If your dog barks at you but not your wife, this post will show you a number of possible causes and what you can do about it.
So, why does my dog bark at me but not my wife? Likely reasons why your dog barks at you but not my wife are that your dog has learned that the behavior is encouraged, you intimidate the dog, your wife trained your dog not to bark at her or that your dog wants something from you.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog only barks at you and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why does my dog bark at me but not my wife?
Below are likely reasons why your dog barks at you but not your wife and what would make them more likely.
Encouraging the behavior
It could be the case that you have inadvertently encouraged your dog to bark at you and not your wife by rewarding the behavior. If you give your dog rewards such as treats, extra attention or toys, when it barks at you, it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
Training
It could also be the case that your wife trained your dog not to bark at her. If you have never trained your dog yourself, it could be the case that your dog still thinks that it is ok for it to bark at you.
You interact with the dog differently
The cause might also be that there is a difference in the way you and your wife interact with your dog. It could be the case that your dog barks at you because it is intimidated by your behavior or body language. This would be more likely if your dog seems to be barking aggressively and it does not seem to be doing it due to playing.
Your dog wants something from you
Another possible cause is that your dog wants something from you. This would be more likely if you are the one that feeds and exercises the dog and if your dog tends to bark at you before it has gotten food or exercise. In this case, it would help to avoid giving it what it wants until it has stopped barking.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
If your dog has always barked at you
If your dog has not always barked at you, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started barking at you since an event could have caused it to start. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as learning that the behavior is rewarded or a change in the way you have been interacting with it.
What is different when your dog barks at you
It would also help to consider the timing of when your dog barks at you. If there is a certain time your dog does it, it might be the case that the timing has something to do with it. For example, if your dog tends to bark at you before you have fed or exercised it, the cause would be more likely to be that your dog is trying to remind you to walk or feed it.
What to do about my dog barking at me but not my wife?
Below are options you have when dealing with the behavior.
Avoid encouraging the behavior
As mentioned above, your dog might have learned that the behavior is rewarded. Instead, it would help to reward your dog when it behaves the way you want it to and to avoid rewarding it when it does not. When it does start barking, it would help to avoid giving it extra attention and to wait for it to stop barking before giving it any rewards.
Avoid intimidating your dog
It might also be the case that your body language or behavior has been causing it to get intimidated. Instead, it would help to be calm with it and to avoid making bold or aggressive movements towards it.
Why does my dog bark at me but not my husband?
The reason why your dog barks at you but not your husband is likely to be that your dog has learned that the behavior is rewarded or that it is playing. If you are the one that feeds and exercises your dog, it would also be likely that your dog barks at you because it wants you to feed or exercise it.
Why does my dog bark at my girlfriend but not me?
Likely reasons why your dog barks at your girlfriend but not you are that it is not used to having her around the home and it is being protective or that it is playing and excited to see someone new. It would help to consider the body language your dog shows when it does it. If it shows aggressive signs, it would help to avoid rewarding the behavior and to wait for it to be calm and then to give it rewards for being calm.
Why does my dog bark at my boyfriend but not me?
It is likely that your dog barks at your boyfriend but not you because your dog is not used to having him around the home and it is being protective. It might also be the case that your dog does it because it because it is excited to see him. It would help to avoid rewarding your dog when it barks, to try to ignore it until it stops barking and to reward it when it does not bark.
Why does my dog bark at me wife but not me?
Likely reasons why your dog barks at your wife but not you are that she has been encouraging the behavior, your dog is reacting to her own behavior, your dog is trying to tell her to do things such as walk it or that she intimidates the dog. It would help to consider if there is a certain time that your dog does it and the body language your dog shows.