Dog Training: A Scared Dog and Your Response
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There will be times when your dog is scared. The dog actually may be trembling. When the dog is scared or apprehensive, the dog’s body language speaks loudly. The tail may be back between its legs and the ears may be back. Your first inclination, when you see your dog - perhaps your puppy - so scared, is to go and comfort it. At the risk of sounding very heartless, don’t do it. You will not be doing your dog any favours.
When you go and comfort your dog in such a situation, inadvertently you are reinforcing the dog. The dog will interpret your behaviour as saying: ‘you’re right to be scared’. What this does is ensure that the dog will have a similar fear response the next time it encounters whatever caused this fright reaction. You have told the dog that it was absolutely right in being afraid. You reinforced it. Furthermore, you are teaching the dog that you will rescue it from any fears. The problem with this is that you are depriving the dog from the opportunity to learn to be bold and self confident - and you cannot always be there.
Ignore the fear reaction.
The dog will take its cues from you, the pack leader. If you ignore the fear response, then the dog has to cope with whatever it was that it found frightening. It is left on its own to cope. And, hopefully, the dog can see that the situation does not bother you. As the pack leader, you give the impression that you see the situation as neutral and non threatening. The dog learns to be bold and that is a real positive step in its development. Bold dogs learn to cope with situations - or perhaps, learning to cope with scary situations creates bold dogs. They learn to rely upon themselves to handle whatever it is that is troubling them. They learn to do it for themselves, without you rescuing them. And, yes, they will learn.
Unfortunately, some dog owners foster this dependency. They want to comfort and shield their dogs from all things stressful and fearful. Regrettably, in the long run, it is not a kindness to their dog. Such owners deprive their dog of reaching their full potential - and the dog will see things in a far more fearful way than is necessary. And that is far from being a kindness.
Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster: http://flyinghamster.com/
[tags]dog training, self confidence, fear response, catherine forsythe[/tags]
12 Comments
Andrea Mastrangeli
February 25th, 2007
at 4:54am
Our little Schnauzer (medium-size) is 6 months old and very scared. Your approach makes sense. But what should we do, for example if, while we’re out on a walk together with her on a leash, she starts and tries to run away. Should I tug her in the opposite direction or wait for her to come back on her own?
Morgan
May 15th, 2007
at 2:39pm
My 10 week old puppy Autumn, is triified by out 3 year old cat D.C., if I don’t want the cat to attack, how do I not act like it doesn’t bother me becasue it does and I don’t want Autumn to get attacked. Plus when I’m away, she wimpers and I ome running, am I being too soft?
Beckie
August 2nd, 2007
at 5:09pm
I have a 7 month old english masstiff and he scared of men and i don’t understand it..If anyone can help please do!!!!!
Whitney
November 2nd, 2007
at 6:17pm
My dog is scared of taking walks. We start walking and he stops starts pulling and is able to pull his collar off of his neck. What do I do?
forsythe
November 4th, 2007
at 1:59pm
I would be glad to help. I will need more details. You can contact me at:
http://flyinghamster.com/
There is an email address in the right hand column.
Catherine
Ron
August 15th, 2008
at 8:07pm
We have a 1 year old border collie, he is so scared he is aggressive. He has bitten two small kids out of fear. Anyone that is afraid of him he picks up on it and is agressive towards them and tries to bite them. How can I fix this I dont want to put him to sleep but I dont want him to attack someone. He is this way with adults also. If they are not affraid of him he ignores them.PLEASE HELP!!
ashleigh
August 26th, 2008
at 2:53pm
1 year old golden retrievr is scared of a new celing light shade tht we had put in our living room! she wont enter the living room and when we bring her in after some reasurance she barks, growls and looks at the shade! however our other dog has took to the light shade as if it isnt there! how can i help her?
forsythe
August 26th, 2008
at 5:07pm
Ron and then Ashleigh were answered through email.
Catherine
Marilyn DeFries
October 4th, 2008
at 9:54am
We rescued a 6 month old puppy that had been abandoned on the St. Jphn river in Florida. We took ker to the vet and she is a pit mix, had two types of mange, worms etc. which she was treated for . She has obviously been abused , and is afraid of strange things, like towels, sheets, (if you move them or shake them). She is slowly coning to accept myself and my boyfriend, and we are doing our best to help her, but she definately still has issues. While she is sleeping with us on the bed, she is a loving adorable puppy. When she gets up and goes outside, (fenced yard) she often acts afraid of us and tucks tail and goes the other way. I have been working with her on the leash, and she is SLOWLY learning sit and down. II am afraid for her, as if she were ever to get out of the yard, she will not come, as that command is not working as hard as I try. We will ask her to come, and even with a treat, she tucks tail and goes away. On occassion she pees in the house still yet there is a dog door that she uses all the time.
She is extremely passive, and while on the leash, if she pulls really hard because she is afraid of a noise, and I say no, she lies down and goes into scared to death mode. Not really sure what to do with her, how to help her. Any ideas?
Marilyn DeFries
October 4th, 2008
at 9:56am
Sorry about the typos, not wearing my glasses……
forsythe
October 4th, 2008
at 10:33am
Marilyn was answered in email.
Catherine
Donna
October 6th, 2008
at 3:51pm
Hi, I have a 6 month old cross-breed (Husky, Hound, Terrier, Greyhound etc.) A beautiful dog! I got him about 2 months ago from our local pound and he is settling in well. He has started learning commands pretty quickly but he is still very scared in certain situations. When my 8 year niece plays with him, he loves it. But when my 5 year old nephew enters the rooms he runs for it, and on walks he trys pulling in the other directions when people are walking past us. At times he even doesn’t want to come when I call him. Please help…I want my dog to be a happy dog!