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Dogs may display a variety of behaviors when they’re afraid.
A fearful dog will display certain body postures, including lowering his
head, flattening his ears back against his head, and tucking his tail
between his legs. He may also pant, salivate, tremble and/or pace. A frightened
dog may try to escape, may show submissive behaviors (avoidance of eye
contact, submissive urinating, rolling over to expose his belly), or he
may freeze and remain immobile. Some dogs will bark and/or growl at the
object that is causing their fear. In extreme cases of fearfulness a dog
may be destructive (out of general anxiety or in an attempt to escape),
or he may lose control of his bladder or bowels and, therefore, house
soil.
Causes Of Fearful Behavior
Determining why your dog is fearful isn’t always essential to treating
the fearful behavior, although the reason for his fear will dictate the
relative success of the treatment. A dog that is genetically predisposed
to general fearfulness, or a dog that was improperly socialized during
a critical stage in his development, will probably not respond as well
to treatment as a dog that has developed a specific fear in response to
a specific experience. It’s essential, however, to first rule out any
medical causes for your dog’s fearful behavior. Your first step should
be to take your dog to your veterinarian for a thorough medical evaluation.
What You Can Do
Most fears won’t go away by themselves, and if left untreated, may get
worse. Some fears, when treated, will decrease in intensity or frequency
but may not disappear entirely. Once medical reasons have been ruled out,
the first step in dealing with your dog’s fearful behavior is to identify
what triggers his fear. If he is afraid of startling noises see our handout:
"Helping Your Dog Overcome The Fear Of Thunder And Other
Startling Noises." If he is afraid of being left alone, see our handout:
"Separation Anxiety." Most fears can be treated
using desensitization and counter conditioning techniques, which require
a lot of time and patience. You may need help from a professional animal
behavior specialist to help you with these techniques (see our handout:
"When The Behavior Helpline Can’t Help").
Desensitization
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Begin by exposing your dog to a very low level or
small amount of whatever it is that’s causing his fear. For example, if
he is afraid of bicycles, start with a bicycle placed at a distance of
100 feet from your dog.
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Reward him for calm, non-fearful behavior in the
presence of the bicycle. Gradually move the bicycle closer to him. As
long as your dog remains relaxed, reward him with treats and praise. If
at any point he becomes anxious, move the bicycle further away and proceed
at a slower pace.
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When your dog can remain relaxed in the presence
of a stationary bicycle, move the bicycle 100 feet away again, but have
someone ride it slowly by him. Again, gradually increase the proximity
of the slowly moving bicycle, rewarding your dog for remaining calm and
relaxed. Repeat this procedure as many times as necessary, gradually increasing
the speed of the moving bicycle.
- This process may take several days, weeks or even months.
You must proceed at a slow enough pace that your dog never becomes fearful
during the desensitization process.
Counter Conditioning
Counter conditioning works best when used along with desensitization and
involves pairing the fear stimulus with an activity or behavior incompatible
with the fear behavior.
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Using the desensitization technique example described
previously, while your dog is exposed to the bicycle, ask him to perform
some obedience exercises, such as "sit" and "down." Reward him for obeying
and continue to have him obey commands as the bicycle is moved closer
to him.
- If your dog doesn’t know any commands, teach him a
few using treats and praise. Don’t ever use punishment, collar corrections
or scolding to teach him the commands, as the point of counter conditioning
is for him to associate pleasant things with the thing that frightens
him.
Realistic Expectations
Some of the things that frighten dogs can be difficult to reproduce and/or
control. For example, if your dog is afraid of thunderstorms, he may be
responding to other things that occur during the storm, such as smells,
barometric pressure changes and/or changes in the light. During the desensitization
process it’s impossible for you to reproduce all of these factors. If
your dog is afraid of men, you may work at desensitizing him, but if an
adult man lives in your household and your dog is constantly exposed to
him, this can disrupt the gradual process of desensitization.
When To Get Help
Because desensitization and counter conditioning can be difficult to do,
and because behavior problems may increase if these techniques are done
incorrectly, you may want to get professional, in-home help from an animal
behavior specialist (see our handout: "When The
Behavior Helpline Can’t Help"). It’s important to keep in mind that
a fearful dog that feels trapped or is pushed too far may become aggressive.
Some dogs will respond aggressively to whatever it is that frightens them
(see our handout: "Understanding Aggression In Dogs"). If your dog
displays any aggressive behavior, such as growling, snarling, snapping
or baring his teeth, stop all behavior modification procedures and seek
professional help from an animal behavior specialist as soon as possible.
Consult With Your Veterinarian
Medication may be available that can help your dog feel less anxious for
short time periods. Your veterinarian is the only person who is licensed
and qualified to prescribe medication for your dog. Don’t attempt to give
your dog any over-the-counter or prescription medication without consulting
with your veterinarian. Animals don’t respond to drugs the same way people
do, and a medication that may be safe for humans could be fatal to your
dog. Drug therapy alone won’t reduce fears and phobias permanently. In
extreme cases, behavior modification and medication used together may
be the best approach.
What Not To Do
- Don’t punish your dog for being afraid. Punishment
will only make him more fearful.
- Don’t try to force your dog to experience the object
or situation that is causing him to be afraid. For example, if he is
afraid of bicycles and you force him to stand in place while bicycles
whiz by, he’ll probably become more fearful, rather than less fearful
of bicycles.
- Never punish your dog after the fact for destruction
or house soiling caused by anxiety or fear. Animals don’t understand
punishment after the fact, even if it’s only seconds later. This kind
of destruction or house soiling is the result of panic, not misbehavior.
Punishment will do more harm than good.
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