Signs Your Dog Wants Attention – Must Know Facts

Dogs are one of the most attention-seeking pets in this world. Getting attention from their owners is the happiness of their lives. That is why you should know signs your dog wants attention. But, sometimes, we miss out on simple signs our pet is seeking attention.

It could be a needy situation for the dog, maybe to go out for a quick second. And if we miss the signs he gives us; he’ll do his business on a corner inside the house. So we must notice these minor signs in our pets. 

So, what are the signs your dog wants attention? Nudging you with his nose, staring at you, pawing, whimpering, and jumping on you are all signs your dog wants attention. There are times when dogs get vocal to express their needs too. While dogs are naturally attention-seeking, excessive behavior of this sort may point that your pet has some issues. 

Signs Your Dog Wants Attention

Working at the same time looking after a pet will put us in situations where we don’t get to pay attention to our pets for most of the day.

And even when we are done with the work, we might still have more engagements we missed throughout our super busy days.

And during the covid season, many of us started working from home, so these super busy days became quite the norm in our lives. So many of us were forced to ignore our dogs when they came and pawed at us, seeking attention. 

Sometimes, we have no choice but to ignore these cues, but knowing the signs that your pet needs your attention may help you when taking care of your doggy. 

So here are some of the pretty common signs your dog wants attention.

• Being vocal (Barking)

Many dogs become vocal when their owners are not giving them enough attention or keep neglecting them throughout the day.

So they will have no other chance but to turn towards using their “Bark” language to force you to give him attention.

If the dog is not always trained to talk, then you should give your four-legged friend immediate attention. It might be an urgent need, such as wanting to pee so badly. 

• Staring

Next, they would come, sit at our feet and stare at us with some cute puppy dog eye. Staring is another dog’s way of communicating.

So when your pet canine starts staring at you, it means he’s probably trying to tell you something important. Why not take a look at what’s wrong with him?

• Whining

Another one of the common signs your dog wants attention is whining. My pet, Sparkles, has a habit of coming near me and moaning whenever he gets a strong need to go out to potty or pee.

So when he does that, I know for sure that I have to take him out or that I will have to clean pee or poo inside my house. So, I quickly take him out no matter how important the work I’m doing at the moment.

• Pawing, Nudging

Pawing, nudging, and putting their heads on you are some of the most seen signs your dog wants attention. Our pets love staying away, minding their own business for most of the day, and maybe sleeping for a few hours.

Still, they will do one or all of these when they need your attention, perhaps to pet them, give them a treat, or generally show them affection. 

They know that as dog lovers, we will not be able to keep our hands off ourselves when they come near us. So doing one of these is the best way to get some belly rubs and cuddles from the owner. 

What To Do When A Dog Is Excessive Attention-Seeking?

Some dogs build up a habit of always trying to keep the owner’s attention on them. If you have a four-legged friend like this, you will notice that he doesn’t even let you talk to your friends or family for a prolonged second or have a quiet shower without pawing at your bathroom door. 

To put it in the most simplest form, your canine won’t leave you alone. This type of behavior in a dog is annoying and will disrupt the relationship between the dog and the owner.

So, it is better to look for a way to minimize or cut short this behavior altogether. Let me tell you how to do it. 

• Ignore the excessive attention-seeking behavior

When you notice excessive signs that your dog wants attention or demands your time, just let him be. Let him do whatever he will to grab your attention, but do not spare your pet even a glance.

You may do this if you know your dog is just seeking your attention out of habit. It might look rude and heartless, but when the dog gets the hint that he cannot just demand your attention whenever he wants, he’ll start to leave you alone. 

But ignoring your pet doesn’t mean that you must cut out all your time together. It is imperative that you show your love to him in a regular manner but equally crucial that you teach him how to be a good boy. 

• Reward the doggo when he’s behaving as a good boy

Rewarding good behavior is how you implement positive reinforcement. It will make your pet understand that to receive a treat; he should behave the way you like him to behave.

It will keep you from punishing the dog and ruining the relationship between you and the canine.

• Build up a structured schedule to interact with the dog. 

Just like how we allocate a particular time to take our pets on a walk and feed them, decide another few time slots spread throughout the day for you to share with your pet.

Use this time to cuddle, play, and relax with the canine. When the pet gets used to this, he will know that he’s getting your attention at proper intervals.

Thank you for reading! Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner.