What Does it Mean When My Dog Acts Nervous Around My Girlfriend?

Dogs are capable of jealousy, which is often triggered by anyone with whom they must share their owner's affection/attention. It can also be a reaction to sharing territory with others that it's used to occupying only with its owner.

  1. Anecdotal Evidence

    • Dogs feel and clearly express jealousy, according to survey results from 947 dog owners, psychologist Paul Morris, Ph.D., reports.

    Favoritism as Trigger

    • Dogs notice---and react to---unequal treatment, researcher Friederike Range reported. Pairs of dogs were tested by rewarding only one of two dogs who performed a task side by side. The dog that didn't get the treat refused to repeat the task.

    Human Triggers

    • In each case of dog jealousy he studied, Dr. Morris said, "the dog tried to prise their owner away from a new lover in the early days of a relationship." The arrival of a new baby can spark jealousy as well.

    Underlying Causes

    • A dog may view newcomers as intruders whom it feels it's competing with for the owner's attention. They're also occupying territory the dog feels it owns and, instinctively, tries to preserve and defend.

    Signs

    • Jealous dogs may become depressed, signs of which include "social withdrawal, inactivity and loss of appetite," according to Pets.ca. They can also snarl, growl, snap or bite the perceived "intruders," until they become accustomed to, and are coaxed into accepting, them.