Passive Agressive Pooch

[GruffBillyGoat]

Am I being unreasonable, or more likely completely insane in thinking that somehow our darling hound has mastered the art, and suspecting DP may have had a hand in her lessons.

She has an indoor bed which has by some miracle remained intact for over a month now, but she carries it around with her so there are a couple of small holes I had been meaning to fix. It is pissing down, she has been exercised but the cat rarked her up and now she is throwing her bed around trying to get it comfy. DP is convinced this is a deliberate attempt to annoy him because he had mentioned how well she had been treating said bed. So I get fed up with them both and take the dogs bed off her to repair the small tooth holes.

This is where the trouble began, first she starts following me around while I gather my sewing stuff on her best behavior clearly trying to win some brownie points. I ignore her. Next she sits next to me and stares at me, gets told to fuck off, obeys but tries to take bed with her, doesn't get far.

Her direct approach failing, she picks up a small pillow that goes with her bed, takes it to the corner and makes a huge song and dance over getting comfortable (the cushion is barely big enough for her head let alone the whole dog), getting up and repositioning herself multiple times, finally finds her position, looks at me with the biggest puppy dog eyes you will ever see and lets out a massive sigh. Not a yawn, or a deep breath but and obvious sigh aimed directly at me.

She continues to stare at me every few minutes letting out another sigh to show her displeasure.

Am I insane or is this not normal doggy behavior? I have never had a dog that sighs before, and especially not in such a direct "look at the discomfort you are causing me mum" way.

For the record she is currently asleep on the carpet next to her repaired bed, she does not need it for comfort we only have it so that when we yell "go to bed" she actually has somewhere to go.

[Adikia]

My dog sighs, but its generally accompanied by a 'why are you so stupid look?' or a 'but why can't I steal your food?' look.

I'm a little jealous she wants her bed, I bought my idiot dog a lovely bed and he still insists that wherever I'm trying to get is more comfortable, his favourite place to sleep is on my feet when I'm sat on the sofa

[SarahNoDuck]

mine sighs and groans and regularly displays the sort of behaviour you describe. She's an intelligent girl and I find it hilarious!

[GruffBillyGoat]

Ok, so I'm not crazy? This is passive aggressive behavior, but not uncommon from dogs?

Adikia, actually it was the cats bed, one of those little cave type things. The cat ignored it for a week until one day the dog comes over, slams one paw down to collapse it and took it as her own. She is rather intelligent which might explain the manipulative behavior.

[MunchkinJess]

my dog sighs at me , followed by a look of despair ...its not passive aggressive behaviour. .its quite normal behaviour ...I think they think us humans are a bit stupid haha

[officelady]

Our spaniel does amazingly well-timed sighs. It's hilarious!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

The ability for a dog sigh to be passive agressive knows no boundaries. Banned from sleeping on human bed flops down beside dog bed (on which cat is sleeping) sigh which nearly makes windows shake.

[GruffBillyGoat]

Subtlety is not popular in our house. The cat and dog have decided it is dinner time and they're both staring at me, feeling slightly cornered.

[trashcanjunkie]

yes yes yes!!! I've inherited a dog when I got together with dp. The beast sulked for three solid months when dp started to put his foot down about behaviours such as 'standing with arse over dps or my outstretched legs' or whenever he was made to 'go and lie down' The dog did many of your described behaviors and then capped it all of by settling with his back to us, but occasionally turning his head to castigate us with filthy looks. Tchuh!

[cuttingpicassostoenails]

Nellie gives me "The Look". Followed by "The Sigh".

When these fail she does the "Tremor", accompanied by the "High Pitched Whinge".

I am pretty sure she is turning into my mother.