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Do Border collies get jealous? And if they do sense unfairness, what can dog owners do to help their dog work through it? The simple answer is yes, border collies can get jealous and how researchers determined this is an interesting look at how dogs behave.

Do Border Collies Get Jealous?

It wasn’t so long ago that, that humans were the only species that recognized unfairness and exhibited jealous behaviors when they’ve felt that they were treated wrongly. When dogs were participating in an experiment, they were asked to give their paw, all dogs responded to the request. Over time, the researchers started rewarding some dogs with food, while allowing other dogs to watch but not get the same treat when they were asked to perform the same task. The dogs that didn’t get the treat began to hesitate when asked to give their paw. Eventually, many of the dogs that weren’t rewarded when asked to give the paw stopped cooperating at all. The researchers conclude that dogs can feel human resentment if they think someone else in the pack is being treated differently.

If you have more than one dog in your home, you’ve probably recognized that if one of your dogs gets a treat, then they all expect a treat. So, in homes with more than one dog, it’s important to try to keep things as fair as possible. Over time, a dog that’s jealous could start to demonstrate undesirable behaviors — and it could be more than just refusing to give a paw.

A dog’s jealous behavior is a likely result of the fact that they’re pack animals and while they may see you as the pack leader, they are always moving to be next in line. This doesn’t mean that they will start to exhibit aggressive behavior towards one another, it also doesn’t mean that one of their feelings won’t get hurt if they think that they’re getting treated unfairly.

Understanding Your Collies Behavior

A dog’s behavior could tell their owners a lot more than you may realize. For example, if your dog sits between your legs or at your feet, then they may be anxious. By observing each dog carefully and regularly, you may start to become more aware of how you all interact as a family.

Do dogs get jealous at home the same way as they did with the researchers? A jealous dog may stop obeying simple commands, like some of the dogs in the study did, but there are other signals that your dog is peeved. Another example, is a dog that tries to wedge their way in between you and other pets within the home, or they could start avoiding interaction with other dogs and people, they could start becoming aggressive or more vocal with other pets in the home that they feels are getting better treatment. As a dog owner, you want to try to make sure any attention, treats, playtime or positive reinforcement is given out equally.

Creating A Fair And Happy Environment

As dogs can sense unfairness, owners of multiple dogs should try to create an environment where everyone’s needs are met. If you’re able to keep things fair among all your dogs, then it’s less likely that they’ll show signs of envy. If see your any of your dog’s starting to display jealous behavior, try to find ways to grow closer to them, rebuilding trust.

Do Dogs Get Jealous If Our Smartphone

Experts suggest that our attachment to our smartphones could be damaging our relationships with our dogs. Our dogs rely on us for everything, including food, shelter, exercise, and attention. So, when we start to change those routines, with our smartphones in the way, they may become jealous, sad or depressed. Dogs don’t quite know what to do when a member of their pack pays too much attention to something that’s not a part of their pack.

While you’re with your dog, it may be best to just put down the phone

Although experts can’t determine to the exact degree, it’s clear that some dogs can be affected by their owner’s addiction to their smartphones. So, not only for the sake of our dogs but also ourselves, it’s a good idea to take more breaks from technology, at least once in a while.

5 Tips For Dealing With A Jealous Collie

After recognizing the symptoms of jealousy in your border collie, you can make some changes that will reduce the problem in your home. You may be thinking that your collie just needs to learn to deal with a new dog or baby or whatever’s causing their jealousy. But if you’ve considered the signs of jealousy that we’ve gone through, you’ll see that it’s in your best interest to restore the balance within your home by addressing the territorial needs of your dog. Here are 5 things you could do to help your collie deal with jealousy.

1. Provide Love and Attention

Give your border collie the attention that they need. Your collie could just need a little extra loving during this particular time, and you should be the kind of responsible dog owner who will provide some extra care.

2. Solve Problems

Although it may be tough, trying to figure out what things are causing the problems and addressing them as soon as possible is important. For example, if your dog is angry anytime the cat jumps on their side of the bed, then stop letting the cat go near that side. Little changes like this could make your dog happy enough to stop feeling territorial.

3. Stand Firm

Never stand for bad behavior and don’t let your collie rule the house with their new antics. Implement whatever disciplinary methods you normally use whenever your dog starts to growl or tear things up.

4. Supervise Changes

Take responsibility when supervising your collie during any changes. Make sure that you’re there personally when bringing a new pet into the home. You may feel angry at your dog for acting out, but the reality is that it’s your responsibility to make sure your home stays stable and.

5. Be Patient

It may be frustrating at times, but simply waiting it out could be the best remedy. Your border collie is eventually going to adjust to the new situation, so try to be patient.

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