Fear is basic survival mechanism which occurs in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. However, if a fearful dog is living constantly in fear, it can be a terrible thing.

Fearful Dog – Fear triggered by:

  1. External situations such as a new place (vet office)
  2. Auditory (noises or sounds that trigger fear)
  3. New animals (unfamiliar dogs, cats, etc)
  4. People (men and/or women)
  5. Pressure

Tips to Identify Dog Fear

  1. Anxiety is not fear. Anxiety is technically an upward energy, while fear is a downward (blocking) energy.
  2. To test fear, put your dog in a situation where you suspect they are fearful and offer the dog food that it would normally be interested in. How do they react?
  3. Watch for tucking of tail, hunching over, salivation, urinating, licking lips, poor eye contact, retracting or backing up

Tips to Help your Dog Overcome Fear

  1. Build strong communication bond with your dog. Successful communication builds trust and trust builds predictability in your dog
  2. Desensitize your dog by exposing them to new situations – people (men and woman), other dogs and animals, strange noises and objects
  3. Play Games such as tag, fetch, find the scent, etc. Games can really help build the dog’s confidence and overcome their fears
  4. Exercise! A healthy body equals a healthy mind!

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We’d love for you to share your dog fear experiences with us in the comments below. We do our best to answer every question posted!