Fear of People

Question
I have a Siberian Husky which I got at the age of 6 mos. He is now 8 mos. He
is scared to death of people. He shies away from them and basically freaks
out to the point where he is screaming and tugging on his leash to get way. I
have tried taking him everywhere I go to get him socialized and giving food to
people to feed him but nothing seems to be working. I was planning on show
him which I don't think I can do now. I contacted the breeder and she said
that the dam was the same way as well as her puppies. If you have any tips
please let me know. Thank you.

Answer
Sarah, if the dam was like this, she should NOT have been bred. Shame on that breeder!

Rather than trying to get her to let people approach and pet him or offer him treats, take him out and just walk him, play with him, etc. around people, but at a distance that he is comfortable. You can gradually work your way closer to where the people are, again, as he is comfortable. I would recommend that you consider having him neutered, because a fearful temperament is faulty, and you should not breed him. Additionally, as he matures, his fear >>could<< develop into aggression with the onset of his sex hormones. From the AKC breed standard: "The characteristic temperament of the Siberian Husky is friendly and gentle, but also alert and outgoing. He does not display the possessive qualities of the guard dog, nor is he overly suspicious of strangers."


If he shows fear towards someone, what do YOU do? You could be inadvertently encouraging the behavior. You may want to consider working with a trainer that can come to your house vs. a class setting, to help you help your dog. I do think that you should continue to take him out and about as much as you can, but do not let people try to pet him or give him treats. You need for him to get used to people being there, but not bothering him, before you start trying to get him to accept attention from them.