I was so happy when I bought my first skateboard. But none of us, me and my family members, knew the stress we were putting ourselves in. Whatever the story was, it led me to the research of Why Do Dogs Hate Skateboards. Long story short, It was my first day of skateboarding. I noticed my pet dog behaved unusually like he was barking a lot and was aggressive. He has been with me for the last four years, and I never felt his behaviors the way he was behaving that day. I noticed that he was annoyed and irritated with my skateboard and its noise.
It turned out to be a nightmare for me, but then I researched a lot and concluded the primary reason dogs hate skateboards is the noise the skateboard creates, as it can trigger their aggression, anxiety, and fear. That barking was the defense mechanism the dogs used against their fears and nervousness. As I have researched this a lot, I wanted to share my experience and knowledge with you so you could manage both skateboards and your dogs at a time.
Table of Contents
Why Do Dogs Hate Skateboards?
Dogs generally get crazy when they hear the sound of a skateboard. They bark and show aggression as a defense mechanism against the fear and anxiety of skateboard noise.
Cause of Dog’s Hatred towards Skateboards
The noise of wheels when they rattle on the concrete makes the dog hate skateboarding. This noise triggers their chase response. The nature of a dog consists of an intense chase response. This instinct of chase response in dogs triggers their defense mechanism. This quick and fast movement in front of their sight triggers them and makes them follow the skateboard.
But when they come near and observe the sound, the sound fears them, increasing their anxiety level. The sound seems to be annoying for them. Since all of the skateboards almost sound the same, the dog generally hate skateboards and skateboarders both. Moreover, some of the dogs, because of the presence of an instinct of predatory response in them, have the desire to chase towards every fast-moving object. This also creates hate feelings towards skateboards as the dog’s instinct becomes active.
Why Do Dogs Bark On Skateboard?
The nature of skateboards being so loud when they move on the concrete surface triggers aggression in dogs. This audible noise results in the barking of the dogs. Since the dog is said to be very sensitive in hearing, the sharp, loud, and continuous click-clack sound of the skateboard increases the sensitivity of hearing resulting in aggression.
Because of the aggression, dogs generally bark at the skateboarders. Moreover, the sound of the skateboard is usually unfamiliar to the dog, so when they hear it for the first time, it infuses fear in them, and they start shouting and barking as a reaction.
One last thing that can also cause aggression and barking of the dog when the skateboard moves in front of them is that when you skateboard in front of your dog with other skateboarders, they may find that other skateboarders are coming towards you to hurt you or to harm you. Since your dog is a pet dog, he will fight for you and bark at the other skateboarder. Check, some of the best skateboards for dogs in the market.
Desensitization of a Dog to Skateboard
Desensitization of your dog towards a skateboard is not tricky but needs sometimes and requires patience from your side. What you have to do is to keep a skateboard in the place where your dog generally moves and plays inside your home. Please do not use the board at the start but keep it there. Your dog will get to know the board and feel familiar with it after some time. The phenomena of reinforcement will be applied to your dog.
Give your dog a treat when he moves calmly in the same room with a skateboard. Similarly, increase the reinforcement and make sure your dog touches the skateboard often by placing the treats near the skateboard. After your dog becomes desensitized towards the skateboard, you can also put his favorite food on the board’s surface. He will eat it and will initiate play with the skateboard naturally.
This way, he will become used to and familiar with the board without getting aggressive. Similarly, you can instruct your dog to sit and stay quiet when playing and skateboarding with other skateboarders. And if they remain in the same position and follow your instructions, give them a treat. Repeat this procedure again and again for a few days. In this way, they will learn that the skateboarders are no harm to you.
One more additional thing you can also do with your dog is to make it desensitized from the voice of the skateboard. It is to make him familiar with the voice of the skateboard slowly. For such purposes, you can find the skateboard sounds on YouTube. Play them at a very slow volume in front of your dog at first. If he keeps quiet and does not bark, reward him with the treat. In this way, you can slowly increase the volume and can make him familiar with the voice of the board too.
What Not to Do With Your Dog If He Is Anxious Towards Skateboards And Skateboarders
To learn what you should not do with your dog if he is anxious, you first need to understand how a dog reacts to anxiety. Following are some of the symptoms that show that your dog is worried about something. Make sure to look for these symptoms in your dog if he is aggressive and behaving abnormally. And as soon as you notice the following symptoms, make sure to treat your dog accordingly. Here is how to teach your dog to skateboard.
- Excessive licking of the paws
- Whining continuously
- Frequent and loud barking
- Tightness of the tail in between the legs
- Dilation in the pupils
- Shaking
Any of the symptoms mentioned above in your dog means that he is anxious towards any person or item around him. Following are some of the other steps that you can take to minimize the anxiety in your dog. They will also help you manage the barking and aggression of your dog towards the skateboards.
- Never shout or yell at your dog if he reacts negatively towards the skateboards and skateboarders. This will trigger more aggression in them and will make them more stressed.
- Give your dog some extra time and attention to make him familiar with this new item, such as a skateboard in your home.
- Try to give them treats when they obey your instructions and rules related to the skateboard you have placed in front of them.
- Desensitize his hearing sensitivity by making him able to listen to the sound of skateboarding through YouTube or other voice sources.
You can also take your dog towards the skateboard park, where he will observe the skateboarders. Command him to sit quietly in a strict manner. If your dog follows your instructions, he will follow your command and will observe the skateboarders without barking. This will also help him in getting familiar with skateboards and skateboarding.
FAQs
Why do dogs bite wheels?
Dogs generally bite wheels because of the presence of prey instinct. Most dogs have the instinct of hunting and following. As soon as they note that the wheels are moving forward, that tends to follow them because it triggers the instinct in them. Furthermore, following everything moving in front of the dog’s eyes is fun and an adventure for the dog.
Can you longboard with your dog?
Yes, it’s possible to longboard with your dog. Instead, it is pretty adventurous and entertaining to board a long route with your dog. But ensure proper safety as dogs are somewhat unpredictable, so you should wear a helmet while longboarding with them. Stay attentive and always make sure that you can handle your dog and skateboard both at a time.
Do dogs like skateboards?
Dogs generally do not like skateboards because of the presence of sharp sounds while skateboarding. They are often seen barking at the skateboard and skateboarders. But it’s not difficult for you to desensitize your dog from the skateboards. You can follow simple instructions and specific tips and tricks to ensure your dog becomes familiar and used to skateboards and skateboarding.
Conclusion
Dogs are often noticed to hate skateboards. They are seen barking and shouting when the skateboard is moving. The triggering of aggression in dogs when they see skateboards is generally due to the instinct they carry. The chase instinct in the dog is triggered as soon as they hear the voice of the skateboard running on the concrete ground. The sounds of noise initiate aggression that ultimately results in barking and shouting.
It is not a big deal if your dog is barking at you when skateboarding. You can desensitize your dog with simple steps, as mentioned above. Make sure you do not shout or yell at your dog as it may make them more fearful and annoyed. The basic description of why and how this happens is mentioned above. Ensure to understand the cause first, then go with the steps to desensitize your dog.
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