Letting out a few coughs here and there is normal for most humans. It is something you are going to face at one point or another, which is why no one thinks twice about it. However, your dog may not like you coughing and will begin to bark or run in the opposite direction. This is why you will often wonder, why does coughing upset my dog?
A dog may become upset when you cough because the sound is startling and it doesn’t enjoy being spooked. This varies between dogs but most will respond the same to sneezing or releasing gas.
This is why it’s essential to get your dog used to loud noises as that will help them settle down.
Key factors include:
- The Amount of Noise Generated
- The Dog’s Proximity to You
- The Dog’s Time Spent Around You
If you are asking, “Why does coughing upset my dog?” then you are already aware of this being an odd response by the dog. It is something that doesn’t happen all the time, but there are dogs that will not like it when you sneeze or cough.
This is why it’s essential to understand what is happening with your dog and whether or not it responds the same when others make noises.
Here are some of the key tips to focus on when it comes to the question “Why does coughing upset my dog?” along with what approach to take to help soothe your dog.
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Tips On Soothing a Dog That Gets Upset When You Cough
1. Pet the Dog Softly
The first thing you should do is just walk up to the dog and pet it gently.
You will have to realize this has scared the dog and it is something to work on. Don’t immediately scold the dog or try to get it to come out as if everything is normal.
This doesn’t always work with dogs that are anxious due to you coughing. Some will want to go into hiding, which means petting them will help soothe their nerves.
For a dog, you coughing can be a scary thing and it will come out of nowhere. This is why you have to think about it from their perspective and make sure they are relaxed.
When asking “Why does coughing upset my dog?” it is this detail that is going to help set the foundation for your bond with the dog. It needs to understand you are there to comfort it even when you are coughing.
2. Walk Away From the Dog When Coughing
The best approach is to simply walk away from the dog before coughing.
This isn’t always possible, but if you can, it is the right approach to take. Just doing this will lead to good results and will keep the dog happy.
A lot of dogs get anxious because you cough and start making odd gestures that may come across as aggressive to the dog. Be alert and make sure to walk away so the dog isn’t as scared of the coughing.
Just doing little things like this go a long way.
If a dog is afraid of coughing, you will want to make it as alarming as possible. If you are coughing all the time, this might become important right away or the dog will refuse to go anywhere where you are sitting!
3. Train Your Dog to Handle Loud Noises
When wondering “Why does coughing upset my dog?” you also have to think about training the dog to handle all types of loud noises.
For the most part, the dog doesn’t care that you are coughing. It is simply terrified of the noise that you are making while coughing.
This means it is generally scared of loud noises.
By training your dog to not be afraid of coughing or loud noises, you are going to see appropriate results in all walks of life.
It is going to make the dog more confident and that is never a bad thing!
Final Thoughts
“Why does coughing upset my dog?”
Coughing tends to upset dogs because they are afraid of the sudden noise. It is hard for them to understand why that noise is made and the sudden impact will make them anxious.
Some dogs will bark back while others are going to run in the opposite direction.
Each dog has a unique reaction when it comes to a human coughing around them.
Take the time to soothe the dog and make sure it is trained to respond well to loud noises. Otherwise, you are going to have a terrified dog around the house that is scared of any loud noise that pops up from time to time.
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