How To Help Your Dog Overcome Fears

If your furry is very scared, you should know that you have the tools so that, with a lot of patience and love, you can make him overcome his fears. Here’s what you can do to help your puppy leave his fears behind.

How and why dogs are afraid

Fear in dogs can mainly be caused by other animals, noises, objects or people. It manifests itself in several ways, such as:

• The animal hides;
• Bark, or even attack;
• Remains immobile;
• Shows to be submissive.

In addition, a dog can feel fear for different reasons :

• genetic predisposition;
• Socialization problems;
• Previous traumatic experiences;
• Having been separated from his mother early.

If your dog is very fearful, you should know that he has several tools to help him deal with his fears.

Advice to help your dog overcome fears

Always remember the following tips and put them into action when your pet is overrun with fear.

• Don’t cuddle or hug. I know it’s hard not to show a protective attitude when your four-legged companion is frightened, but trying to reassure them in this way will only reinforce the behavior. You believe you are helping. On the contrary, you are only making the situation worse.
• No scolding or punishing your pet. The only thing you’ll get is it makes the problem even worse.
• Don’t try to get him out of the place where he hid. This will increase suffering from an already stressful situation.

How to act with a frightened dog

The best thing you can do to help your furry friend be less afraid is to ignore the animal’s attitude and show reassurance. You should try to communicate to your pet that nothing serious is happening. Dogs easily perceive what we feel. That way you must remain calm, secure and confident.

Try to distract the animal from its fear. A food he likes can sometimes work miracles. If you can get him to forget one of his fears when you offer him a treat, don’t forget to reward him with petting as well.

Finally, make sure the dog’s life has an established routine so that he maintains his emotional balance. Don’t try to change it with very different activities until you can get him to let go of his fears.

Helping Your Dog Overcome Fears

There are some things you can do if you want to help your dog overcome fears. Of course, you will need to set aside a lot of time and patience to get results.

First, you should try to get your pet used to the stimulus that triggers fear. For example, you can record the sounds that scare you and make you listen at a lower volume. Increase the volume gradually and very gradually.

You can also ask a friend to bring a quiet dog to help your furry dog ​​tolerate the presence of another animal. As fear disappears, the distance between animals can narrow.

When you are absolutely sure that your dog’s fear is fading, you can try to get him to associate the stimulus that caused the fear with something positive. Thus, expose him to the sound or situation that frightened him and, at the same time, give rewards such as caresses and treats.

Ask for professional help if your dog’s fear doesn’t go away

If, despite your best efforts, the fear persists, it’s time for the veterinarian to intervene or refer you to an animal behavior specialist.

Treatment may include the prescription of some type of medication whose dose must be controlled by the professional to avoid unwanted reactions. Remember that you should never medicate your pet yourself. You can expose him to irreversible damage.

The veterinarian may also recommend the use of pheromones, to look for a tranquilizing effect like what mothers exert on their puppies.

Do not lose hope, with patience and persistence you will be able to help your dog to overcome fears. And, sooner or later, your pet will have a more balanced, happier, and fear-free life.