The best way to help a shy or fearful dog gain confidence is to expose them to what frightens them at a low intensity. If that myth were true, it would make sense to look for dramatic past experiences that explain fearful behavior. This is your baseline and your list of mountains to climb. Hold a treat in your hand. 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. Hey, Jane. Many dogs get particularly anxious around specific people or specific things. While all positive training will help settle a fearful dog, these three specific training exercises can really pump up a scared dog’s confidence: • Ask politely for everything. Many really fearful adult dogs will never transform to extremely confident dogs. I own a very busy dog walking and pet sitting business and a conservative estimate of our clientele who are fearful … There’s no social pressure and the dog should never get close enough to get scared. You used a warning beep on a shock collar, and now your dog is terrified of the microwave. If she seems to like the new dog and they get along well, the companionship may help her feel more at ease. 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. If she’s not totally comfortable with your presence, give her as much space as you can. One is geared towards dogs who are scared of people, one is for dogs scared of everything else. Many times, a dog develops fear because something happened during his critical socialization period that scared him. It also teaches the dog that moving away from scary stuff is a good idea, which is helpful in preventing bites. In general, we always want to aim for your dog to look and feel confident in as many day-to-day situations as possible. Simply use a quiet clicker to “mark” the precise second that your dog does something you like (in this case, literally anything). Most dogs probably have no problem, you’re right. If you’re having a hard time finding a pattern, keep a diary of the times your dog gets spooked. Just remember, your dog needs your compassion and patience. K9ofMine.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. 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. Have you ever had to deal with a low confidence dog? It would be difficult for you to entertain guests without aggravating your pet, … How do fearful dogs gain confidence? Fearful dogs, more often than not, are afraid of something because they perceive it as new. If your dog is acting happy and confident, take one step toward the scary thing, or turn up the recording, and repeat the exercise. How do you make it easier? Kayla Fratt How to Help a Fearful Dog Gain Confidence. 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. How Confidence-Building Exercises Can Help Timid Dogs. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that exposing your dog to “monsters” will help her realize that they’re not dangerous. Fearful dogs are usually the ones without a strong character to lead them as pack leader. This is “nose targeting.” You’ll probably only need to do this a few times before your dog gets the idea that if he bump… The best way to conquer this is to help Macy build some confidence. While all positive training will help settle a fearful dog, these three specific training exercises can really pump up a scared dog's confidence: Ask politely for everything. 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. 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. Whether you’re brushing up on old skills like … Love the article! In canine behavior, confidence-building exercises are referred to as desensitization and counterconditioning training. Get tons of great dog training advice and tips about gear! If it is dog treats, then the treats need to be able to be broken down into tiny bits that require minimal chewing. If your dog is getting stressed, you’re pushing too hard. When a dog is frightened they may respond in several ways. By comforting a fearful dog, you are rewarding what it’s doing in that moment: being scared. Every owner will have a different goal for their dog. They may be especially afraid of men, of children, or of strangers. But in pet dogs, this can have devastating consequences. Additionally, K9ofMine.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. This ties into the myth of “it’s all in how you raise them.”. Now that you know what your dog’s fears are, it’s your job to protect her from them – for now. Have your dog sit or down before you pet him, give treats, feed, play ball, open doors, etc. When I adopted Barley, he was a bit nervous about strangely-shaped people (wheelchairs, crutches, big backpacks, umbrellas, trekking poles, floppy hats, etc). At the same time, the counterconditioning exercises will help to establish a new behavioral response to the object of the dog’s fear. Other times, your dog’s genetics are working against you. She owns her own dog training business, Journey Dog Training and holds a degree in biology from Colorado College. Helping your fearful dog gain confidence can be as simple as introducing exercise into their routine, implementing basic obedience skills, coping skills and using something pleasurable (food or toys) to change the way your dog feels about the fearful object or environment. After a while, you will be ready to train your fearful dog. It’s just too difficult to help dogs who are really scared all of the time. 6 Comments. When he does, say “Nose,” and let him have the treat. In some cases, you might have to get creative. One way to help a dog feel more confident is to use repeated exposure to the scary thing (the stimulus) so that it becomes less novel and more routine. 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. I am so sorry to have missed your seminar last weekend in Seattle! It must be said that it can be a long, hard process. My goal was to be able to pass people like this on the street or on the trail calmly. That’s not to say that a shy dog can’t be a happy dog. Is It Better Than Dehydrated Dog Food. Repeat daily or twice daily, getting closer and closer to the scary thing with each repetition. You can even start training around the trigger – this is the “advanced” level of the game because it really asks your dog, “Can you listen around the scary thing?”. I’m not sure if Kayla will have a chance to respond to this (but you can always reach her directly at Journey Dog Training). Great work John! The video below shows how to get started teaching your dog to associate clicks with treats: Step 2. When she’s not writing or training Barley, Kayla enjoys cross-country skiing, eating sushi, drinking cocktails, and going backpacking. The first secret is to find a training reward that your dog really, really likes and only use that during the confidence-building exercises. Your Dog Will Associate Training With Good Things. Confidence-Building Games for Dogs. 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. I hope you come this way again soon. 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 . Keep sessions very short and try to keep your rate of reinforcement high. That helper will keep their eyes low and keep their side to the dog rather than facing head-on. Dog Training Home » How to Help a Shy, Fearful Dog Build Confidence. Its unfortunate that many people do not understand dogs that are fearful. Be patient and trust the process. Some puppies are born shy. 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. The person might have dropped a loud pan, stepped on the dog’s tail, or yelled at the dog in a moment of frustration. The idea is to slowly reintroduce your dog to the stimulus that causes their fear at a … What Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food? Keep it up, clicking and treating for any movement at all. Do you have a timid dog? 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. Pair this exposure with something positive, like a tasty treat. I'm soon to be a foster mom for some smaller dogs and these techniques will be a great help in increasing their confidence. This game teaches dogs that strangers produce treats without pressuring the dog to get too close. The key with all of these games is that they should be fun and easy for your dog. Your goal should be to help the dog learn that “scary person” will respect the dog’s space but also brings awesome stuff to the table. Over time, you’ll start noticing that your dog has more confidence to just “behave more.” She’s learning that moving and doing stuff can pay off. 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. 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. 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). It’s also worth investigating why the dog is scared of a single person. Training Helps Build Confidence. We often can’t know exactly why your dog is afraid of things. It’s tempting to try to drag your dog into new situations until she “gets over it,” but this is called flooding and often backfires. In excess, sensitivity becomes fear. 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. 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. Training is great for building confidence. Dog training is excellent to help a fearful dog build confidence. For dogs who are scared of people, you’ll need to get a helper person. Sometimes a dog is just scared of the stairs or of slippery floors, other times literally the whole world seems like a haunted house to them. It is also important that you remain calm and relaxed, as your dog will look to you for emotional guidance and cues. In all honesty, it’s not always helpful to spend a lot of time trying to find the root of your dog’s fear. 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