Can dogs feel insecure about their looks?

Dogs look up to their human owners for guidance. Owners may unknowingly contribute to their dog’s insecurity by rewarding unwanted behaviors in an attempt to soothe their fearful dogs. Different breeds and temperaments of dogs can exhibit insecure behaviors, regardless of the socialization, health, or mental stability of the dog. If your dog is acting insecure, it may be an inherited disposition towards fear and insecurity. A dog in pain can cower from situations that may exacerbate that pain, or hide from people or animals who may bump into him or step on him in an act of self-preservation. Some infections and conditions can affect the brain, which in turn can affect your dog’s behavior. This can cause a normally confident dog to show insecure symptoms. Female dogs that go into heat can experience behavioral changes within a cycle that lasts 21 to 28 days. Your dog may seem on edge, become more attached to you, and could hold her tail close to her body, similar to a cowering posture.

Theoretically, if your dog were to feel self-conscious or embarrassed, how would they act. Well, for starters, they might put their tail between their legs. In fact, leaving with your tail between your legs is a popular saying that describes an embarrassed or sheepish human too. Another thing you might notice is their ears might be down, they might cower, and they might even whimper a bit. Your dog might even try to lay down on the ground or try to hide their face in their paws. Some dogs might try to run away, and others might just sit and look at you sheepishly. One former dog owner talked about her pup acting very sheepishly when he would do something he knew he shouldn’t. When he was confronted, he’d look away and not acknowledge the mistake. He even turned his back to it sometimes. This dog owner really felt her pooch was simply bashful over the incidents and wanted to pretend like it didn’t happen at all. Dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for, and they might have a better understanding of whatever they did than you think they do. Think about it, if your dog is potty trained, they know enough to go outside and to feel timid when they use your carpet instead. However, with the sparse information out there, there is some debate. NPR wrote an article about dogs not being self-aware, therefore, not being able to be self-conscious. They detailed an experiment called the mirror test in which a subject is placed in front of the mirror, and if they recognize markings on their face, they are aware that it is them in the mirror and not another subject. Another researcher NPR mentioned was Marc Bekoff, who did a “Yellow Snow Test” with his pup for five winters. The researcher noted after several winters that his dog smelled his own urine for less time than other dogs’ urine. So, Bekoff thinks that means that the pup can tell himself from other dogs.

Your dog might be feeling a bit insecure if they lick their nose when you speak to them. Slow wags with the head lowered mean your dog feels insecure or is trying to comprehend a situation. Once you understand the times in which your dog feels insecure, you can work to mitigate those circumstances and look to build positive associations to help them stay calm.