How to scare a dog so that it doesn't bark. Protection from the dog in case of attack. The main causes of cowardly behavior

Does your toy terrier fold its ears, tremble and ask to be handled at the slightest sharp sound? A poodle or a Yorkie, whining, runs away from all the dogs in the neighborhood? Or maybe the cute Pekingese barks at everyone, bites on the sly and immediately hides behind your legs? - All these manifestations of canine emotions have one root - fear. The baby may be afraid of everything in the world or some specific things, such as the sound of holiday fireworks or cyclists.

It may even seem touching to you - “Well, he’s very small! So fragile and tender, of course he is afraid! And if the doggie is only afraid of the neighbor's Rottweiler or the sound of a vacuum cleaner, then you can live with it. Moreover, sometimes it is even more convenient. By at least, he will not interfere during cleaning and will not run to flirt with a huge, vicious dog. But what if the minik panics for any reason? Yes, so much that it's time to give him a sedative.

Well, there are no unsolvable problems and fear can be overcome. Even canine. How? – To dig a little into its origins, draw the right conclusions and proceed with a targeted correction.

The main causes of cowardly behavior

Fear is inherent in all mammals and, of course, in us humans. Moreover, it is a necessary emotion. Without fear, the instinct of self-preservation will not work, it also teaches you to avoid danger, not to “step on the same rake”. How do puppies usually experience the world? Everyone sniffs and tastes. So I tried to bite my mother a little more painfully and got it from her! Once or twice, he will control himself. He pulled the tablecloth with his teeth - a vase of flowers fell off the table with a crash. It won't do it next time for sure.

But all this is not cowardice, but a natural educational process. Cowardice can develop when there is too much fear in a puppy's life.. Those. if he is often bitten, beaten. Or something regularly falls on it, pours out, pours, etc. Dogs with so many negative experiences are immediately visible. They bend down to the ground at the slightest cry, whine, often sit in secluded places. Alternatively, they show aggression bordering on hysteria. Such a baby simply does not understand how else he can avoid frightening circumstances.

The second, and very common among small dogs, will become absolutely the opposite cause of timidity is "greenhouse" conditions of detention. A little sneeze or papillon lives for himself in a large apartment, sleeps on a luxurious bed, eats the best, most spends time on the pens. Just dog heaven! One problem - there is nowhere to walk with him, and the pet is clearly not enthusiastic about walking. Even the sound of passing cars is afraid. “But how could it be otherwise if he heard them for the first time in six months or even later! It's like sending us city dwellers to live in the forest. And how will you behave when you meet a wolf or a wild boar?

Almost the same thing happens with a dog that lives in its own house, but never leaves the yard. Or the one that walks exclusively in a bag or on his hands. One step outside of its territory (bag) can cause a real panic attack in the ward. By the way, in this state, he can easily run away from you. He will rush wherever his eyes look until he is exhausted.

The third source of fear can be " bad example» . Dogs are social creatures. They enthusiastically run after cats in a crowd, bark at strangers, but they can just as well have general fear for everyone. Those. If there are many dogs on the run who are afraid of the sound of fireworks, it is very likely that your little one will learn from them too. He will simply begin to imitate their reactions. In the same way, your fears can be transmitted to him. The simplest example is Evening. Behind the door of the apartment there is some sound, a rustle. The dog was worried. But if you do not react, you will continue to sleep further. They got nervous and went to look through the peephole - they would probably bark. In the same way, he will feel fear in the master's voice and just his nervous trembling and .... also scared.

Cowardice or weak nervous system?

Often dog owners and some trainers say about overly shy dogs - “she has a weak nervous system and add that it is useless to train them. Well, in some cases this is an absolutely correct "diagnosis", but not always. Therefore, it will not be superfluous for the owner himself to understand some of the intricacies of the psyche of the ward, and only after that make a conclusion about true reason baby's shyness.

To begin with, let's deal with this very weakness of the nervous system. And here is the main thing you need to know:

There is no uniquely strong or weak psyche in dogs
There is no clear scale that measures it all
Increased fearfulness is not necessarily a consequence of a weak nervous system

The strength or weakness of a dog's nerves is determined by how quickly it can be brought out of balance. For example, the neighbor's zwerg is absolutely not worried about the constant children's cry in the house, and your Chihuahua shudders from any sharp sound. - Conclusion, your sensitivity threshold is lower. At least for this irritant. But perhaps she is calm about affection strangers, while the "neighbor" immediately begins to bark at them. So, here the nerves are already handing over from him.

However, occasionally such minis are born, which from the very childhood react to everything in a row and very violently. Even to the roar of his own mother. Well, if a spoon or a saucepan suddenly falls in the kitchen, then the kid will bury himself with fright in the farthest corner, under the litter, and will lie until he is reassured. And about the first cutting of claws, he will notify all neighbors with a heart-rending cry. No, not because it hurts, but because it's scary. And here we come close to our first conclusion - A weak nervous system is a congenital trait. If the puppy is not originally a timid one, then you will have to try very hard to raise him as a coward. This requires either a cruel owner - or content in a confined space.

With age (by the time of sale), some puppies can calm down a bit and become bolder, and some remain nervous and shy. It’s difficult to bring up such a person, and you won’t go to an exhibition with him.

You can also distinguish a weak nervous system from acquired fears by their number. Most often, small dogs are afraid of something specific and their reactions to a frightening object are of the same type. From a pet with a weak psyche, you can expect anything and anytime. Yesterday he was sleeping comfortably in your girlfriend's arms, and today he is trembling at her one touch. Why? She just doesn't act like she usually does. As he used to.

Finally, one more sad consequence the weak psyche of the pet will become poor learning. But not because he is so stupid. Not! It's just that he overreacts emotionally to positive and negative reinforcement, and without them it is very difficult to train a dog. So you have to be content with what such a dog learns on its own.

Obedient does not mean afraid!

Very often minik owners misinterpret their reactions to other dogs and confuse normal, hierarchical submission with fear. This behavior is most eloquent in puppies. At 3-4 months, the baby, meeting any adult, unknown dog, immediately falls in front of him. Sometimes it turns over on its back, paws to the top and froze. By this, he seems to make it clear that he is still small and ready to obey the elder.

An adult pet can also act if he feels aggression towards himself, but he is not going to fight. Anyway, he just came to get acquainted, and the owner has already written him down in panties ....

Real fear in front of another dog Your baby shows differently. It could be:

Escape with tail between legs and/or loud scream
An attempt to hide behind the owner or a request to take him in the arms. And already from a safe place you can bark at a scary dog
Any avoidance of contact with the object of fear (backs away, refusal to go in his direction, etc.)
Aggression by principle best defense- attack.

And it is this behavior that needs to be corrected, and not at all hierarchical subordination, which is business as usual in a dog pack and helps to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

How to raise a cowardly dog!

Yes, yes, it's not a typo. We deliberately decided to give you some "bad advice". Perhaps some of you will recognize in them your style of communication with the ward, and for everyone else this will become a vivid example of how not to do it. So, if you really like cowardly dogs, and you set out to raise just such a pet, then:

From the first days of his stay in the house, shout at him more often, throw something and in other ways demonstrate your “righteous anger” for any of his wrong behavior
Do not allow to play with other dogs. And if on a walk you accidentally crossed paths with someone's pet, then immediately, with nervous cries, take the baby in your arms, saying - "Oh, oh, he will bite you now!"
Urgently and run take him away from any "danger", as soon as he trembles or whines. Better yet, let him sit at home. Nerves will be better. Yours, of course.
Forget about training. Does he go to the toilet on a diaper? - Wonderful! Why do you need something else? Not a Rottweiler after all.
Do not allow strangers, especially children, to stroke the ward. Let them buy their own and lisp!
Minimize trips to the vet and groomer. He's so nervous about them! Well, so what, that the ears have been scratching for a month, and the hair is all in tangles. You can handle it yourself. Internet for what? There's a wagon of advice! And there is a pharmacy nearby.

But the most important and pleasant thing is that you do not even have to follow all these recommendations. Choose 2-3 and it's in the bag! Your baby will be afraid of everything the same as you. And even more. What? Didn't you want that at all? - Then do everything exactly the opposite. And you need to start with socialization.

Proper socialization is the best prevention!

Socialization, in fact, is accustoming to society, i.e. society. And not some kind of selective, but the most ordinary, modern, sometimes too noisy, fussy. FROM different people, animals and different weather. And your main assistant in this matter will be ordinary walks.

Walking with the dog should begin immediately after passing the post-vaccination quarantine. And it doesn't matter what size it is. The socialization algorithm is the same for everyone, and it is something like this:

On the first walks, let him explore literally 10-20 meters of the territory near the house. This will take 10 minutes.
After 2-3 days, we begin to increase the walking radius. Avoid other animals for now. Carefully teach your pet to the leash. You can pick up and walk along the roads. Let him get used to the sounds of the city.
In the second week, you can walk longer and start getting to know other dogs, but it's still too early for a general walk. It's time to start learning the basic commands.
If there are puppies of his age nearby, great! Let them play together 2-3 times a week.
Do not forget about the adequate attitude towards strangers. decorative dog should not be afraid of people! Therefore, let your acquaintances stroke him more often, talk to him, and the neighboring children play ball or catch up. The main thing is that they all do it carefully, taking into account the size of the dog.
After 2-3 weeks, it is worth starting to get acquainted with the local "flock" on a common walking. It is important to do this while the puppy is small. Then the flock will easily accept him, and he will quickly adapt.
At the same time, you can make the first trip to public transport, go to the market with him, visit, etc.

Important! Socialization does not tolerate fuss and haste. Therefore, never introduce your baby to several new things at once. Those. you don’t need to go for a walk, go to the market, and take the subway on the same day. Let him get used to one thing, and then continue to adapt it.

Consider also the characteristics of the temperament and character of the ward. He can tear himself off the leash towards everything new, or he can be cautious and even timid. Such a “shy” puppy needs to be encouraged and encouraged in every possible way. Praise him for every step towards the unknown, for any manifestation of courage. For letting himself be petted in peace or for not backing away when the neighbor's Yorkie approached him. Let him see your delight from him fun games with other dogs. And he will quickly realize that the world not at all scary when a beloved owner is nearby.

But remember that there is always a risk of going too far. And socialization too. Therefore, you do not always need to bring him "into the light", otherwise the baby from your dog will very quickly turn into a flock. The best option there will be 2-3 walks in the "society" per week, and the rest of the time it is better to walk alone with the ward, in a quiet corner of the park.

Cowardice Correction.

Prevention is good, even wonderful. But what to do if you missed the moment and your toy or spitz has already become shy and nervous? How to fix it? - Of course, The best way This is training under the guidance of a professional. However, finding a specialist in small breeds, and even with such a specific problem, is not so easy. In the meantime, you are looking for it, you can start a small self-correction cowardly behavior.

To get started, you need to clearly define a list of fears. Even if it seems to you that the dog is afraid of “everything in the world,” make a list anyway. For example, these are: loud sounds, other people's dogs, cars, water, etc. And in the future you will deal with these specific problems, and not with fearfulness in general.

This is followed by an analysis of the causes, and if this is definitely not a weak nervous system, then the same socialization will be your first step. Yes Yes! It can not only prevent the development of cowardice, but also help in correcting mistakes already made in the maintenance and upbringing of the dog. For dogs with a weak psyche, prone to panic attacks, especially fainting, we strongly recommend the consultation of a specialist dog handler and veterinarian. Because in this case, any of your mistakes is a serious threat to the health, and sometimes the life of the minik.

Now let's move on to the correction itself. And best method for small breeds will be positive reinforcement. For example, the dog is afraid harsh sounds. Retire with him in a room, start playing. At this time, in the kitchen (outside the door, from another room), one of the family members knocks something. To begin with, not very loudly, to check the reaction and the “sensitivity threshold”. Does not react? - Excellent! Wary, but not scared yet? - We iron and distract the game. Have you started to tremble? - Confidently put our hand on the withers, say something encouraging, stroke. As soon as he stopped trembling (rushing about) - we give a treat. We gradually increase the strength and sharpness of the sound.

Particularly shy people can just be held in your arms at this time and give him a treat after each “signal”. Those. we kind of develop a new reflex, that a loud sound is not scary at all, but ... delicious! We do the same with all other fears. Afraid of dogs? - We bring it in our arms, calm it down, clean it up, give it a treat. Shy in front of strangers? - Let them stroke him more often and talk to him affectionately. And against this background, the owner also praises him.

As you can see, correction is not at all an escape from frightening objects, but quite the opposite. The kid must face him and understand that there is no danger there. But never leave him alone with his fear. So you will only increase his fear. The presence and support of the owner is the most important thing for such a pet.

