If the dog was scared of that person immediately upon meeting the new person, it’s likely that the problem is related back to a deeper problem of neophobia. Great work John! It’s ok to aim high if you ensure that you don’t pressure your dog. Not all dogs are naturally tail-wagging bundles of love. My goal was to be able to pass people like this on the street or on the trail calmly. Fortunately, it’s not impossible to help a scared dog gain confidence. Many dogs get particularly anxious around specific people or specific things. Best Answer. For example, if a dog is afraid of bicycles, then the exercises will be designed to help the dog stop being afraid by focusing on a different activity, like sitting politely. Make a list of your dog’s triggers (what she’s scared of). The person might have dropped a loud pan, stepped on the dog’s tail, or yelled at the dog in a moment of frustration. You can help teach them that scary stuff isn’t so bad, but they’re unlikely to totally make the switch. K9ofMine.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Hey, Jane. The amount of space needed will vary for every dog; for some it is 20 feet, and for others, it may be a football-field length. Clicker training is great for fearful dogs because it eliminates extra information (your voice). We’re just trying to make her feel better. Being a parent to a fearful dog can be a frustrating and overwhelming experience. Positive only trainer spreading misinformation at every opportunity. They may be especially afraid of men, of children, or of strangers. It’s best if you can control the trigger – this game backfires if the scary stranger tries to approach and pet your dog. In excess, sensitivity becomes fear. Step 3. Anyway I bought a second hand bike and left it near the door in the yard, when he started ignoring it I started moving it around the yard. The first step to helping a fearful dog gain confidence is to identify what scares your dog. 17 thoughts on “ Help for the Fearful Dog ” Pingback: Tweets that mention Help for the Fearful Dog | Victoria Stilwell Positively -- Topsy.com Jules February 8, 2011 at 7:29 am. To start, put your pup on a dog leash and, at a safe distance or volume—where your dog knows the scary thing is present but isn’t exhibiting any signs of fear—ask your dog to sit and pay attention. She owns her own dog training business, Journey Dog Training and holds a degree in biology from Colorado College. This is incredibly important because learning is impaired when the brain is stressed. The idea is to slowly reintroduce your dog to the stimulus that causes their fear at a far enough distance away to avoid eliciting a fear response. If your dog exhibits any signs of fear, quit the exercise and try again the next day at a greater distance from the scary thing. How to Help a Fearful Dog Gain Confidence. There’s a pervasive myth that fearful dogs were abused – they often weren’t. This problem can be embarrassing and difficult if your dog is terrified of a housemate, friend, or family member. For dogs who are scared of people, you’ll need to get a helper person. Eventually you can start selectively rewarding your dog for lifting her head, moving towards you, or even engaging with her environment. Of course, you’re probably already seeing improvements simply because your dog is less stressed. Share on google. That’s not to say that a shy dog can’t be a happy dog. You’re not a bad owner if your dog is fearful – but you do have a lot of work ahead of you to help your dog feel comfortable in this world. When a dog is truly “shut down” and doesn’t seem to do anything other than tremble, it can feel hopeless. Some dogs are afraid of all people, others seemingly inexplicably fall apart at the sight of just a few specific people. Instead, she might conclude that there are “monsters” everywhere and get even more skittish! Let’s look at some examples. Every owner will have a different goal for their dog. If the dog looks at them or approaches them, the helper will toss a treat behind the dog (treat) so that the dog turns back to get the food (retreat). Have your dog sit or down before you pet him, give treats, feed, play ball, open doors, etc. The best way to conquer this is to help Macy build some confidence. Kneel with your side to her. If she seems to like the new dog and they get along well, the companionship may help her feel more at ease. Use a pen to click (put it in your pocket if that sound makes her flinch). When a dog is frightened they may respond in several ways. The click lets your dog know a treat is on its way. How to Desensitize Your Dog to a Fear-Inducing Stimulus. At the same time, the counterconditioning exercises will help to establish a new behavioral response to the object of the dog’s fear. Dogs get fearful due to many reasons and if these reasons are not spotted and removed by you then your dog’s health and lifestyle can be affected in a negative way. As part of the family, the dog should have a place he can go that’s entirely his. Here’s a common example: your dog panics at the sight of another dog, even if that other dog is a football field away. When I adopted Barley, he was a bit nervous about strangely-shaped people (wheelchairs, crutches, big backpacks, umbrellas, trekking poles, floppy hats, etc). It goes by many different names for slightly different variations in how it’s played – Look at That is another common name of the game. © Copyright 2021 by K9 Of Mine / Marrsipan Media LLC |, your dog’s genetics are working against you, Canicross 101: Info, Gear, and Training Info. When she’s not writing or training Barley, Kayla enjoys cross-country skiing, eating sushi, drinking cocktails, and going backpacking. Get help if you need. Great to hear Lilly's doing well. Your dog was attacked by another dog and now is scared of dogs, A horrifying thunderstorm happened while you were gone, and now your dog has. Share on twitter. It would be difficult for you to entertain guests without aggravating your pet, … Share on facebook. Dogs have excellent hearing and easily discern slight variations of tones. Confidence-Building Games for Dogs. It takes a lot of courage for dogs to work through their nervousness issues, and they will need your support. Your job is to reward if they get closer to the scary thing, but not lure them closer. Building confidence in the instance means being reassured that no one is going to hurt her. Whenever they walk past the dog, they can casually toss treats to the dog (see Treat and Retreat, below). Upward Dog Walker April 21, 2015 at 12:07 pm. I hope you come this way again soon. When he does, say “Nose,” and let him have the treat. K9ofMine.