31 Oct Detecting Fear in Dogs (Part 3)

In the first and second parts, we explained the different methods of detecting fear in dogs. We said that you could identify your dog’s fear by his body language, such as the whites of the eyes, eye contact with humans, mouth position, short and quick breaths, and changing ears. In addition, pay attention to the dog’s general body postures such as tail wagging, hair changes such as spiky or excessive shedding, stiffness, trembling or lethargy of the dog, trying to escape from the environment or staying in place for a long time or not eating.  You can help your dog overcome this fear. In the previous section, we described two ways of prevention. In this section, we will explain the other ways to help dogs to treat their fears.

Trying to help dogs with fear

Allow your dog to avoid fearful stimuli.

When you see your dog’s fears and understand the reasons, write them down on a piece of paper and adapt yourself to them as much as possible. For example, if your dog is afraid of people wearing hats, ask your guests to take off their hats before entering the house.

If you’re walking down the street with your dog and you see a person wearing a hat coming towards you, go to the other side of the road.

It’s impossible to keep your dog away from all environmental stimuli of fear, but by minimizing your dog’s exposure to these stimuli, you can build his confidence in you. And as a result, you can help him overcome his fears even more.

Gradually introduce your dog to new environments.

If your dog is still very young or has grown up in another environment, he needs more experience to connect with new settings. Follow a routine for walking your dog, gradually bringing him into the fresher environment, and supporting her social connections. Whenever he was able to communicate successfully with other dogs or new humans, give him a treat.

Do this only when you know you are in a new environment and in contact with new humans and other dogs that motivate him, Especially when he shows aggressive behaviours to others in new environments.

Teach your dog new movements so he can cope with his fears

When your dog sees a fear factor, teach him to look at you or sit down. Always have some treats with you when you walk. So you can give him pleasure for every proper training and behaviour.

For example, if you see a bicycle approaching you and know your dog is afraid of it. Stand in front of him immediately and tell him to look at you and sit down; give him a treat immediately if he does it right.

If your dog is aggressive when scared

Leave him to a trainer. Contact a trainer to guide you through these issues if your dog engages in aggressive behaviours such as grunting and chasing in fear. It’s also an excellent solution for situations where your dog is afraid of many things, and It has become impossible for you to do daily chores and get him out of the house.

Avoid overdoing when dealing with your dog when he’s scared

If you suddenly become very kind to your dog when he is scared, he may reinforce behaviours when he gets scared. On the other hand, punishing him for fear isn’t the right thing to do at all. Never hit or yell at a fearful dog because it makes your dog more scared and even adds to his fears.

In these situations, try to stay calm and quickly take your dog out of the scary environment. Help your dog to overcome his fears. If he obeys your orders in case of anxiety, give him a treat immediately.

Caring for a dog is a fun and challenging duty. Dog owners need to know enough about their health and care to be able to train them in addition to preventing disease properly. On this long and challenging journey, you can also count on Mishka Grooming. Our skilled and accurate groomers, with high passion and knowledge, guarantee the health and cleanliness of your dog.