Have you recently noticed that your dog has been acting quite distant? Perhaps distant? Perhaps in the mornings, when he excitedly greeted you when you got out of bed, now he doesn’t even get up to look at you? Or maybe your dog who used to be so obedient doesn’t even come when you call? Maybe it’s gotten to the point where other people notice, and maybe they say things like, “Hey, you know, your dog doesn’t seem to like you anymore.”
This change in behavior is not unheard of. This behavior may or may not be easy to remedy, depending primarily on how you handle the situation, what your dog’s general temperament is like, and what your relationship with your dog is like.
While this can be a confusing, possibly even painful stage for you, it is important that you understand what is most likely to happen. Your dog is probably entering his “teen” years, so to speak. This is probably a time in your dog’s life where he has reached a point in his relationship with you where he is getting a little tired of you. It’s not that they don’t like you anymore, more like a rebellious stage. They may have the mindset of saying they don’t really need you, therefore they won’t do what you say. Probably the best thing you can do about it is to keep loving your dog. Maybe go back over the basic obedience exercises, reinforcing both the fact that you are in charge and that you love your dog. And don’t worry, most of the time this stage passes in a few months and things will continue as normal. Consider it a time in your dog’s life when he’s going through a change, and if he’s ever needed a friend, it’s now.