Cowardice correction is a long process that requires patience and strict discipline from you. During this period, the owner does not have the right to freak out, scream at the pet, punish him too severely or incorrectly. Fussiness and extra emotions of a person also harm. But it is important to devote time to communication with the dog, joint games and walks. Teaching the baby the basic commands will also be an excellent help. obedient dog trusts the owner more and this also has a beneficial effect on her psyche and increases her “fear tolerance”

Often, owners are faced with the problem of cowardly dogs. Sometimes this problem is successfully solved by competent adaptation to stimuli, by working on behavior on your own or with an experienced instructor. But there are situations when fearfulness is not just a behavioral problem or the result of improper upbringing. It happens that the dog's cowardly behavior is just a character trait that cannot be corrected or the consequences psychological trauma received in early childhood. How to raise such a dog, this article will tell.

Causes of cowardly dogs

Sometimes this character trait is associated with improper upbringing and training. Sometimes these are consequences of education through the use of potent negative reinforcement. If this is the reason, you can try to rehabilitate the dog with the help of competent training and patient education. Of course, this will take more than one week, month or year, but if you patiently go towards your goal, you can achieve good result. It is better not to try to do the rehabilitation of the dog on your own, but immediately turn to experienced cynologist. If this is not possible, a good option would be to read the literature of animal psychologists, in which such a topic is discussed.

But there are times when the cowardice of dogs cannot be corrected. This may be a trait of character or the result of improper rearing and upbringing at an early puppy age.

What to do if the problem is not solved?

The owner of a shy dog can sometimes be very difficult. It is not easy when a pet is afraid of cars, other dogs, people, bicycles, loud sounds etc. How to behave so as not to introduce yourself and the dog into a state of even greater despondency?

It must be remembered that a shy dog will never behave in the same way as those dogs that you can meet on your street, in the yard, in the usual walking place, etc. Therefore, you can not compare your dog and other pets. This can lead to very negative consequences. It is important for a dog to feel that it is still the best and most courageous for its owner!
Don't assume that your dog will enjoy socializing with other dogs and people if it's under a lot of stress! If it is noticeable that the pet is uncomfortable in the company of his fellows, learn to spend time together. Let it be walking along quiet streets, alleys, playing with a dog in fetching an object. Instead of worrying about the shy nature of the dog, make sure that he feels joy and satisfaction from joint games with the owner.
Dressing is not an option. If many options have already been tried, trips to different instructors, self-training, but nothing helped, which means that the problem is in the character of the dog and this is unlikely to be changed somehow. Of course, this does not mean that such a pet does not need training. Commands can make life and daily behavior of the dog much easier, but if the problem is deep in the dog's psyche, this method most likely will not have any effect.
You need to learn how to avoid irritants that create stress for your dog. The calmer the pet's life goes, the better it will be for him and his owner.
If the dog cannot completely ignore the stimulus and not be stressed when it appears, even with increased and thorough training, you just need to try to make the dog's stay with him a little less annoying and if you can not completely eliminate the excitement, at least reduce its degree.

Before diagnosing your dog as shy, you need to make sure that the problem is not amenable to correction, and try to eradicate it with competent education and training. If the dog by nature has a shy character, the main thing to remember is that with little effort you can do life together with a pet more comfortable and happy!

What to do if the dog is afraid of people? Is it worth considering such behavior as a deviation, especially given the modern, not always humanistic moods of society? Is it worth helping a pet overcome this fear? There is no single answer to these questions, and in fact, each owner makes his own decision. However, man and dog have come a long way together in development. From the point of view of dog psychology and cynology in general, dogs and people should not be afraid of each other.

Did you know that cynophobia, that is, the fear of dogs, is considered a mental disorder? Considering the opposite situation, we can draw a similar conclusion - if a dog is afraid of a person, it means that the animal has a too receptive, weak or traumatized psyche. The phobia may "stretch" from puppyhood or have specific causes. The tactics of war say: “Know the enemy by sight”, and with fear, the more you know about the causes of the disease that has developed, the more likely it is to overcome it. To begin with, fears are divided into:

Having a reason Fear can cause negative emotions, pain, or dangerous situation experienced by the quadruped. Most often, the reaction of the animal is based on direct consequences. life experience. For example, dogs are afraid of some people if they have been in captivity or quarantined, bullying or rough treatment. All bipeds that have a similar height, silhouette or smell will remind the ward of the experience and frighten him.

idiopathic- fears, the cause of which cannot be identified. For example, a dog is afraid of crying babies or very young children. Another example - a puppy is brought up in a family with childhood, but suddenly and for no reason begins to be afraid of one of the family members.

