Many dog owners will recognise these situations. Is this jealousy? Or are we projecting human emotions onto the behaviour of our dogs?

For a long time, researchers assumed that such complex emotions were reserved for humans alone. Today, the picture is more nuanced.

What does the research say?

Several studies observed how dogs react when their person gives attention to another dog – or even a convincingly realistic stuffed dog. Many dogs displayed notable behaviours:

• They pushed themselves in between.

• They actively sought physical contact.

• They tried to redirect attention back to themselves.

These reactions are at least reminiscent of what we would call jealousy.

Attention is an important resource

For dogs, the relationship with their people plays a central role. Attention is therefore often a valuable resource from a dog's perspective. When that attention suddenly goes to another person or animal, some dogs respond accordingly.

This does not mean, however, that dogs have the same thoughts as humans. Many behaviours are too quickly labelled as jealousy. Sometimes something quite different is behind them:

• Insecurity

• Lack of training

• Excitement

• Curiosity

• Competition for resources

It is therefore worth looking at the situation as a whole.

What helps?

When a dog reacts strongly to competitive situations, clear structures and positive experiences are usually most effective. What matters is:

• Rewarding desired behaviour

• Not allowing attention to appear as a scarce resource

• Encouraging calm

• Training situations gradually

Punishment tends to make such problems worse rather than solving them.

Similar situations can also arise in a care setting – for example when several dogs are being looked after at the same time. Good carers recognise these dynamics early and ensure that every dog feels safe and fairly treated. You can find these sitters on Liesl. They respond to the individual needs of your dog.

Particularly with sensitive or insecure dogs, well-matched care can go a long way towards reducing stress and building trust.