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

The appearance of a four-legged friend in your home is a joyful event. Basically, dogs come to their owners' homes as puppies. Therefore, modest behavior is considered normal. For several days the puppy will hide and hide in corners, but the love, patience, and caring attitude of the owners will do their job, and very soon the baby will happily run around the house. However, if over time the situation does not improve, and the dog, even as an adult, is afraid of people, not only strangers, but sometimes even loved ones, the alarm should be sounded. It is likely that the animal is suffering from some kind of physical or mental injury. And every caring owner considers it his duty to understand the problem.

The dog is afraid of people, what should I do?

Dog-human interaction

It is not a dog's nature to be afraid of people. Thousands of years have passed since the domestication of the beast by man. Dogs are faithful companions in hunting, recreation, long trips and in life. Today there are special animals that help sick people, so-called guide dogs or animals that distract from stressful situations.

For a dog, interaction with a person is also of great importance. Firstly, an animal that has its patron in the form of a person is self-confident, not subject to stress and anxiety, and easily socializes among its relatives. In addition, close interaction with people provides the basis for the development of the animal’s mental abilities. The dog takes actions in order to express its emotions, desires and feelings to the person. For example, at the moment of a strong impulse of tenderness and love, he begins to lick the owner, when he wants to eat, takes the desired position, and when the phrase “let's go for a walk” he waits at the door. An animal that has a close connection with people is highly trainable and responds to a huge number of commands without any problems. And animals that get along with people live longer. This is shown by various sociological studies.

Dogs are faithful companions to humans

Who is allowed to be afraid?

In fact, there are situations that allow animals to experience fear and it will be considered normal. Let's consider several options for the development of events when fear is a natural reaction to what is happening.

If you have just taken a puppy into your home, and the dog is seeing you for the first time, then it is likely that during the first three to four days he will experience fear in your presence. This is expressed by uncertainty, a change of location. Early separation from the mother also leaves its mark. If you are going away for a while and you leave your dog with strangers or people who rarely appear in your home, the animal may also experience stress for several days.

The same goes for your move. If a dog finds itself in a new environment, and in addition to its owners, there are other people in the house, it may experience fear during the first few days. The animal is prone to fear if hospitalization and medical procedures are required. The animal will remember that there were strangers next to it, which caused a painful sensation. Therefore, during the rehabilitation period he will be afraid of strangers.

When first entering the house, the dog will experience fear for the first three to four days.

Root cause

However, if the above situations did not find a place in your life, and the dog still experiences such phobias, it is worth thinking about the root causes. If a dog is afraid of a person, and not only of strangers, but also of its own owner, it means that it has a very susceptible and, at the same time, traumatized psyche. All fears that arise in an animal when it sees a person are divided into two categories.

1. These are the ones that have a reason.
2. And the reason for which, unfortunately, is impossible to see.

Let's look at the first category. If fear has its basis, it means that the animal received negative emotions, was in a dangerous situation or experienced pain. Most often, fear is a consequence of life experiences. Thus, dogs that once happened to be caught by dog ​​handlers, experienced rough treatment and bullying, are rarely inclined to communicate with humans. Those people who have a similar structure to the torturers will remind the animal of what they have experienced.

The cause of fear of people may be a traumatized psyche

Fears that have no reason are often recorded by veterinarians. For example, an animal becomes afraid when a baby cries. Or he begins to be afraid of any family member for no reason, while the person has never done anything bad to the animal. If you can determine the cause of the phobia, it will be much easier for you to fight it.

The dog needs to be helped to overcome uncertainty, but in no case should it be supported. Sometimes animals are insecure due to the fact that they are weak in front of their relatives. This feeling of weakness carries over into the home, where the animal feels vulnerable in the presence of people.

New home training basics

In the new home, the pet will have to get to know the rest of the family and explore the territory. Be sure to help him at this stage and do not forget to allocate a personal space where he can be alone.

Meeting all family members

Before you get a four-legged friend, be sure to coordinate your plans with the rest of your household. The decision must be mutual. This is the only way your pet can live in a comfortable atmosphere.

