a toy in your lap without invitation, it’s easy to reward them with a cuddle or a game but this means that the unwanted behavior is reinforced and your dog will do it more frequently. You alone must determine whether you find this interaction enjoyable or problematic.
Some dogs enjoy stealing something from their owners and running off with it. The more we react angrily, the more attention your dog feels they are receiving, the more they value the object and the more often they do it. This can be a great game for a clever dog!.
Attention-seeking dog behaviour is common – and normal – in puppies. After all, they’ll want their mother to dote on them, will love playing with their littermates and will still be learning their rights from wrongs!
When a dog is an adult, excessive jumping, pawing, or barking is difficult to live with and can become annoying. Attention-seeking dog behavior is common and is a completely normal survival mechanism in puppies who rely entirely on their mother for care.
Stages of Treatment for Dogs with Attention Seeking Behaviors
The treatment stages are as follows:
After a prolonged period of trying to “tough it out,” if you occasionally cave in or give in to your dog’s games, you will actually reinforce the behavior even more strongly. The dog discovers that if he persists, eventually someone will notice him. This is the same idea behind “one arm bandit” slot machines, which keep gamblers hooked.
FAQ
How do dogs act when they want attention?
Your new puppy will likely jump up at you when you greet them, feed them, or leave them alone. However, as they get older, excessive begging, nudging, whining, barking, jumping on furniture, and bringing you toys may be signs of attention-seeking.
Do dogs act out on purpose?
Dogs have complex thought processes and emotions, but their reasoning differs from that of humans. Your dog would have to share your moral compass and follow it as a guide for his actions in order to truly act out of spite. Dogs don’t operate that way; they are driven by results rather than morals.
Do dogs act out when they don’t get enough attention?
Your Dog Begins Misbehaving Boredom can also cause dogs to engage in destructive behavior, such as chewing on furniture, digging in the trash, or excessive barking. Your dog probably needs some attention if they suddenly exhibit undesirable behavior.
Should I ignore my dog when he wants attention?
Although it may seem strange, ignoring your dog can occasionally be a helpful training tool. The theory is that by responding to an undesirable behavior, you are actually rewarding it. Therefore, ignoring behavior is especially beneficial when the dog wants your attention.