Help, I’ve Got A Scared Dog
A scared dog may have had a bad experience
Do you own a scared dog? Some dogs can be scared of people, other dogs, loud noises, water… and the list goes on. Other dogs tend to be shy around people but are well adjusted in other areas. If your dog seems timid and scared of a lot of things, he may be suffering with dog anxiety and you will need patience and dedication to ease him out of it. If you adopted an older dog, you may not know his history; he may have been treated cruelly at some point.
A scared dog has different things that trigger his fear. If you can find and eliminate these triggers, you may be able to help your dog. If there are so many triggers, you don’t know where to start, then consider behavioral training. This article gives some pointers on how to deal with dog anxiety.
If you do not know why your dog is scared, and you don’t know what you should be doing to help, read on to find out how it’s possible for you to help them develop more confidence.
There are so many things that may scare a dog from a clash of thunder to a murmuring wind. People, places, animals and objects can also be sources of fear in dogs and there are far too many desperate dog owners on blogs and forums exclaiming “help, my dog is scared of everything”!
Why Dogs Get Fearful
Some dogs are rather more nervous by nature, but regularly dogs learn how to be scared of things because they weren’t exposed to it at an early enough age, or they’ve had a bad experience with it.
Socialisation is very important, with vital periods being from around 4 weeks of the dogs life when they should begin to be handled. If a dog reaches the age of 6 months without much socialization, fear issues are much more likely to take hold.
While they’re young, dogs should be exposed to people and animals, as well as other experiences like roads, autos, walking in parks and as many experiences as practical of things they will come into regular contact with. If they do this in a safe and controlled way it’ll help build their self-confidence. A lack of socialisation can mean a dog is scared when it faces a new situation.
But losing out on socialisation isn’t the only reason for dogs becoming fearful. Bad experiences or traumas, such as being attacked by another dog can create significant problems as can something as small as being harshly scolded when young by somebody, destroy their confidence and turn them into a scared dog.
The Simplest Way To Help Your Scared Dog
Be assured and calm around your dog and don’t show them any anxiousness. If you’re feeling frightened or nervous, your dog will pick up on it and will feel they have rather more to be worried about.
Learn to be your dogs pack leader and build a strong bond with your dog. When they can trust you to take charge and make choices, it’ll aid in building their own self-confidence. Being pack leader does not imply you need to dominate your dog, just be the one in charge who is in control of all situations.
Use a regular training program to assist in building your dogs confidence in themselves and their trust in you. Ensure the training is fun and use lots of positive rewards. Take it slowly and proceed one single step at a time.
Never use punishment as you are likely to make your scared dog far worse. Not only has it been demonstrated to be the worst way to train a dog, you also risk losing the trust of your dog.
Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. If your dog is scared, get more help and information when you visit the site.