Five Reasons Your Golden Retriever is Mad at You
Golden retrievers are one of the most popular breed of dog in the entire world. This is a breed that is loving and kind, great with kids; intelligent and very sweet as far as disposition goes. This is also a dog that loves to be around humans. The golden retriever loves to spend time with people big and small, and he loves affection. He might get to be quite large as far as dogs are concerned, but that does nothing to change the fact that this dog believes he is a lap dog and he will treat you like you are his own personal lap for as long as you let him get away with it.
We’ve talked in the past about how easy it is to tell your dog is angry or annoyed with you, and this breed is no different. When a golden retriever is upset with you, it’s probably for good reason. This is not a dog that holds a grudge or goes looking for conflict. However, this is a dog that expects a few things in the home – especially if he has been there a while – and he might become a little annoyed with you when things don’t go his way. So while you might know he’s upset, you might not know why. Read on to find out a few of the most common reasons this breed gets mad at his family or loved ones.
You’re Treating Him Like a Baby
Okay, so it’s true; some people treat their animals like babies. Probably not so much the golden retriever being that this is a much larger dog, but we’ll just generalize here. No dog wants to be treated like a baby. Want to know why? Because dogs are not babies. They are dogs and they are designed to behave like dogs, act like dogs and they want to be dogs. This means they do not want to be pushed around in a stroller or carried in a bag (fortunately he will outgrow this as he gets bigger). This breed wants to run and play and get dirty and have a good time, and you are hindering his ability to do that when you treat him like he’s a human baby who needs you 24/7.
You’re Not Feeing Him Enough
We all have days where we forget to eat; it happens. Schedules are busy and we get distracted and before we know it, dinner is here and we haven’t even had breakfast. However, we can’t treat our dogs like this. The golden retriever is a dog that has to eat every single day, and it’s not okay to forget to feed the dog. Fortunately for you, he will let you know if you’re not doing your job in that department. This dog will seem upset with you, and this is usually the reason why he’s mad at you. Just make sure you don’t forget to care for this dog properly, or else you will end up upsetting him and making him feel insecure and worried in your own home if it becomes a habit.
They’re Bored
It happens; dogs get bored. This might not be your fault so much as the circumstances in your home at the moment, but it happens. For example, if the weather is very bad for a couple of days in a row and you cannot take the dog for a walk safely in it, your dog might become bored. Being able to run outside to use the bathroom for a moment at a time will bore your dog and quickly make him feel angry and upset. In his mind, a good romp in the rain or blizzard or tropical storm seems like fun. In your mind, it’s dangerous and you are protecting him. In this case, you can just forget it. He’s going to be mopey and unhappy until the weather improves and you can take him outside for some good, old-fashioned exercise and a walk.
You’ve Been Gone a Lot
The golden retriever isn’t a clingy dog, but it’s not one that does well on its own all the time. This is a breed that enjoys companionship and wants to be around people. If you’re working long hours, traveling more than usual or you are out and about and only home for a few minutes at a time, your dog is probably going to be kind of annoyed by the entire situation. This means you’re going to have to slow down your schedule and spend some more one-on-one time with him so that he will calm down and regain his composure.
He Can Read Your Body Language
We all have to spend time with people we don’t like or even enjoy, but this can upset our dog (smart animals). When you have someone around that you don’t like or care for, or someone that makes you uncomfortable, your dog can sense that and it will upset him or her. It might not agitate him or her with you specifically, but you can expect to see that your dog is not behaving how you usually expect. Your dog is worried for you. It’s stressed because it doesn’t like your attitude and behavior, and it’s worried that something is wrong. Dogs are pretty smart, and they can detect where the bad energy is directed and/or coming from, but that also poses a new problem. If that person is around and your body language states you don’t like him or her, your dog might begin to treat that person poorly as a response. It’s difficult, but you do have to be aware of your body language and your mood when your dog is watching. It’s for the best of everyone around, and we understand that some people can make this a challenge. That’s why we advise spending little time with this person; if he or she makes the dog unhappy, there’s no real reason having them around, right? Yeah, try telling your brother his wife can’t come over anymore because the dog hates her; that’ll go over well.
Photo by Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for the American Kennel Club
