I have a 1 year old Bichon Frise and she cannot stand the sight of someone using their phone. It’s not even when she was already trying to play with you and you pull out your phone, she can be laying on the coffee table while you’re on the couch, she’d be doing her own thing, but the instant you start using your phone she will walk up to you, put her paws on your knees, and do that little high pitched bark thing dogs do when they want something from you. She’s not okay with anyone in our family using their phones in front of her, not just me. Does this happen with anyone else’s dog? Is this a symptom of insufficient enrichment and play at home or something like that where she thinks we’re not paying enough attention to her and associates phone use with that?
Maybe she notices how people just stare at them and interpreted that as “this is an object so dangerous you can’t look away, and they’re everywhere”.
Smart dog.
My dog does not give a fuck but she KNOWS when I’m using the camera to try to get a picture or video of her, and she does not like it. Refuses to sit still, and whatever she just was doing, she stops doing it and starts moving around.
My dog is the same! Instantly stops whatever he was doing.
I wonder if they can see a bit more of the infrared, enough to see the depth sensor lights when the camera turns on.
It’s probably that they notice the attention and that makes them excited.
Doggo recognises a threat
The threat of me leaving her alone for even a second. She hates that.
Threat of addictive dopamine loops, engineered by corporate entities to manipulate your behaviour to their benefit, whilst your abilities to experience joy or meaningful connection dwindle away. She’s a smart pupper!
I have no help to offer about her reaction to phone use but may I ask a question?
Your dog sits on the coffee table?
Yes. When we’re on the couch that’s her favourite spot, more so than the couch itself. I think it’s because she can face directly toward us.
Should also be noted that a Bichon is a very small breed, barely larger than a cat.
My cats DGAF, seems like a much better system
Do you or your family members have notification sounds, or do you play videos with sound, or do your phones vibrate? Or is it just that you’re holding something, so it has to be either food or toys?
I think it’s mainly because we’ve had times where we were looking at our phones instead of paying attention to her so she associates the phone with that. If I was holding something she wants or is curious about, her reaction is different. She doesn’t want me to give her the phone, as soon as I put it away she stops whining.
Due to my ex being an “insta-queen” bowser is camera shy, if i point my phone at him to pose for pictures he goes and hides. Ive had to be quick and sneaky to get good pictures of him now.
Poor guy
My dog doesn’t mind much, but sometimes she’ll come see what I’m doing and if I pull out a device with a screen she’ll just slough off to another part of the house.