How to Socialize a Fearful Dog, Part 3
This is the final installment in the series on how to socialize a fearful dog. After Parts 1 and 2 you know that it probably isn’t too late to help your dog and that training can make his life better, but cannot drastically change his temperament.
Now we can look some specific things that will help him feel safer and more confident.
Do:
Learn about dog body language so you can recognize your dog’s subtle communication before he has to escalate to the more obvious stuff like growling, snapping and lunging.
Use a leash, baby gate, ex-pen, and/or muzzle to separate your dog from the scary things.
Use extra yummy treats like chicken, cheese and scrambled eggs to build positive associations. Kibble won’t cut it.
Use Engage/Disengage for things that make your dog nervous.
Give strangers treats to quietly toss behind your dog.
Give your dog breaks. Practice for several minutes and then put your dog away with a long-lasting goody like a stuffed Kong while you visit with your guest.
Consider hiring a qualified, professional dog trainer. Fear is the #1 cause of aggression and that’s nothing to play around with.
Do Not:
Give guests/strangers treats to hand feed your dog. The food forces the dog to get closer than he should or is comfortable with.
Take him to the dog park. Dog trainers don’t typically recommend dog parks anyway, but if your dog is nervous around other dogs, taking him to the dog park is not the solution.
“Just let him get used to it.” Exposing your dog to his fears so he’ll “get used to it” usually makes things worse. He gets overwhelmed by the scary things and becomes further convinced just how scary they are.
Believe the lie that a still, quiet dog is a good dog. Lack of bad behavior does not mean everything is fine—it could be a silent panic attack. This is why it’s so important to study dog body language.
Let people pet him to make friends. A dog who’s scared of people from 6 feet away isn’t going to magically feel better when the person is 6 inches away and touching him. I have a whole post dedicated to that subject.
Remember that success is not just a stranger petting your dog OR your dog playing with other dogs. Those are big, big goals and they take time to achieve. There are plenty of little victories along the way to celebrate!
If you’d like extra help training your fearful dog, contact Koinonia!