Children get along best with animals, but sometimes they go too far. Babies are too intrusive and do not always calculate their strength when hugging. Talk to your child about the rules of communication before the arrival of a new family member.

Meeting other four-legged animals can make old-timers jealous, so it’s best to keep them at a distance for the first week. Try not to show affection to the newcomer in front of them and not to change your usual attitude towards your pets.

Getting to know the house

Remove all fragile, valuable and potentially dangerous items in advance. Buy more toys and leave them on the floor. This way, the pet will be able to not only sniff the new territory, but also taste some objects.

When getting to know the house, base it on the dog's behavior. If he is clearly interested, do not stop him from exploring the new environment, and if he is constrained and passive, do not insist on walking around all the rooms and give him time.

Setting up a place for a new pet

Each pet should have its own place where it can rest and be alone. Choose the quietest corner and place a comfortable bed or house in it.

During the first week, feed separately from other four-legged animals to avoid food aggression.

Buy your pet a personal feeder and water bowl so that he can get used to the new smells. Increase the portions themselves gradually, avoiding indigestion from an unusual diet.

If you have adopted a puppy, be sure to provide him with a place to go to the toilet. Use a diaper or litter tray.

Host mistakes

If the dog is prone to experiencing fear, then your behavior can either eliminate this problem or, on the contrary, aggravate it. Many owners, unfortunately, out of ignorance, make a lot of mistakes that lead to not the best results.

The dog needs help to overcome fear

Let's look at the most common ones.

1. Screaming is not the best way to achieve obedience from an animal. Most likely, you will scare the dog by letting him know that you are also afraid.
2. Using physical force or harshness is the worst thing you can do in the fight for excellent behavior. The animal will experience pain and resentment from having received such a blow from its owner. And he will also perceive this as your fear and lack of knowledge of what to do next.
3. Encouragement. By starting to calm the animal by stroking, caressing it or picking it up, you will provoke such behavior. The animal will understand that it was really frightened, and this is how it needs to behave in the future.
4. Do not make sudden movements under any circumstances. It is possible that the animal was previously abused when it lived with a breeder or another family. And every sharp wave of the hand or sharp statement becomes a signal of danger for the dog; it expects physical action to follow.
5. Reluctance to give the dog for training. If an animal is not only afraid of people, but also tries to attack them, then you should think about professional training, because perhaps the animal will cause serious harm to someone.
6. Rewarding in the form of treats for being scared is not the best motivation. If a dog wants to get the coveted delicacy, it will deliberately feign fear and learn to skillfully manipulate you.

Video - The dog is afraid of people. What to do?

How to win favor

How often to worm a dog and puppy correctly

To win the puppy's affection by bringing him into your home, you need to give him time to adapt to the new place. At first, the puppy may try to hide from the new owner, but soon the fear will subside. For good behavior, the puppy should be praised and pampered with treats, as well as give him affection and do not forget to play.

It is more difficult to get the affection of an adult pet, because it already has its own character and formed habits. It will take much longer to adapt, so you will need to be patient.

To gain trust, the owner needs to pet, talk and walk the dog often. If his behavior deviates from the generally accepted behavior, for example, he chews things, goes to the toilet at home, he must be scolded, but without using physical force.

Passive reaction

The dog runs away from the person who scared it. The owner tries to call the animal, but these actions are unsuccessful. The owner begins to chase the animal and scolds it. Or, on the contrary, you calm your ward, pet him, and give him a treat. If you behave as described above, then you are encouraging a phobia.

What should you do in such a situation?

1. Allow the dog to move to a distance that is safe in its opinion.
2. If the dog runs too far, there is no need to call it, scold it, or call it using commands.
3. As soon as the animal stops, turn around and calmly walk towards the pet. Maintain arm's length distance.
4. Make sure the animal is happy to see you and not afraid.
5. Walk around the back of the dog and stand behind it, while squeezing the sternum with your legs. Attach the leash. In this case, the animal must be stroked on the neck all the time, without making it clear that you agree with the behavior.
6. Command “Nearby”, give a few more simple executable commands. The dog should see that you feel as calm as possible, while being friendly towards it.

