Training the shy or fearful puppy or dog

With dogs as with people, some dogs and puppies are naturally
more bold and daring than others. When you watch a group of
puppies play, it will quickly become apparent which ones are
bold and which ones are shy. Some of the puppies will hang back
at the edge of the pack, perhaps fearful of angering the
stronger dogs, while others will jump right into the fray and
start jostling for control.

Working with a shy puppy or dog, or one that is fearful,
presents its own special challenges. Of course bold, forceful
dogs present challenges of their own, especially with control
and leadership issues. Every type of puppy or dog has its own
unique personality, and its own unique training challenges as a
result.

One important reason to build confidence in a fearful dog is to
prevent biting. High fear dogs often become biters to deal with
their fear of new situations, and this type of fear response can
be dangerous for you and your dog. It is important to teach the
puppy or dog that new situations and new people are nothing to
fear, and that they are not out to hurt him.

Signs of fear in both puppies and dogs include being afraid of
strangers, being leery of new situations, and avoiding certain
people or objects. A fearful puppy or dog may also snap or bite,
especially when cornered.

If you recognize signs of fear in your dog or puppy, it is
important to act quickly. Fear responses can quickly become
ingrained in a dog, and once those fear memories are planted
they can be difficult to erase. Properly socializing a young
puppy is essential to making sure your dog is not fearful, and
will not become a fear biter. Many puppies are raised as only
dogs, but even these puppies should be given the opportunity to
play with other puppies, and with well socialized older dogs and
friendly cats as well. The more novel situations the puppy
encounters when he is young, the better he will be able to adapt
to new situations as an adult dog.

Adapting to new and changing situations is a vital life skill
that every puppy must learn. As you know, the world is
constantly changing and adapting, and it is vital that both you
and your four legged companion learn to take these changes in
stride.

It is important for owners to not inadvertently reinforce or
reward shy or fearful behaviors. For instance, when a puppy or
dog shows fear, by whining, crying or hiding, it is only natural
for the owner to go over and reassure the dog. This type of
reassurance, however, can be misinterpreted by the animal as a
sign of approval from the pack leader.

When the dog or puppy displays fearful or shy behavior, the best
strategy is simply to ignore him. The dog must be able to learn
on his own that there is nothing to fear. If left alone, a dog
will often start to explore the fearful object on his own,
thereby learning that the initial fear reaction was mistaken.
The owner must allow the dog to explore things on his own, and
not try to coddle or over protect him.

Another reason for fear reactions, particularly in older dogs,
is past abuse or lack of proper socialization as puppies. The
window for good puppy socialization is relatively short, and
once this window has closed it can be difficult to teach a dog
how to socialize with dogs and other animals. Likewise, a dog
that has been abused probably has all sorts of negative
associations, and it is up to a patient owner to work with the
dog to replace those fear reactions with more appropriate
responses.

When working with an older fearful dog, it is important not to
try to rush the socialization and fear abatement process. It is
best to simply allow the dog to explore things on his own, even
if it means he spends a lot of time hiding from the perceived
monster. Trying to force the dog to confront the things he fears
will do more harm than good.

It is also important to address already ingrained fear based
behaviors, such as biting, snapping and growling, whether they
result from past abuse, a lack of socialization or a combination
of factors. If the dog is frightened and reacts defensively to
strangers, it is important to introduce him slowly. It is
important to correct these potentially dangerous behaviors,
however, and teach the dog that fear is no excuse for growling,
snapping or biting. The best way to do this is to immediately
reprimand and correct the dog when he bites, snaps or growls at
anyone.

The dog should be generously rewarded the minute it stops
displaying aggressive behavior. If you do find yourself having
to reprimand your dog for displaying aggressive behaviors, it
probably means you have tried to move him along too quickly. It
is important to avoid threatening situations as much as possible
until the dog has built up the confidence it takes to deal with
those situations. If you think you have moved too fast, take a
few steps back and let the dog regain his confidence.