“Did I do something wrong?”
Your husband may be wondering.
Why is your dog aloof to him yet to you they’re so friendly?
When, in fact, both of you are their fur parents.
Read on to learn more:
- What your husband did or did not do to deserve such treatment.
- 11 real reasons why your dog protect you even from your husband
- 5 tips on how you can turn the situation around and make your dog trust your husband.
- And many more…
Why does my dog protect me from my husband?
Your dog protects you from your husband because they see him as a threat. Even if he didn’t do anything wrong, since you’re closer to your dog and you give them food and cuddles, they would likely choose to protect you. They could also be jealous, afraid, or experiencing separation anxiety.
My dog protects me from my husband – 11 reasons
#1: Your dog thinks your husband is a threat
Your dog protects you from your husband because they think he’s dangerous.
If your husband is always home late from work (maybe after dark), then your dog will think he poses danger to you.
Since he’s always busy at work, he won’t have enough time to bond with your dog.
That’s why they haven’t familiarized his face, his scent, or his gestures yet.
And they haven’t associated him with anything because they haven’t established a routine together due to his unavailability.
#2: Your dog prefers your smell
“Mommy, you smell good.”
Your dog likes weird scents.
They like the smell of your sweat, your socks, even your dirty laundry.
In other words, they like how you smell in general.
Maybe because they are reminded of comfort, familiarity, and content.
But when it comes to your husband, they smell something else.
Something they’re not used to.
If in the morning he puts on perfume or cologne, he won’t be able to bid goodbye to your dog before leaving for work because they don’t like the smell of human fragrance.
Due to canines’ strong sense of smell, perfumes and colognes can irritate them.
However, if he drinks or smokes after work, your pooch could smell that when he gets home and that’s not something they’d like either.
So, your dog might stay away from your husband because of those unfamiliar scents for them.
With that, they’ll also want to protect you from him.
Check out also: Why does my dog take my clothes when I leave?
#3: You are your dog’s giver
Your dog likes you a thousand times more than any hooman in the world because you never fail to provide them with all the good things.
You take care of them, you talk to them, you entertain them, and most importantly, you feed them with yummy food.
Whenever they’re lonely, you play with them.
Whenever they need fresh air, you take them for a walk.
Whenever they miss their doggy friends, you bring them to the park.
That being said, they’d always prefer to protect you from anything or anyone, even your husband.
And yes, even if he didn’t do anything bad.
#4: Your dog is not used to seeing your husband
If your husband leaves early for work, he probably wakes up earlier than your dog.
So, your pooch doesn’t get the chance to lick him in the face to wake him up.
Or if he joins you in bed too late at night, say he’s always bringing work home, then your pooch won’t be able to lick him goodnight as well.
This routine makes it difficult for your dog to get used to your husband’s presence.
Therefore, they still treat him like a stranger.
Of course, they need to protect you from strangers a.k.a. people they are not used to.
#5: Your dog and your husband don’t click
Your dog protects you from your husband because their personalities don’t match.
Like humans, dogs have different personalities, too.
You and your dog most likely have the same wavelength and energy level.
That’s also the reason why you love each other’s company.
Whenever you feel like staying at home and be a “potato”, your dog will probably want to “potato” with you, too.
And if you want to tag them along during a quick afternoon jog, your dog will want that, too.
In other words, your husband likes the opposite activities as your dog’s.
#6: Your dog knows how you feel about them
“How is that even possible?”
Do you always get that feeling that your dog understands you somehow?
That whenever you look at each other, it’s like there’s an emotional understanding between you two, even if you don’t talk?
Well, you won’t understand each other anyway since they bark and you speak to answer.
According to Science, a canine’s brain has a voice area where they process voices just like how a human brain works.
That explains why a dog knows when you’re sad, they can sense it in your voice.
Are you on the verge of crying? Your voice is probably cracking.
Do you feel happy at the moment? Your voice is probably higher than your usual tone.
So, whenever you talk to them in a gentle voice (sometimes in a weird baby-like voice), they know immediately that you are being kind to them.
If you shout at them, they know you’re being mean or they did something you don’t like.
For this reason, your dog might also know what your husband feels about them.
They know they’re not his first priority and that he is tired (from work) to do anything with them.
Note: It’s never advisable to scream at your pets (e.g. dogs, cats) because it will do more harm and it will give them more stress.
#7: You give more cuddles
Your dog protects you from your husband because you’re more generous with cuddles.
They’ll surely protect the one who snuggles with them at night (or at any random time of day).
If they’ll get a lot of things from you – more cuddles, more petting, and more belly rubs – then you have tons of plus points from them already.
However, if your husband is more reserved when it comes to your dog, then they’ll feel distant toward him as well.
Because dogs need a constant reminder that they are loved and cared for, it’s important to be consistent with them.
If your husband is sweet and cuddly to them today and the next day he seems untouchable (could be tired from work), your dog won’t know how to act toward him.
Read next: 15 Reasons Why Your Dog Is Extra Cuddly (All Of A Sudden)
#8: Your dog is guarding you
“Why is my pooch following me everywhere?”
