Fear
Fear in pet dogs is typically a display of behavior due to the dog feeling threatened, insecure, and/or in danger in the face of a particular stimuli, situation, and/or environment. These cases are quite common for what I see.
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Dogs can develop fear through a number of ways including genetics, challenges in early development, lack of appropriate socialization, traumatic events, or any combination thereof.
Fear in your dog may look like frantic/panicked behavior, active avoidance, attempts to escape a situation, cowering, etc. and may occur around other animals, other people, when in certain environments, on walks, or even around yourself and in your own home.
These cases include but are not limited to:
Fear of humans
Fear of other dogs
Fear of loud noises
Fear of walking on the leash
Fear of thunderstorms
Fear of fireworks
Fear of new places
Having a dog who displays fear can be emotionally draining and stressful. It’s very different from having to deal with “basic” behavior problems (like jumping and leash pulling) because there’s a huge emotional component at play. Therefore in most cases we cannot treat fear as we would treat obedience problems. Most other dog owners and even many dog trainers don’t understand this, which is why I’m here to help.
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It’s important to understand what fear is and how to differentiate between normal and even acceptable displays of fear, versus displays of fear that could potentially escalate to fear aggression, and/or excessive fear that can inhibit the dog’s quality of life. Fear is a hard wired instinct that keeps dogs (and humans) alive. Forming realistic expectations for your individual dog is imperative, along with accepting who your dog is and what they are capable of.
This can all seem incredibly daunting, but with the right mindset shift and solid commitment we can greatly reduce the overall stress that both you and your dog are experiencing. Together, I can help you understand how to reduce your dog’s overall stress, help them feel more comfortable, boost their confidence, and create more positive associations.
PRO TIP
If you are currently experiencing situations where your dog is displaying fear, it is best advised to avoid putting your dog into these situations entirely until you have a professional plan set in place. However if that is not entirely possible at the moment, you can always begin by exposing your dog to the fear inducing stimulus at a greater physical distance away that allows the dog to feel more at ease.
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