Dogs are sweet and friendly domestic animals towards humans. However, certain aspects can make your dog dislike someone either in your family or among friends. It can be discouraging and, at the same time, confusing as to why your dog dislikes this one person. The truth is that the better the sense of smell your dog develops, the more it becomes picky with whom it likes and dislikes.
Is it possible that this one person is new to the house, and your dog is yet to get a better scent? The behavior will disappear after spending more time around the house and with the dog in such a situation. However, if this one person has always been in the house but still your dog cannot stand them, there might be more to this.
Why does my dog hate one person? Possible reasons why your dog might hate a particular person include their scent, poor social skills, past abuse by a person with similar physical features, harsh tone, and miscommunication.
There are a number of possible reasons why your dog might hate a particular person 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 Hate One Person?
A person’s scent
Dogs are known to have an excellent sense of smell. Therefore, they are capable of sensing where you have been and what you have been doing when you come home. This is how incredible they are with their sense of smell. Moreover, sniffing your dog can differentiate between gender, health status, and emotional status, among others.
There are some obvious scents that dogs dislike. They include citrus, vinegar, nail polish and cleaning products, among others. If you smell either of these scents, it could be the reason the dog dislikes you. Also, if you have regularly been in contact with another pet, like a cat or a different dog, your dog could smell the scent resulting from disliking.
Dogs are also great at detecting certain diseases. If the person they hate has cancer or high blood pressure, it could be the reason for their dislike. Thus, if the dog dislikes this one family member and has not been in contact with other pets, and neither do they smell scents they dislike, it is best to have a doctor’s checkup as they could be seriously sick.
Is it possible that your dog has not been exposed to different people? It is essential to expose your dog to different people to promote confidence and be comfortable among strangers. If your dog is not used to seeing people with eyeglasses, long beards, or funny haircuts and you bring such a person into your home, your dog is likely to act aggressively.
Also, consider the first encounter this person had with your dog. If it were an unpleasant encounter, your dog would never forget that, resulting in the dislike.
Past abuse or traumatic situation
Where did you get your dog from? Could it be from a dog shelter? Most dogs in those shelters are rescued from abusive homes. If this person your dog dislikes has some resemblance to their abuser, they are likely to dislike the person.
Possessiveness/ownership
Dogs love their master, but sometimes they can be a bit obsessive. You might find that your dog dislikes your new boyfriend or girlfriend. This might be because they have to share their master’s time with you, which they do not like.
Similarly, the dog might dislike the person if they stand near their food while eating or sit in their usual spot in the house.
Harsh tone
Does this one person speak differently from the rest of your friends and family members? Dogs can differentiate between a happy and an angry tone. If this person always speaks in a harsh tone, your dog might dislike them for that.
Miscommunication
Dogs are very good at body language. If they get a person who gives them mixed signals from what they are used to, they are likely to act aggressively. Some might like to cuddle the dog so much that your puppy is not used to cuddling.
Why Is My Dog Aggressive Towards One Person?
· Fear or anxiety
Some dogs exhibit aggressiveness due to fear. If your dog encounters a person whom they feel poses some level of threat or is intimidating, they are likely to retaliate with hostility. Thus, if your dog always acts aggressively towards this particular individual, it is essential to determine whether they appear to be intimidating.
· Dominance
Some dogs feel the need to prove that they are in charge of situations. They want to let this person know that they are the one in charge of things. Thus, if this one person keeps on controlling every aspect of the home, the dog might become aggressive as a way of demonstrating its dominance.
· Protectiveness
One of the dog’s aspects is to protect its master and the home at large. If it detects some form of threat, it is likely to act aggressively towards the source. Thus, if your dog senses that this person is up to no good, it is likely to act aggressively towards them. Look into this person’s personal intentions, and you might be surprised that they are up to no good.
Similarly, some dogs are friendly and overprotective towards kids. If it is not used to your scent or wearing an upsetting spray, your dog might become aggressive if they try to pick the baby up.
· Frustration
Aggression among dogs can result from frustration. When this one person is around, your dog does not always get what it is used to, and it is likely to resent the person and come out aggressively. It is essential to observe how this person treats the dog to determine whether it ends up in frustration.
Why does my dog bark or growl at a specific person?
Individuals scent
Each person has a distinctive smell. Even identical twins smell different. Thus, the amount of information is incredible. Some scents are irritating to the dogs. If this particular individual smells something your dog dislikes, it will bark and growl at them, especially if they try to touch or come near it.
Some people are shady.
Since dogs have a strong sense of smell, they can determine a person’s intention beforehand. Thus, if your dog seems to growl at this one person, it might be because it senses some unpleasant emotions and energy from them. Similarly, this person’s physical features might resemble someone else who mistreated them, resulting in growling.
Feeling threatened
Is it possible that this person is intimidating to your dog, making it feel threatened? If this is the case, your dog will retaliate by growling at the person. Does the person play rough with the dog? Do they have some physical features that make them appear as a threat to the dog? In such cases, your dog will always respond aggressively to the person.
What To Do When A Dog Doesn’t Like Certain People?
Take it out for a walk regularly.
Your dog needs to get familiar with different types of people. The more a dog is exposed, the better it will become in terms of socialization. Interacting with other people and understanding the various scents that each person has will help in developing strong social skills. This will ensure you do not become aggressive towards your friends who come to visit your home.
Have a controlled encounter with new people
When bringing new people to your house, ensure you are there to introduce them to your dog. Make sure that they have a calm and friendly first encounter. Dogs have an excellent memory, and if something wrong happens at the initial stages, your dog will not forget and will tend to be aggressive towards this person every time they visit.
Avoid upsetting scents
If you realize that your dog dislikes this particular person due to their scent, it is essential to stop inviting them to your house when your puppy is around. If it is something they can change, you could propose they change their spy to something that is not upsetting to your dog whenever they visit.
Training
Suppose these people that your dog hates have specific physical features that make the dog upset. It might be that they resemble their former master who mistreated them; the best way to handle it is to offer training. Let the dog spend as much time as possible with this person doing fun activities so that it will be able to detect positive energy and kindness in them and possibly stop aggression towards them.
Avoid shouting at the dog
If the person your dog hates tends to shout at your dog, they must stop. Even if the dog misbehaves, it would be better to introduce a calm and loving strategy of correcting your dog other than shouting. If you act aggressively with your dog, it will retaliate with the same amount of energy.