Under no circumstances should you reward your dog for being scared.

Very soon the animal will forget that it was scared of someone, because your behavior does not remind it of this fact.

Important! Your task is to show your dog that you are always there for him, while the frightened object is not scary for you. The animal will change your confidence and begin to copy your behavior. Next time she will simply walk around the object, frightened, but will not run away.

How to attract an animal's attention and approach it

How many times a day should you feed an adult dog and a puppy?

If you need to attract the attention of an animal, you should act carefully, following the safety rules:

• You need to beware of aggressive dogs. You should also avoid dogs that show symptoms of rabies.
• You should not look into the eyes of an unfamiliar dog. For them, direct gaze means a challenge, so it is better to look a little to the side.
• You can draw the animal's attention to yourself by snapping your fingers or clicking your tongue. You can try to call the animal, but in a calm tone, so as not to scare it or cause aggression.
• You should approach a dog whose attention has already been attracted slowly, avoiding sudden movements. You cannot squat in front of him, it is better to stay at a distance of 3-4 meters.
• Having approached the permitted distance, you should wait for the stray dog ​​to come towards you. If he wags his tail welcomingly, then it is permissible to extend your hand in his direction, but you need to hold it with your palm down. It's best to have something tasty in your hand to help establish contact.

Aggressive reaction

It manifests itself in shouting at a four-legged friend, running, sudden movements of the leash and collar, and swearing. The animal looks at your behavior and understands that you also experienced fear, which prompted you to such an aggressive reaction. This behavior will become the basis for the dog to reason that people really need to be feared. What to do in this case?

To correct behavior, it is best to contact a trainer

If your dog has already attempted to bite someone, you need to contact a trainer who will train the animal. Unfortunately, an aggressive animal should not roam on its own. Your steps should look like this.

1. You must control the situation.
2. The tug on the leash should not be strong.
3. Command “Quiet!” If your command does not help, start leading the dog around you.
4. Hold his chest between your knees and begin stroking the animal's neck.
5. Wait until the frightened object moves away.
6. Then place the animal next to you.
7. Give the command "Nearby".
8. Pet the dog and say, “Okay, good job.” However, this is not praise, but just a statement that defending yourself is good, but there is no need to lash out.

Important ! In order for all the tips given above to work, it is necessary that your animal knows at least two commands “Ugh!” and “Quiet!”

Video - The dog is afraid of people. What to do? Part 2

If the pet had a different owner

The success of taming a four-legged friend inherited from another owner directly depends on the reason for separation. If the events that occurred left a trauma, it will not be easy, but communication with such an animal is still much easier than with a homeless one from birth.

Gaining trust

The best way to gain trust is a combination of love and delicious food. Take care of the quality of the new diet and be sure to pamper your new pet with healthy treats.

Avoid being alone for too long, which can open up old wounds. Physical punishment should also be avoided. For relieving yourself in the wrong place and destroying shoes, simply scold your pet in a stern voice and go to another room. Ignoring is the most humane and effective way of punishment. Over time, the four-legged friend will thaw out and will rush to reconcile himself for the offense committed.

Strengthening the authority of the new owner

To strengthen authority, it is important to take care of the rules of behavior and monitor their implementation, without allowing exceptions. The absence of concessions will help the dog realize the importance of the owner.

At first, the dog will test your strength, but do not give in to provocations. Remember that authority comes not from brute force, but from caring. Noticing your efforts, your pet will be imbued with respect and love. After this, you can start training more thoroughly.

Lack of socialization

Very often, owners become the reason for this behavior of the animal. And it's not a matter of beatings and hostile behavior. Many animals are kept locked up, but do not see strangers, their relatives.

It is necessary to start walking when the puppy reaches three months of age. It is from this moment that the dog begins to actively comprehend the world around him, understands that there are still a lot of people around who are not aggressive and live their own lives. If a dog is kept locked up and then accidentally ends up on the street, then it experiences fear from everything unknown, and even more so from strangers.

The dog must be introduced to people and other animals as early as possible.

