Living with dogs can make it feel like we understand each other perfectly. But as close as that bond can be, dogs and humans still experience the world in very different ways. Many things that seem completely normal to us can be confusing, stressful, or even scary for our pets. Even everyday routines like showering, cooking, cleaning, getting dressed, or leaving for work can raise questions our dogs cannot exactly ask.
To better understand which human habits dogs may find the most confusing, Bored Panda reached out to Russell Hartstein, a Los Angeles-based Certified Dog Behaviorist and Trainer, ethologist, and founder of Fun Paw Care. Hartstein has over 30 years of experience in applied behavior analysis, dog behavior, training, and pet care, and his work focuses on science-based, positive reinforcement methods that help pets and their humans live more harmoniously together.
Below, you will find 18 human behaviors that may confuse dogs, along with Hartstein’s explanations of why these everyday actions can be so puzzling from a canine point of view.
What about your own pet? Has your dog ever reacted strangely to something completely normal you were doing, like sneezing, dancing, cleaning, or putting on a hat? Share the human habits that seem to confuse your furry friend the most in the comments.
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#1 Physically Restraining Dogs As Affection
“I can’t count how many times I’ve seen a parent put their child on a dog in an Instagram photo, thinking that it’s cute. Or someone hugging and squeezing their dog to show their love.
Dogs are incredibly adaptive and tolerant of our inappropriate behavior. However, they don’t show love the same way that we do.
Restraining a dog, hugging a dog, or putting a scary object or person on a dog is not only dangerous, but can scare your dog and fracture your relationship.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, __ drz __/Unsplash
According to Hartstein, one of the biggest misunderstandings comes from the fact that dogs do not learn through logic, explanations, or human-style reasoning. Instead, they are associative learners. They connect things that happen close together in time, which is why punishment after the fact, mixed signals, or inconsistent cues can leave them confused rather than informed.
#2 Not Paying Attention To Our Pet
“Mom and Dad have two hands. Why are they both not petting me at all times? Why is Mom on her phone or computer?
When we do something else other than pet our dogs or pay attention to them, this can be confusing to them.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Riley Z/Unsplash
#3 Cooking
“The cacophony of smells and flavors in the kitchen can be confusing for a dog.
Where are these smells coming from? Why is there smoke coming from the oven or pan?
What is this refrigerator box that Mom and Dad keep opening to get food out of?
Your dog also could become sick if they scarf down something we drop when eating/cooking.
No need to trip over your dog when you have a hot plate in your hand. The kitchen is no place for pets.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Sarah Chai/Pexels
The points Hartstein shared with us are a reminder that dogs are often incredibly tolerant of human behavior, but that does not mean they always understand it or enjoy it. From hugging too tightly and ignoring warning signals to teasing, yelling, or changing our appearance and smell, some of our habits can unintentionally make life more complicated for the animals who trust us most.
#4 Changing Our Appearance Or Smell
“Getting dressed and putting on all sorts of clothes is confusing for a dog. When we change our appearance by putting on a jacket, a hat, and sunglasses, this can confuse our dog, and they might not even recognize us.
Dogs don’t get dressed up, put on cologne, makeup, perfume, or change their outfits, so when a human does it can be confusing.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Samson Katt/Pexels
#5 Playing Music
“While playing, certain types of music can certainly come and soothe pets. The opposite can be true as well.
Where is this noise and sound coming from? Why is it happening?
Noise and sound can certainly disorient, over-arouse and confuse a dog. However, it can also serve to soothe a dog with the correct canine classical sounds.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Katya Wolf/Pexels
#6 Scolding A Dog Long After The Behavior Happened
“This classic, difficult-to-break habit of people is damaging to your relationship with your dog. Traditionally, this occurs when a dog is not potty-trained, and a parent drags their pet to the scene of the crime where they peed or pooped in your house, whilst scolding them. It is completely ineffective and harmful, and does absolutely nothing to teach a dog or to punish a dog that you don’t want him to pee or poop in the house. If you don’t see your dog in the act of peeing or pooping, then your punishment is useless. They don’t understand why you’re angry, and it does not stop the behavior from occurring in the future. It only serves to confuse your pet and cause your dog to pee and poop somewhere else in the house or do it when no one is around.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Laura Repsone/Unsplash
#7 Showering
“Dogs don’t shower. And many don’t even like to be clean at all.
Some dogs like to follow their parents everywhere, including the bathroom.