If your dog keeps on following you anywhere you go around the house, then they’re guarding you.
This is kinda sweet actually.
They’re like toddlers who follow their mom in all places, even in the bathroom.
But if you notice your dog going extremes just to guard you then this may pose a problem.
Resource Guarding, according to PetMD, can be present in canines of any age. However, this is more common to puppies aged 1 and 3 years old.
It’s an anxiety disorder wherein your dog becomes very protective of anything (toys, food, random objects, even their fur parent).
And whenever someone tries to take that item/ person away they attack.
Does your dog, whenever your husband tries to get close to you, does the following:
- Barking.
- Lunging.
- Growling.
- Snapping.
- Biting (worst).
If yes, then your dog might have considered you as their most-prized possession.
This is not good because your dog will be on a constant lookout to make sure your husband doesn’t come near you.
To address this, you might need to ask for a vet behaviorist’s help.
Reading recommendation: Why does my dog hate my husband?
#9: You are your dog’s playmate
This one is quite obvious.
You’re always there for your dog, especially during playtime.
Therefore they’ll protect you from your husband because you’re their only playmate.
Since you have more time to spend with your pooch, they always associate your presence with happy and joyful moments.
And if they don’t see you or they think your husband is trying to take you away from them, then they’d surely become more protective of you.
#10: Your dog is afraid to lose you
Did you leave your dog alone at home?
And your husband’s not there, too?
Or maybe you both left together and your dog saw everything?
“That’s my hooman!”
You just went out for a few minutes to take your husband to his car.
And when you return (again after a few minutes), your dog would constantly jump for joy.
Your pooch may have separation anxiety.
They’re afraid that you’ll leave them because they are not used to not being around you always.
They have developed a strong sense of dependency towards you and that may cause future difficulties on your part.
Aside from that, they’d hate your husband if he walks you out that door again.
Learn more: 11 Weird Reasons Why Your Dog Wraps His Paws Around You
#11: Your dog is jealous
“Hey! Those are doggy-exclusive only!”
Do you let your dog see you whenever you cuddle or kiss your husband?
A study shows that dogs do the following whenever they’re jealous:
- Pushy behavior.
- Snapping, growling, hissing.
- Doing unlikable acts (e.g. pooping inside the house).
- Getting between their hooman and the other object, pet, or person (your husband).
Your dog is probably wondering why you’re doing to your husband what you do to them, like cuddling and kissing.
Since they can’t lay out their argument, they’ll just show you how jealous they are through their actions.
Editor’s pick: My Dog Is Aggressive Towards My Husband: 7 Reasons + 3 Tips
My dog protects me from my husband – 5 tips
#1:Your husband should feed your dog
Give your husband a chance to feed your dog for the next few days or weeks, if possible.
If your husband leaves early for work, you can prepare the food. Then let him serve it to your pooch before he walks out of the house.
Your dog will slowly feel more secure and easy towards your husband since he feeds them.
#2: Set aside some husband – dog bonding time
Ask your husband to carve a doggy bonding time from his busy schedule.
Weekends could work if that’s when he is off from work.
Try not to join them first.
But be always on the lookout in case a misunderstanding occurs.
Make sure your husband has some treats ready, too.
Let them play and train together.
If your husband likes the outdoors, he can take the dog out and they could do some workouts together.
If he likes to spend weekends chilling at home, he can watch Netflix and sit together with your pooch.
Of course, let the dog choose the show, meaning, there should be more pets, cartoons, or animation.
#3: Create positive associations with your husband
You can join in on this one.
You and your husband will train your dog together.
But when they complete a task, they’ll only be able to get the treats as a reward from your husband.
You can also let your husband give your dog their favorite toy.
Or buy them something similar and let your husband hand it to them.
Your dog will then think that your husband can also be a giver of good things.
#4: Let your husband walk your dog
To put that awkward feeling between your dog and your husband behind, give them time to explore the outdoors together.
Treats are always a good pacifier, so don’t forget to let your husband bring some.
Walks outside that are longer than usual will make them think you’re actually a cool fur dad.
Aside from that, if you take them to where their doggy friends are, then that’s one step closer to the goal of your husband being close friends with your dog.
#5: Your husband can initiate cuddles
To avoid your dog from being jealous, tell your husband to cuddle with them.
But he must only approach (slowly) whenever you’re not around.
Your pooch won’t like it at first because they’re not used to it.
But if your husband does it regularly, they’ll soon realize that getting cuddles from him is equally as good as getting one from you.
Frequently asked questions:
Why is my dog suddenly guarding me?
Your dog is suddenly guarding you because they’re afraid that someone will take you away or that you’ll suddenly leave without telling them.
For example, if you leave with your husband, they’d think your husband is taking you away from them. So, the next time they see your husband, they’ll be extra careful and guarding.
What does it mean when your dog is protecting you?
When your dog is protecting you it means they see you as their ultimate provider. Since you always give them food, treats, and toys, they make it their ultimate goal to protect you at all costs.