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. How to Help Fearful Dog Gain Confidence? If it is dog treats, then the treats need to be able to be broken down into tiny bits that require minimal chewing. May 5, 2020 December 25, 2019 by Gagan Luthra. Last update: Sep 27, 2020 1 answer. Now that your dog is feeling a lot better in her daily life, it’s time to start getting to work on building your dog’s confidence. Training Helps Build Confidence. Is It Better Than Dehydrated Dog Food. But in pet dogs, this can have devastating consequences. Hold a treat in your hand. Get tons of great dog training tutorials, canine gear guides, and the latest doggy discounts. Whether you’re brushing up on old skills like … Eventually, the dog will learn to trust that this individual isn’t going to hurt them. So what’s the deal? This game is the bread and butter of helping fearful dogs gain confidence. Dog training is excellent to help a fearful dog build confidence. If you’re having a hard time finding a pattern, keep a diary of the times your dog gets spooked. “Find It” Like targeting, “Find it” is a behavior many dogs learn … Dogs who are experiencing anxiety may shake, be skittish and have an overwhelming look of fear in their eyes, says Andrew Horan , the owner and head trainer at Citizen K9 in Gainesville, Virginia. Get tons of great dog training advice and tips about gear! I am so sorry to have missed your seminar last weekend in Seattle! This is your baseline and your list of mountains to climb. In general, the best course of action here is to have the “scary person” ignore the dog most of the time, averting their gaze and giving the dog space. It’s almost impossible to teach your dog to be more confident if she’s scared all of the time. I was interested until the suggestion of the beep of a shock collar is why they may be scared of the beep of the microwave . Be sure to use a backhanded flick rather than an overhanded lob to avoid startling her. Is she afraid of all sounds, or only repetitive beeps? She is an Associate Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and is a member of Dog Writer’s Association of America. Finally, yes, sometimes we can point to an actual event that caused the fearfulness. If you can’t even start training confidence building because your dog is too shy, nervous, timid or fearful, then you may consider enlisting the help of a dog behaviorist. If your dog seems genuinely scared of the wind and her own shadow, I strongly recommend discussing behavior medication with your vet. These dogs will really benefit most from a dog behavior consultant and/or veterinary help. This video How to Build Confidence in Your Dog or Fearful Dog! As a result, he may be conditioned to be fearful of that thing, or he may have become a timid or nervous dog in general. Now that you know what your dog’s fears are, it’s your job to protect her from them – for now. I'm soon to be a foster mom for some smaller dogs and these techniques will be a great help in increasing their confidence. No way a tone signal on a shock collar is the same as a microwave beep. It could become permanent if ignored for long. What other advice do you have for owners of fearful dogs? The best way to help a shy or fearful dog gain confidence is to expose them to what frightens them at a low intensity. The first secret is to find a training reward that your dog really, really likes and only use that during the confidence-building exercises. For a quick visual reminder of how to play this game, check out this graphic from Choose Positive Dog Training. At its essence, targeting is teaching your dog to touch part of his body to get a specific result. The basic dog training exercises such as “sit”, “down”, “stay” and “come” are good to start with. For adult dogs, new = scary. It also teaches the dog that moving away from scary stuff is a good idea, which is helpful in preventing bites. Please educate yourselves. I own a very busy dog walking and pet sitting business and a conservative estimate of our clientele who are fearful … Additionally, K9ofMine.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. By Truffle Hunting Dogs: Helping Owners Sniff Out Big Bucks! I didn’t need Barley to go say hi – I just needed him to be able to pass politely. The first step to take to help a fearful dog gain confidence is avoiding the fearful situation your dog is afraid of, so that it lowers its stress levels. This game teaches dogs that strangers produce treats without pressuring the dog to get too close. She was with her litter mates until 4 months of age but otherwise has not had much other dog interaction. This means that if she does see her former triggers, she’s more likely to react with grace and confidence. Thank you for this! In this example, I’d suggest having the dog walk through a field after another dog played there. Before coming to K9 of Mine, Kayla worked at Denver Dumb Friends League as a Behavior Technician. When your dog does, reward her lavishly and give praise. You have to be careful, though, not to overwhelm the dog while using this technique, which is called desensitization. If your dog is getting stressed, you’re pushing too hard. The idea is that the exercises desensitize the dog to the fearful stimulant—whether it is strangers, children or loud percussive noises, like fireworks—so that the dog is no longer scared in the presence of these things. This last point is probably my main goal when working with fearful dogs. In many cases, it’s never really “done.”. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that exposing your dog to “monsters” will help her realize that they’re not dangerous. Would this generally be helpful in these cases? Love the article! Many times, a dog develops fear because something happened during his critical socialization period that scared him. Training fearful dogs generally takes place on the timescale of months and years, not hours and days. The idea is to slowly reintroduce your dog to the stimulus that causes their fear at a … It’s easy to teach, and most dogs will catch on quickly. 6 Comments. Be prepared with some tasty treats, like shredded cooked chicken breast. That’s why puppy socialization is so important – if you teach your puppy that things are normal, they won’t fall into the “Scary New Stuff” category later in life. Some dogs are just going to be jumpier and more anxious than others – you can help support them, but don’t expect your dog to go from terrified of strangers to being a therapy dog. Hi Kayla, this article was really interesting for me. There’s no social pressure and the dog should never get close enough to get scared. Here's an overview on this behavioral disorder and what you can do to help your furry friend gain the confidence he needs to overcome his nervous tendencies. This is evolutionarily advantageous in wild animals – if mom was stressed out while pregnant, there’s a good chance that the pups should be on high alert. This is difficult, long, slow process – be patient. Be patient and trust the process. This is the time period when part of the brain that builds associations is rapidly developing, and it is also the time when dogs can develop fears or phobias. My dog Saber had an unhealthy fear of bikes I never have figured out why. Dog Training Aside from behavior medication, you might want to consider the following supportive measures for your dog: Finally, ensure that you’re addressing your dog’s behavioral wellness. Your Dog Will Associate Training With Good Things. General training will be beneficial to your dog as it will feel that you are in charge and you will lead it to do the right thing. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite dog confidence building games. Play this game by setting up a careful training scenario where you know exactly how intense your trigger will be. However, many anxious dogs don’t have any puppyhood trauma. Repeat daily or twice daily, getting closer and closer to the scary thing with each repetition. I want to teach scared dogs that the world won’t hurt them, and that if they explore it they’re likely to find great stuff. Figuring out what triggers them is the first step in trying to help them gain confidence, and desensitizing them to their fears. She travels full time with her border collie Barley and her boyfriend, Andrew. We have a pup of 6 months who has been with us for 2 months and she is still so frightened of us, and everything. Step 4. Its purpose is to keep your dog focused on you, even when he’s in the presence of something (or someone) that’s scaring him. Happy to give you more case details if you’re interested! But there are degrees of fearfulness, and your expectations will need to change based on how scared your dog is in general. If your dog is scared of a sound, such as fireworks, play a recording at a soft enough volume so that your dog isn’t scared. It’s just too difficult to help dogs who are really scared all of the time. Saber now can jog along next to the bike, or even more fun chase me while I ride it. Fear can be a tough one to conquer. It’s important to manage your expectations when training fearful dogs. Obedience training is helpful because it allows you to develop a language with your dog, which helps you guide your dog to successful behaviors, he says. 17 min read If it is dog treats, then the treats need to be able to be broken down into tiny bits that require minimal chewing. We are doing a lot of the treat games you suggest but we are considering a second dog in the house to try to help her. As you click and reward your dog for looking at the scary thing, though, you’ll now also turn away from the scary thing and reset. If your dog is acting happy and confident, take one step toward the scary thing, or turn up the recording, and repeat the exercise. However, in most cases, shyness in canines is rooted in fear. You have to take away the scary stuff to truly help your dog! If your dog can’t focus on you, that’s ok. Just reset to make it easier, take a break, and try again. It’s really hard if your dog is scared of someone who lives in your home. Helping fearful dogs become more confident is a multi-step process that can take weeks, months, or even years. How Confidence-Building Exercises Can Help Timid Dogs. One is geared towards dogs who are scared of people, one is for dogs scared of everything else. If you want to teach a dog to “shake,” you have to associate that behavior with a reward until the dog instinctively knows, “If I do this with my paw, something good happens.” Affection is a Reward To our dogs, affection is a reward. Have you ever had to deal with a low confidence dog? This game is far better than luring a dog towards a stranger for treats. If that myth were true, it would make sense to look for dramatic past experiences that explain fearful behavior. This also allows your dog to move away and collect the treats, then choose whether or not to approach. Manage your dog’s interactions with people Glad you got Saber past his bike fears. This ties into the myth of “it’s all in how you raise them.”. And relaxed, as your dog scared of everything else 2019 by Gagan Luthra get over quickly and desensitizing to! Shelter taught me that no two fearful dogs are “ monsters ” everywhere and get even more skittish hard too... 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