Read also: The dog is afraid of the owner: the causes of the phobia and ways to overcome it

Naturally, if you know the root cause of the phobia, it will be much easier to wean the dog from being afraid of people. You need to work in one direction and help the dog overcome his insecurities. Any fear of quadrupeds is based on distrust or insecurity in own forces. For example, a skirmish with a relative, which ended in bites, can give rise to fear of the whole living world due to the realization of one's own weakness. You need to learn one thing - if a dog is afraid, it definitely does not trust and considers a person as a threat to its life or health.

Mistakes of owners that exacerbate the dog's fear of people and methods of correction

Let's say a dog is afraid of strangers, you still don't know the reasons, but in fact the phobia has already manifested itself. How do you react to the behavior of your ward?

Most likely like this:

1. With a passive reaction- the ward runs away from the person who frightened him, you try to call the dog, but as a rule, to no avail. After, you catch up with the pet and scold him for disobedience. The second outcome, you feel sorry for and reassure the ward. Does it look like you? If yes, congratulations, you are exactly 50% the cause of the developed phobia.

How to: allow the dog to move to a safe distance in its understanding. If the dog is clearly running away, we do not use the “Come to me” command (or other commands), we call out by name or any other phrases, for example, “Stop” or “Come here”. Only when the ward has stopped, we begin to move with a calm step in his direction. Stop at arm's length, make sure that the pet is not afraid of you, go around him from behind and stand above him, slightly squeezing the sternum with your knees, fasten the leash. Stroke the dog's neck, but do not lisp. Then command "Next" and distract your pet with a few simple commands. Your behavior should be as calm as possible, but friendly, you should not show fear or concern.

Important! With a passive reaction, most often, the reason lies in uncertainty. Your task is to show the pet that you are always there and are not afraid of a frightening subject. Over time, the dog will begin to copy your behavior and even if frightened, will step aside, but not run away.

2.When an aggressive reaction- you shout at the pet, trying to stop the barking, run after him, trying to grab the collar, scold him for misbehavior. The four-legged perceives your inappropriate behavior as a fright, which provokes a more aggressive reaction. Does it look like your case? Your behavior reinforces the dog's confidence that people should only be dealt with by force.

Mickey is a dog that hides under the bed whenever someone enters the house. Chala barks and spins under the feet of the owners if a child approaches. When a man approaches Josie, she involuntarily urinates.

What do all these dogs have in common? Dogs are afraid of certain people: strangers, children, or men.

Dogs that are afraid of people are usually described as shy, cowardly, nervous, or cautious. Shy or cowardly behavior is easy to recognize: dogs run, hide, or tremble when they see a stranger approaching them.

But fear can manifest itself in a wide variety of behavioral patterns. In response to fear, reactions may appear that foreign trainers call the four F: stupor (freeze), fight (fight), flight (flight) and fool around (fool around). Jumping, seeking attention, urinating, panting, drooling, excessive shedding, and lack of eye-to-eye contact can also indicate uncertainty or fear. Growling, barking, and other aggressive behaviors can also be based on fear.

Where does embarrassment come from?

Cowardly animals are found among dogs of any size, weight class and breeds. Why are dogs afraid?

It is a popular belief that dogs that are afraid of people have suffered from mistreatment or experienced something terrible in their time. Sometimes this is true, but the bigger impact tends to be genetic predisposition and lack of communication (socialization) in puppyhood.

Owners of shy dogs can rarely name exact reason. Fortunately, it is not necessary to know the reasons to help an animal overcome its fears.

Scary people are everywhere.

The first step in helping your dog overcome shyness is to exact definition Who exactly is she shy about. Sometimes it seems that a dog that is shy or scared is afraid of everything around. But, having thought carefully and determining exactly who she was afraid of and under what circumstances, you can get very useful information. This will help you in making a list of those people that the dog is afraid of. For each shy animal, such a list will be unique.

One dog I know has such a list of all strangers outside the house. For another dog, these are children under the age of five. The more you understand what scares your pet, the better.

Once you've figured out who or what is scary, you can start taking steps to smooth out your reactions to the scary things and make them more calm. Situation management will be yours best friend on the early stages working with shy dogs.

How situation management works.

