47 – Fearful Dogs

Have you ever been afraid?  I suspect there is a lot of fear out there right now – fear of loss of job, of home or business, or loss of a loved one.   Then there are the “irrational” fears – the fear of snakes, of heights, of flying, to name a few.  We are the “superior beings,” the ones who can reason, the ones whose intellect makes it possible to understand those things that are hard to understand.  Yet we still are afraid.  If it’s difficult for humans, with all our brain power,  to handle fears, imagine what fear must be like for a dog.

Fear is defined as “a state of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger.”  For dogs, I might amend this to read “the perceived presence of danger.”  For them, there need not be an actual threat.  Many people are willing to believe that a fearful dog has had some horrible experience in the past.   So often I hear “He must have been beaten by his previous owner.”  While it’s always a possibility, some dogs are just born fearful through genetic predisposition.  The September/October 2009 issue of The Bark magazine has an article by Dr. Patricia McConnell that discusses this.  As she notes, “shyness is relatively common in many herding breeds.”  It is not just herding breeds who suffer from fear, though.

Developmentally, dogs go through two fear periods.  The first occurs in the 8 to 12 week old range and the second in the 6 to 14 month old age range.  (Please note that these are estimates only and dogs are unique individuals.  A dog who matures more slowly may have a fear period after the generalized ages given. )   During these times, how the dog is handled can determine if you will have a confident dog or one that chooses to hide behind your legs when she perceives a threat.  Two methods guaranteed to cause problems are “prevent all interaction with other dogs and people” and “force him to face his fears.”

Some owners are particularly guilty of picking up their pups at the first sight of their fearful behavior.  They often hold the pup close to their chests, cooing the “it will be okay” song, and reinforcing the fear.  They simply do not allow the puppies to interact with others, thus confirming that new things are scary and must be defended against.   These dogs often grow into barking, growling, snappy adult dogs, unwilling to accept any outsiders, human or canine.

On the other end of the continuum, there are owners who will force their dogs into situations where interaction with the scary person or dog is mandatory, usually with the “they’ll work it out” attitude. Too often, the frightened dog  will send out canine body language easily read by other dogs, but they are pushed together anyway, resulting in a fight. When the scary object is human, the chances of the fearful dog biting that person is great. 

How can you tell if your dog is fearful?  Watch his body.  Some dogs will react by turning their backs on the object it fears.  Others will go straight to the warning growl – their way of saying “leave now before I must defend myself.”  (Note – dogs who have been punished for growling may not give this signal.  Areason good, positive trainers do not punish growling.)  Other body postures may include shoulder hunching, tail tucked under his body, raised lip baring teeth, ears flat against his head, dilated pupils, trembling, and raised hackles.   Fearful dogs may also roll over onto their backs or urinate submissively. 

If you have a fearful dog, there are steps you can take to help him gain confidence.  Have him do small tricks like interacting with a hoola hoop, rewarding him continuously as he progresses from sticking his nose into it to finally walking through it.  Have him interact with a flat board on the ground and praise him as he becomes brave enough to walk the length of it without stepping off.  You can build a makeshift agility jump using a broom handle on top of concrete blocks and teach your fearful dog to jump over it (this is for dogs whose growth plates have closed, usually after 14 months of age).

Fearful dogs lacking confidence have behavioral issues.  Often these dogs do not view their owners as leaders and feel the pressure to take leadership into their own paws.  It is important that the owner step up and relieve the dog of that pressure.  This is not the brutal, aggressive leadership spewed by force trainers on television which can, and often does, cause the dog to become more fearful and results in increased aggression or a shutdown by the dog.  Instead, strive to lead by showing the dog all good things come from you.  The program is referred to as “work to earn”  or “nothing in life is free.”  In these programs, owners require a behavior from the dog – a sit, stay, down, or trick - in order for the dog to receive something it wants – food, petting, attention, a game of ball. 

Counter conditioning and desensitization should take center stage for teaching your dog to handle its fears.  Good books that explain this method are The Cautious Canine by Patricia McConnell, Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt, and Help for Your Fearful Dog by Ali Brown.  Have patience and take your time helping your fearful dog.  The payoff is well worth it!

Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer and owner  Smiles and Wags Pet Services in Cookeville.  Her email is jan@smilesandwags.com or you may call her at 931-510-0119.