However, why mom or dad is in the shower doesn’t resonate with your pet.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Aurelio Uribe-Wright/Pexels
#8 Turning Play Into Grabbing, Chasing, Or Teasing
“While play is fun and very rewarding for both the dog and the parent, a habit many parents get into is removing food or some prized possession from a dog.
If you do not immediately replace what the dog had with something more valuable and/or the thing it just had, your dog will likely develop resource guarding or possessive aggression.
Do not take away your dog’s favorite toy, put your hands in their food bowl, or remove a treat from your pet whenever you feel like it. Always be cognizant of replacing or improving the reinforcement and reward.
If it is safe, you ideally give back whatever you just took away from your dog in addition to offering your pet addition higher value items.
This way, your dog will learn that when Mom or Dad sticks their hand in the food bowl. They not only get a handful of incredibly delicious treats but also their food back immediately thereafter.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Lucas Sandor
#9 Getting Intimate With Your Partner
“Ever shared a romantic moment while your pet was in the room? Sometimes they creepily stare at you. Sometimes you have to actually ask them to leave the room to have some alone time.
Have you ever hugged a person, and your pet tries to get in between you?
Sleeping together, hugging, and kissing can certainly be confusing to your dog.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Natalya Velichenko/Pexels
#10 Some Bodily Functions
“While dogs also burp, sneeze, and fart, many pets can get scared when we do them since they don’t expect it.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, kaboompics/Pexels
#11 Jokes Or Sarcasm
“Ever tell your dog a joke? He doesn’t get it. Dogs do not think as we do and do not have the ability to rationalize or tell what sarcasm or a joke is.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Gustavo Fring/Pexels
#12 Saying One Thing While Body Language Says Another
“A cardinal rule in dog training is to be clear, concise, and consistent with your communication.
That means all people in the family have to practice the same verbal and gestural cues.
If you are not practicing cue discrimination, or you reward or punish inappropriate behaviors. Your dog will quickly be confused and learn more slowly or not at all.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Zen Chung/ Pexels
#13 Petting Without Checking Whether The Dog Still Wants It
“In any relationship, whether it’s with people or dogs, we have to check in with the other being to see if they are also benefiting and being enriched by the relationship.
If we simply force our love onto our dog without checking in with them to see if they’re nervous, scared, or fearful, it would not be fair to your dog nor a healthy relationship.
Learn your dog’s subtle cues to assess whether or not he or she would like to continue to be petted. Never restrain a pet in order to pet them. Instead, allow them the autonomy to move away when they’re ready or want to.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Pragyan Bezbaruah/Pexels
#14 Punishment
“Yelling, smacking, or getting upset at our pet. We live in a punishment-based society. Try to change your habit instead of waiting for your pet to do something wrong, then scolding them.
For example, capture all of the dozens of times your dog offers appropriate behaviors throughout the day, where your pet does something you want him to do (relax on this bed, chew an appropriate toy, be quiet instead of barking, calmly sit and pay attention to you, etc.)
While punishment might be effective in some rare situations, it’s certainly used incorrectly by the majority of people and ends up confusing your dog and hurting the situation more than helping.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Diana/Pexels
#15 Concepts, Logic, And Rationalization
“A dog does not understand rationalization logic and concepts the way we do.
Dogs are associative learners, and pair stimuli together when they happen close together. Dog training, dog psychology, and dog behavior do not work via rationalization, logic, or concepts.
This is not how dogs sense the world or learn. They operate in a very different field of understanding.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Sarah Chai/Pexels
#16 Punishing Warning Signals Instead Of Listening To Them
“Low-level expressions of fear, anxiety, stress, and arousal are vital to indicate a dog’s mental. emotional and psychological state at that moment.
If you ignore these very valuable signals, such as barking, growling, showing teeth, moving away, hiding, etc., the dog is forced to show more serious signs to indicate that they are uncomfortable with the environment or stimuli.
As you work up the ladder of aggression and ignore more subtle cues, your dog will be more likely to bite.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Phan Cuong/Pexels
#17 Going To Work
“When we leave for work most days, our pets are confused as to why we are leaving them and where we’re going.
Many pets also suffer from separation anxiety and isolation distress. Leaving for work can exacerbate that disorder.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Barnabas Davoti/Pexels
#18 Household Chores
“Cleaning the house with a vacuum, mop, or doing any cleaning activity confuses dogs.
Many dogs are scared of the vacuum sound and motion and hide when you take it out.
Not only the chemicals that we clean the homes with, but the noise and the motion of the objects we use are confusing and potentially scary for dogs.”
Image source: Russel Hartstein, Matilda Wormwood/Pexels
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