How to stop dog favoritism?

Twila Ledner
2025-07-21 02:26:01
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: 7
I have 2 guinea pigs and 4 society finches. I can't help but like the pigs more than the birds. You can interact with them so much more so it kind of makes sense. My dog, Gunther was doing the same thing when I was trying to interact with my pigs. He would bark and growl and demand I stop paying attention to them, so every time he did it, I would put him in a different room and shut the door until he was quiet. He eventually learned that if he wants to be in the same room, he needs to be quiet. Now, he typically runs and gets his toy when I'm talking to the pigs. I throw it for him, so now he associates them with getting to play, which is good. He has also developed a taste for carrots... So they sometimes have "veggie time" together, which is hilarious.

Tristin Veum
2025-07-21 01:11:26
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: 16
You can't control others' feelings, however, you can treat your dogs or pets equally. Your dogs' personalities might be different, which means they like different things. So, make sure that you offer them both time to play, either together or with you individually. Make sure they both get outside and have frequent walks. It's also important to make sure that they both have comfortable places to sleep and if you give one a reward for doing something, that you reward the other pup for the same behavior. Dogs also love routine, so keeping them both on a consistent routine is key, as well. If you sense bad feelings between your dogs, make sure neither of them is feeling slighted by you, and again, make sure all of their needs are being met. If you're doing all of these things already and bad behavior is escalating, it might be time to get a dog trainer involved to give you some extra tips and tricks to keep the peace.