How to Socialize a Fearful Dog, Part 2
This is Part 2 of a three-part series on how to socialize a fearful dog. Make sure to check out Part 1, “Is it Too Late to Socialize?” and come back next week for the final installment, “Dos and Do Nots of Socializing a Fearful Dog”
You want to help your fearful dog feel better, and after Part 1, you’re encouraged that it probably isn’t too late. The next step is looking at your goal. What are you hoping to accomplish with training?
Our dog barks at strangers that come to the house and we’re having major renovations done over the next month. Ugh!
My previous dog and I went on loads of adventures together—from road trips to leisurely dinners on patio restaurants. My new dog doesn’t want to get out of the car when we go out and then won’t listen to me once I finally get her out.
I recently started dating and my dog’s fear of men is becoming a real problem!
My dog is so high energy, but when I take him to the dog park, he won’t leave my side.
Obviously, as a professional dog trainer I believe behavior can be changed. However, I also believe that training does have limits and they need to be acknowledged.
The Limits of Socialization
To understand the limits of socialization, we have to understand that a dog isn’t only a product of his experiences. Genetics absolutely influence behavior, and, sadly, training cannot overhaul genetics.
If your dog is fearful at the dog park, and you want to socialize him so he can play with the dogs there, training probably isn’t going to do that.
If strangers make your dog nervous and you want to socialize him so he can visit hospitals as a therapy dog, training probably isn’t going to do that.
Some dogs are adventurous and jump at the chance to visit Lowe’s with you; some are perfectly happy laying on the sofa watching soap operas all day. To force the soap opera dog to visit Lowe’s so he can “get out more,” might actually make his quality of life worse than if you’d just sat on the sofa with him.
Training can change behavior, but it can’t change genetics. It can improve fear and anxiety, but it cannot radically change who the dog is.
So, what’s the point? If the fearful dog will always be fearful, why even bother with training?
Training a fearful dog is not about making him into a poster-child for the all-American family dog who goes everywhere, welcomes all visitors with a smile and a toy, and lets anyone and everyone do anything and everything. Training fearful dogs is about helping them be the best they can be. It’s about discovering how much progress they can make. It’s about decreasing their distress with the unavoidable things in life. It’s about improving quality of life—for dog and human.