When should you visit the vet?

Unfortunately, sometimes the reason for such animal behavior is not the lack of proper education from the owner. Weakness of the nervous system is a common reason why an animal cannot normally enjoy walks. Due to the fact that the nerve endings do not function properly, even adults behave differently, constantly on guard.

Such animals have a high risk of stroke and other diseases that lead to death. They may be frightened by rustling noises, a crying child, or sounds that are somewhat louder than normal. The main reasons that you should visit a veterinarian are involuntary urination during loud noises, fear and shaking if the owner raises his voice a little, and panicky fear of other people. The veterinarian must examine the animal and take tests if necessary. If it is determined that the dog has a weakness of the nervous system, and possibly other diseases, appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

Weakness of the nervous system is one of the reasons for a dog’s inadequate reaction to people.

If a dog generally feels bad, it considers itself vulnerable and snaps at absolutely all strangers from whom it can receive a threat. For example, animals that suffer:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal system;
• hearts;
• feels weak;
• elevated temperature;
• dizziness and pain;
• become an easy target, and realizing this, they try to protect themselves.

Therefore, before learning commands with animals and trying to socialize him in any way, be sure to make sure that nothing bothers the dog.

Video - How to overcome the fear of dogs

Preliminary preparation

Will there be a dog in the house soon? You need to prepare for this event not only mentally. To make your pet feel comfortable, safe and unable to damage things, you need:

1. Remove all dangerous things from the access area. There should be no needles, pins or other sharp objects on the floor and lower shelves of cabinets. Small and fragile things that your pet can break, chew and eat should be placed behind glass on the top shelves.
2. Take the wires into the box. For many pets, destroying the cable is an interesting meditative activity. Therefore, make sure in advance that extension cords, lamp cords, computer, telephone and other connections are placed in a “tooth-resistant” durable case. As an option, secure some of the wires to the walls, closer to the ceiling.

   The dog chews the wire

3. Take care of your writing utensils . Pens, pencils, markers, etc. may seem like a convenient “simulator” for the dog’s teeth. But a pet can seriously damage the sky with body fragments or wood chips, and toxic paint will definitely not improve its health.
4. Organize your holiday decor in a new way. The New Year tree, tinsel, garlands, festive wreaths and bouquets are at risk. An ill-mannered dog may try to eat new and interesting “toys”. And sometimes it is possible to remove a decorative element from a dog’s stomach and pet’s intestines only through surgery.

Video - before getting a puppy

Attention! Find a qualified veterinarian to examine and treat your dog in advance. It is important to know the opening hours of the veterinary office and emergency contacts.

All family members need to be prepared for new duties and responsibilities. You can’t give your child a puppy and then withdraw yourself - most likely, you will have to walk with the pet. Distribute duties and responsibilities for caring for the dog - walking, washing, feeding, going to the veterinarian, playing, etc.

Table 1. Basic dog toys and their purpose.

Tug of War

In addition to toys, you need to prepare for the dog:

• suitable food and utensils. The diet is selected based on size, breed and health status. There should be a couple of bowls (preferably separate) for water and food. Each pet should have its own dishes;

Before you adopt a dog, you need to understand that pets are not omnivores. Feeding them inappropriate and sometimes harmful foods is dangerous. You can learn more about what you should not feed your dog in our separate article.

• care products. The dog needs its own shampoo, brush, toothpaste, odor and insect spray;
• sleeping area. A street dog needs an insulated kennel, an indoor dog needs a soft, durable bed;
• muzzle. You can be sure of the dog's angelic character and its boundless obedience. But a random stranger can sue you if he considers the dog a threat to himself. Study the legislation and find out whether you are required to muzzle your dog;

  How to choose the muzzle size

  A muzzle is necessary for a dog of any breed, and not just representatives of aggressive and large breeds, as many owners believe. This is a guarantee of the safety of people around, as well as a means of protection for overly curious pets, which will prevent them from picking up harmful or dangerous things from the ground. True, from the animal’s point of view, it is an incomprehensible object that causes discomfort and limits freedom, so not all dogs treat it kindly. Find out how to train your dog to wear a muzzle in our separate article.