Roughly speaking, situation management involves moving away from the problem or what causes the problem (in this case - scary people), surrounded by a dog. Control alone will not solve the fear issue, but it can prevent the dog from reacting, such as cowering, urinating, barking, or growling, until the animal feels more comfortable around the feared.

Managing the situation can reduce stress levels for the pet and its owner, as well as create an environment conducive to training and behavior modification. In some cases, management plays leading role in the matter of safety (note that if a dog has bitten someone, even in a fit of fear, it is necessary to consult with a dog handler or other certified animal behavior specialist).

Each animal assumes a different control strategy, depending on what causes fear. For example, if you are the owner of a puppy who is afraid strangers, you might find the following strategy helpful:

Avoid crowds where your dog is surrounded by strangers.

Use a leash, cage, or children's fence to keep your dog from interacting with strangers in your home.

Think also about how to protect the dog from sudden encroachments:

If a stranger comes up to you and asks you to pet your dog, answer: “No, sorry, but this makes my dog uncomfortable.”

Stand between a man and a dog.

Create distance by crossing the road or heading the other way.

Once you've mastered the situation and your dog's stress levels are down, get ready to train, desensitize, and learn.

"method of contradiction"!

Workouts for confidence.

Simple workouts are fun and also help make your pet more confident. dog training simple commands, such as "sit", "lie down", "place", lay good foundation and teach your dog to always look at you when he is in doubt. In addition, serious training such as rallying, musical freestyle or agility can significantly boost a dog's self-confidence.

And, while all training will help with fearful dogs, these three exercises will prove to be the most effective in increasing the animal's self-confidence:

Ask for everything politely. Have your dog sit or lie down before you pet him, feed him, play with him, open the door for him, and so on. This builds a mechanism that alleviates stress in dogs and also teaches the dog to expect instructions and rewards from you.

Remember the reward. Reward any manifestation good behavior on people. For example, if you "go out" and your dog sits down in the presence of strangers, mark the behavior with a gesture or a word (such as "yes!") and give your pet a reward. If your pet is polite to a friendly child, mark the behavior (with a gesture or word) and reward the dog. Reward your dog for behavior, even if you didn't ask him to do it! With rewards during right action the dog remembers the way of behavior and tries to copy it in the future, reducing its stress level.

Practice standard behavior. Standard behavior (this is the behavior when the animal does not know what else to do) can be a good help for nervous dog. A perfect example of this standard for dogs is This helps your shy pet get his bearings as well as distract from people who scare him.

Additionally, you can use the presence of "scary" people for commands and practice behavior. Once your dog has gotten used to the “on me” command, start practicing it around strangers or other people who scare your pet. During work, stand at a safe distance from the dog enough so that he does not worry about the close presence of other people (see the section "reducing susceptibility" below).

Every time a scary person appears on the horizon, say the command and reward the dog for doing it right. When the animal sees the intimidating person and acts as you ask it, immediately reward the dog with 10 tidbits and shower him with praise.

Switching emotions

And while appropriate behavior training works for confidence and teaches a dog how to behave appropriately around people who might frighten it, desensitization and the "contradiction method" can be key tools to help a dog overcome fear.

If you've ever dealt with fears, let's say a fear of heights or a fear of spiders, you know that using logic isn't always enough to get rid of that fear. You can't just say, "Hmm, it's stupid to be afraid of spiders, so I won't be afraid of them anymore." Moreover, any mention of "terrible" makes the palms sweat, and the heart beats faster. When a dog is frightened, it experiences something similar - both emotionally and physically.

Desensitization and the "contradiction method" always work well in helping the dog work through the emotional and physical sensations that result from fear of humans.

Desensitization involves confronting things that cause fear (for example, strangers), on acceptable level(at such a distance that the dog noticed them, but did not lose heart). The "contradiction method" consists in presenting a pleasant stimulus (for example, a piece of fried meat) in the presence of a frightening thing (stranger). The goal of this method is to change the emotional and physiological response to a stranger from fear to pleasure and relaxation.

Getting Started

Here is a desensitization and "contradiction method" tactic for a dog that is afraid of strangers:

Determine what scares your dog - the more specific, the better!

Choose something special to fix things. This is the time when you should use the most amazing thing your pet can imagine! For many dogs the best option is meat: roast beef, hot dogs, chicken breasts. For some dogs, there is an alternative in the form of a particularly valuable item or game (I know a dog who quickly got rid of his fear of children when the neighborhood kids started playing ball with him). Make sure the dog is motivated - if you are using food as a reward, the dog must be hungry!

