If you have ever owned a dog, you will know that dogs are just lovable companions. They are cute, delightful, and obedient. They listen to you when you ask them to do something like fetching the newspaper, sitting, rolling, etc. But those are just minor activities; we can even train some dogs to do twists or spins or perform. Other dogs can smell narcotics or find missing people. We cannot deny that dogs are indeed brilliant animals.
It will shock you to know that dogs are tricky enough to fake an injury. They might act as if they are hurt when they want your attention or want things to go their way.
At times you might find your dog limping and whining when you ask him to stop playing and get inside, but when you go to check on him, you won’t see any injury. This shows that your dog is acting as if he is injured so that he could be picked up by you or so that you will go to him and play some more.
Why Do Dogs Fake Injuries?
To date, there is no research on why dogs try to act hurt and what they want from faking it. The only possible reason is that they want you to care for them. Even though there are some ways how dogs learn to do such a thing and use it to influence you to do what they want, these are still not proven scientifically. But getting your attention and care is a jackpot for them, and they would go to any extent to get your sympathy.
As an owner and a pet lover, it will not be hard to observe his behavior and know if he is really in pain or just asking for your attention. However, it will be wise to get a checkup if your dog seems to be in pain so that you will be assured your dog does not have any underlying problems. It is also essential to inspect your dog constantly to recognize his issues. As a dog owner, those are necessary steps that should be taken to know how to take care of a dog.
It is also crucial to observe that if your dog has a past injury, he may suffer from the pain from time to time until it is completely healed. So you should keep that in mind, and if it continues for a long time, you should go to the vet. If the vet does not find any issues internally, you might have a dog pretending to be sick for your recognition.
Signs That Your Dog Is Faking an Injury
It might be hard to determine if he is hurt or is just faking it. So, you should be aware of the signs to know if your dog is faking an injury. It will be easier for you to resolve it if you continually keep an eye on your dog, but that is hardly possible. But even if you did not keep a close eye on him all the time, you can analyze if he is injured by checking upon him.
One trick to find out if your dog is faking it is by leaving him and snooping at him hiding. You might sometimes find that he will run around as nothing happened when you are not looking at him.
You can also determine if he is acting by keeping a check on him for some time. If he starts running around as usual within a matter of some seconds, he was probably faking his injury. But if it takes longer, you should be concerned about it and know how to take care of a dog if he has an injury that is not visible.
You will also know if he is faking it if he whimpers only from time to time or is overdoing his whimper. He will also avert his eyes from you. You might also notice that his injury seems to become less painful suddenly. These signs show that he possibly acts as if he is hurt and needs you to attend to him.
Luckily dogs cannot fake major illnesses like diarrhea, skin diseases, or fever. Moreover, if there is any swelling in any part or if your dog is walking oddly or looking very much inactive, you should consider taking him to the veterinary.
But if he is coughing, whining, or just limping in front of you, you should think twice before taking him to the vet. In most cases, it is not something you should be concerned about. Instead, if you take him to a vet without proper investigation, it will end up costing you your time and money. Thus proper inspection is necessary. If you observe your dog correctly, you will surely identify if your dog has a severe problem or is just faking it. It will help save your time, money, and worry.
How Do Dogs Learn to Fake Injures?
As shocking as it seems, dogs learn how to pretend, and they learn it from none other than you. How did you teach them? There are many reasons how. One reason may be that you give him a lot of attention, more than required when he is injured. Your reaction is what urges your dog to behave in such a way.
It is the same way he learns to sit when asked to shake hands or give a high five at a given signal. The dog learns that he will get unconditional attention when he whines or is injured. Thus he might pretend to if he wants your constant attention. Dogs are very clever in this sense, and they know exactly what will give them what they want.
Dogs are conditional beings; they learn from reactions to an item or an occurrence. For example, you will see that he does so when you throw a stick and ask your dog to fetch. He might not understand the word fetch, but he knows he is supposed to go and fetch it when you throw it because that is how he was taught when he was young. You will also realize that you had to teach him by acting it out and not just talking when you taught him to fetch.
Thus, if a dog can be conditioned to do things the way you want, he can also be taught out of it. It is crucial to change his fake acting as soon as possible because it will turn into a habit if left uncared. It will be harder to change his behavior if it turns into a habit.
How to Stop Your Dog From Faking
You should never resort to beating or scolding him to make him stop faking because it will change the dog’s behavior for the worst. He might become more rowdy or dangerous. Also, note that for some even every kind of treatment is attention whether it is good or bad. So if they take your scolding as a form of attention, they will keep disobeying you because they want that attention. This, in turn, will not change anything but make it worst.
It is crucial to have a limit to bathing your dog or giving him treats. The same goes for attention, and too much attention without a limit will make your dog spoilt and always craving for more.
The best action you can take is to turn a blind eye when you know they are faking it. You should not run to them and cuddle them or pet them but just let them be. Since there is no reaction from you, they will break out of it and stop pretending to be injured.
Conclusion on How to Tell if Your Dog Is Faking an Injury?
Dogs are just adorable attention seekers. They want your sympathy all the time, and they want you to pet them and care for them. If you are spending more time working or staying out most of the time, your dog might feel the need to gain back your attention. In this case, they will have no choice but to resort to acting so that you turn your attention to them.
It is, however, indeed true that giving attention to your paw friends is essential for them. It is the responsibility of every dog lover to give them the attention they need. You should take them out for a walk, play with them at least during the weekends, pet them and spend quality time with them. These activities might seem trivial to you, but to your dog, it means the world.
A dog owner should never neglect his dog; if you own a dog, you are obligated to be responsible for it. You have to meet your dog’s needs because if you don’t, who will. It would help if you researched how to take care of a dog in the right way and follow them diligently so that you and your dog will have a happy, healthy life together.
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