• accessories for training. The dog must also exercise, and to maintain its shape, it uses special weights sewn into a vest or blanket. If you have a sled or working breed dog, you can buy him a small cart and put, for example, purchases from the store on it on the way home;
• carrying. If the animal gets sick and cannot walk on its own, it is best to take it to the doctor in a carrying container. The dog will feel protected in it, will not accidentally fall out of the car seat and will not dirty the interior. In case of some illnesses and injuries, it is important not to let the dog walk or move actively - a carrier is ideal for this;

  Carrying

• leash. It can be attached to a collar, or can be attached with a separate loop. In order not to impact the dog's neck, you can take it out on a harness.

In order for friendship with a pet to bring joy, you need to raise a dog from the first days of acquaintance. Dog handlers assure that the success of the training process depends on the character and age of the dog. The patience of the owner himself will also be important. You can read more about how to accustom a puppy to a leash in our separate article.

Every pet should have a collar and leash.

• collar. It is not just a piece of leather or metal to which the leash is attached. It should have an insert (ideally metal with engraving) with the dog’s name and owner’s contact information.

Attention! A dog can be microchipped (a chip with information about the owner is inserted under its skin). It is not painful, safe and will increase the chances that your lost pet will quickly return to you.

Checking your dog for a microchip is quick and painless

Adaptation Tips

If you are sure that the dog is absolutely healthy, then you can begin to act. Here are some tips to help you stay on track and achieve results.

1. Do not cancel your walks under any circumstances. Even if the animal is reluctant to go outside and constantly hides behind you, trying to protect itself from meeting other people, you should not follow the lead and stop walking.
2. Start your walks in places that are not crowded with people. Gradually you begin to visit more and more crowded places.
3. Keep your pet on a leash to reduce the likelihood of her running off in an unknown direction.
4. If necessary, take valerian or other medications yourself that will restrain your nervous system. After all, explosions from the owner are the worst thing an animal can experience.
5. Do not take food with you on your walk.
6. If an animal is afraid of contact with its relatives, let it avoid them at first. The dog must observe from the side, thereby understanding that there is nothing dangerous. After a while, she herself will ask to join the company.
7. If you are the owner of a dog that is currently in heat or gestation, then fear is a completely normal reaction for your health or future offspring, because during this period females are most vulnerable.
8. If a lot of people, children, are really gathering around the animal, strangers are talking loudly, trying to flirt with the dog or make them angry, which makes the animal feel uncomfortable and afraid, then ask people to change the tactics of their behavior, or better yet, not to pay any attention to the animal until the moment until the latter adapts to the street.
9. Do not deny your pet contact. If an animal requires affection or approval from you, encourage it in a friendly voice, stroke its head, scratch behind its ear.
10. You may be giving your dog too little time, which is causing him to feel insecure. Having received the proper amount of attention from the owner, the animal will easily begin socialization in society.

Dog socialization

We are responsible for those we once tamed. If your animals experience problems, fear, unpleasant memories, then your task is to eradicate this. With the right approach, your confidence, and of course, excessive love, you will achieve results very soon.

The only way to avoid trouble is to not make a mistake when choosing a puppy.

Chat with the breeder. If he has nothing to hide, he will kindly answer all your questions, show his parents and conditions. Defects of the nervous system are transmitted genetically, so observe the behavior of the mother of the puppies.

One way to test temperament is through tests.

• Check your babies' reaction to noise. For example, the sound of keys falling. The “correct” puppy may be scared, but he will quickly adapt and go to see what is lying there.
• Try taking the baby to another room or outside if you have a fenced yard. See how he will behave without his brothers, sisters and mother. Bring a toy or some object. Observe the reaction.
• The baby should not bark, hide or just sit. A normal puppy is friendly and moderately curious. Of course, everyone is individual, but some reactions go beyond the norm.

Many choose the most timid and unfortunate one, because it becomes pitiful. Are you absolutely sure that you can cope with such a test? If yes, then let's find out what to prepare for.