Determine the acceptable level for the dog. See how close the alien is, how many people are nearby and what they are doing. For example, a dog is not particularly nervous in the presence of one or two people at a distance of 10 meters.

Ask someone to play along and come within 10 meters. Every time a person shows up and your pet notices them, start rewarding your dog with treats. Give a new bite as soon as the dog swallows the previous one.

When the person moves to a safe distance, stop feeding the pet.

Repeat the exercise until the dog waits in awe and glances at you for encouragement every time a stranger comes into view.

When your dog gets used to the stranger, ask the person to come a little closer, like a meter.

Repeat the procedure (several visits over several days), each time asking the stranger to come as close as the dog is comfortable with. Not particularly shy animals need only a few visits so that a stranger can safely walk near the animal, and the dog is happy to see him. Animals with more intense fears will need to be trained with different people over the course of months.

Be patient! Effective reduction sensitivity and the "contradiction method" is like watching paint dry (unless you're a coach and genuinely enjoy these things). Remember that you need to work at an acceptable level. The process is slow and laborious, but the game is worth the candle.

Opportunities

In an ideal world, the "contradiction method" is applied in conjunction with desensitization (that is, the dog is brought together with people who frighten him at an acceptable level, when the animal is relaxed and comfortable). However, in real world while you are working with fears, it is impossible to force your pet to ignore people who scare him. This is fine. Practice the “contradiction method” (feeding treats) every time you see a frightening person at a distance that makes the dog anxious.

In fact, owners of very shy dogs may introduce this feeding practice into everyday life. Feed your pet whenever you walk and see a stranger. If a stranger comes into the house, feed the dog in his presence. If the dog feels comfortable, you can even ask a stranger to treat your pet with treats.

If you ask other people to feed your dog, take care of their safety by giving the appropriate instructions:

Ask the helper to wait until the dog approaches; You don't have to get close to the dog.

Try to arrange for the helper to stand or sit to the side of the dog. Ask him not to lean towards the animal or make eye contact with it.

The helper should hold the treat in an open palm and wait for the dog to come and take the food from the hand. If the dog is too frightened to approach, the helper should gently lower the treats to the ground.

Attention! A fearful dog may temporarily overcome his fear in the presence of a very tidbit, but then bite the intimidating person when the bait is gone. Do not ask strangers and helpers to feed treats until you are sure that the sensitivity is sufficiently reduced - the animal should no longer be afraid to approach strangers or be frightened by the appearance of strangers.

Praise your pet when he or she shows confidence and has a peaceful time with other people.

Your dog sets the pace

One of the most important things about your shy dog is respect for his fears when you let your pet set the pace at which he gets used to new or intimidating people. Prevent his mistakes in behavior by properly managing the situation. Teach your dog basic habits so he knows what to do in new situations. Be generous with large portions joys in the presence of frightening people, so that the pet can overcome his fears.

I've seen shy people, but not very fearful dogs who became more self-confident after a couple of short weeks. But I have also seen dogs that take up to two years to feel comfortable. No matter how long it takes, the time and investment will be worth it - for you and especially for your pet! Helping to gain confidence and overcome fears is not only one of the greatest gifts for your pet, but also a very rewarding activity!

Sometimes dogs can be shy. Fearfulness can arise as a result of previously experienced bad experience due to lack of socialization or learning gaps. Correcting your dog's behavior will increase his self-confidence and will also help you get a balanced pet that is well adapted to the human lifestyle. This article provides some tips for boosting confidence in shy and fearful dogs.

Steps

A conscious approach to understanding the causes of a dog's shyness

Remember that fearfulness can come from confusion. Even though the dog's behavior may just seem irrational, fearfulness can be born out of things that the animal doesn't understand. Know the reasons for your dog to display this behavior when the dog is shy. They may come from previous experience or lack of it, as the dog did not have the opportunity to normally present a similar situation before.

Dogs may be wary of unfamiliar people, certain situations, or objects. Often this is due to a lack of awareness.
Fearful behavior can also be the result of poor socialization, lack of training, and even past mistreatment.

