Dec 21 2009
How To Train Your Shy Or Fearful Dog
Do you have a shy or fearful dog? He’s probably very attached to you, but is leery of strangers. Your pet may even go so far as to growl and snap at unfamiliar people or dogs who get too close. People may say he’s a “one-person dog.”
It’s important to work on training your shy dog before his behavior escalates to fear aggression in dogs. This type of aggressive dog behavior is characterized at first by growling at people he doesn’t know, and can quickly progress to snapping and biting.
Why Is My Dog Shy?
Sometimes a dog is shy or fearful of strangers due to a bad experience somewhere along the line. Some cases are due to genetics. But most cases of shyness in dogs are caused by one thing; neglecting to socialize a puppy in his first few months of life. It’s also very important not to stop socializing your dog too soon, as many dogs go through a shy period around six months of age.
Are You Teaching Your Dog To Be Shy?
Speaking softly and reassuringly to your fearful dog in an attempt to calm him down is a mistake.First, you’re training him to hide, growl, or snap because you’re rewarding his behavior with your attention and praise.
Second, think about how your voice sounds when you’re reassuring your canine friend.To your canine’s ears, your voice sounds like a dog whimpering. Your dog doesn’t understand your words, but he does understand the sound.Your dog will become even more nervous about the stranger because he thinks your voice is a whimper.
Training Your Shy Dog
Socializing your dog when he’s a puppy is the best way to prevent your canine from becoming a shy dog. He needs to be exposed to a wide variety of people, places, and dogs so that he can learn through experience that there’s nothing to be scared of.
If your canine friend is already a shy adult, socializing your dog is still possible. It takes longer, and you’ll need lots of patience, but it can be done.
The important thing to remember with training your shy dog is not to rush him. If you try to force him into socializing with unfamiliar people or dogs, all you’ll do is reinforce his belief that these things are scary. Plus he may feel that he has no choice but to defend himself, which leads to aggressive dog behavior.
Never allow a stranger to come up to your dog and try to pet him.Don’t be in a hurry; let your dog make the first move. If he doesn’t want to, that’s fine. If he’s hiding, don’t try to coax him out, as he’ll think you’re praising him for hiding out.
Ignore your dog when he acts shy or scared around strange people or dogs. Keep him on his leash, and don’t let him get close enough to start displaying fear aggression in dogs. Let him hang back and check out the situation from a distance. When he’s ready, he’ll get closer on his own to the stranger. This is when you praise him lavishly.
A Good Dog Training Course Can Work Wonders With A Shy Dog
You can see how easy it is to give your dog the wrong idea. The fact is that dogs just don’t think like people do. Understanding how your dog thinks is crucial to training shy dog properly.
Investing in a good dog training course is essential. You’ll want to find out what other dog owners who have used the course think of it.You’ll want to look for testimonials from dog owners who have used the course.
If you’re struggling with a shy or fearful dog, just click on any link in this article to learn more about a dog training course that includes a free consultation with an experienced dog trainer.