Pay attention to signs of fearfulness. Some behaviorists identify four main types of behavior that occur when dogs are shy: freezing, attacking, running away, and irrational behavior. Attack and escape are fairly straightforward and quite similar to the human response to fear. Freezing is characterized by the immobilization of the dog as a result of a reaction to a source of stress. Irrational behavior can be difficult, but it is like hysterical laughter or fuss in people. Irrational behavior in dogs can be expressed by a wild explosion of energy, jumping, hitting paws, and so on.

Reveal fearfulness from past mistreatment. Many overly shy dogs have experienced mistreatment in the past. You can identify some potential signs of such an experience by paying attention to certain dog behaviors and other traits.

Take advantage of the classic conditioned reflex. The development of a conditioned reflex consists of combining causing fear experiences with positive experiences that change emotional reaction dogs. This creates an automatic Pavlovian reflex. good example A similar conditioned reflex is the admiring reaction of the dog to the leash, since at the sight of it the animal begins to think that he will soon have a walk. The following are some tips for developing a reflex.

For especially effective result learning, resort to counterconditioning. The idea is to get the desired reaction from the dog instead of showing fear.

During desensitization, bring the stressor into motion. Gradually increase the movement activity of the stressor. This will greatly enhance the dog's ability to bear the influence of the frightening object.
- Then start moving the stressor when it is near the dog. The combination of movement and the proximity of a frightening object allows for an increase in the intensity of desensitization.
- For example, if your dog is afraid of a particular object, perhaps a newspaper, start feeding him a few steps away from the newspaper, then try moving the newspaper with your foot on the floor as the dog eats the food.
Add noise to your desensitization lessons. Returning to the newspaper example, you can hide polyethylene inside it, which will create a rustle when you move the newspaper across the floor with your help. This noise, combined with the proximity of the moving newspaper, will help desensitize the dog to the stressor, minimizing his fearfulness in his presence.
Watch your own reactions to your dog's fearful behavior. Remember that some dogs like it when you express your admiration for showing them the behavior you want, while others prefer simply receiving a treat. Understanding and showing respect for your dog's preferences can also help minimize shyness.
- The postures you take also matter, so you should always be relaxed, content, and positive. This will cheer up a shy dog.
- When talking, do not shout or express anger. Remember that the dog will not be able to understand the reason for your anger, this will only reassure him of your unpredictability, which will not help at all to cope with his fearfulness.
Encouragement and encouragement of the dog
1. Encourage your dog's socialization with other dogs. If you notice that your dog is afraid of other dogs, find a very friendly outgoing dog to socialize your dog with. First, introduce the dogs very briefly, this should be done from a distance, and both dogs should be on leashes. Bring your dogs together daily, increasing the amount of time they spend socializing.
  - Consider agility courses or general training as they are also a good place to introduce your pet to other dogs and situations.
2. Reward your dog with treats. If the dog is showing the desired behavior, such as being relaxed, reasonably confident, etc., give him a treat. This will allow him to make a connection between you and positive things, but it will especially reinforce the understanding that good things happen when the dog is not showing fear. This is called positive reinforcement, which is very effective and highly recommended for shy dogs.
  - Be sure to pair treats with praise.
3. Respect an injured dog. Speak calmly and let the injured dog get used to the environment. She can mark territory (even at home), but be patient and be careful with parenting techniques.
  - An injured dog may benefit from having a private, quiet space within the home. If you have other pets, you should carefully introduce them to the injured dog, however, they should not be allowed into his personal quiet territory.
  - Desensitize an injured dog to fearful people by offering to feed and play with the dog while you ignore it.
- Having another well-balanced dog is more likely to help your shy dog recover from fears through demonstration right kind behavior.
- Remember to work with your dog's own speed and don't rush him as this can create negative emotions, Besides, in extreme cases it can even be dangerous.
- Forcing a dog to correct behavior through the use of suffocating and strict collars, as well as other negative devices, will increase the fears underlying the problem, since the use of such devices is associated with pain and confusion at the time of behavior correction, despite the outward ease and speed of correction with their help.
- Watch for signs aggressive behavior such as growling, biting, and aggressive body language signals. When they occur, make a distracting noise such as whistling, clicking, and so on, and then redirect the dog's activity in another direction. Remember that aggression is a much more difficult problem than shyness, so start working on aggression reduction exercises before continuing to deal with shyness.
Warnings
- If a dog attacks you or tries to bite you, contact a professional immediately. Do not try to rehabilitate such a dog yourself! Understand that this is a completely separate problem from fearfulness, despite the fact that in a certain forced situation, one reaction can turn into another.