Some people know how to approach dogs in a calm and caring manner. Others, however, might not know how to act around a dog. For example, they might look a dog straight in the eye, approach or pat them too directly or immediately challenge the dog to play. If a dog is a bit uncertain, they might perceive this all as threatening or dominating behaviour.
If an unpleasant experience happens to a puppy at the hands of a stranger, the dog can carry this fear around for the rest of their life. This can be something very serious such as abuse, but can also a simple incident - such as a loud bang just when a stranger was with the puppy.
Some dogs might be genetically predisposed to anxiety, if, for instance, they have inherited this trait from their parent. Some breeds are known to be boisterous and outgoing, whereas other breeds are known to be shy. But, it's important to note that any dog of any breed can become nervous of strangers. Dogs that are afraid of strangers can whine, run away, shiver, hold their tail between their legs, bark, growl or snarl.
These are all signals in which the dog is saying loud and clear 'I want to get out of here! Always respect these stress signals and never force your dog into contact with any person or dog they want to avoid. In order to reduce fear, your dog needs confidence. Slowly build up contact with new people, but always let your dog stay in control of the situation.
We want to socialise, not traumatise the dog: so don't rush. You can ask your friends to help with socialising. Ask your friend to calmly ignore your dog, while you address your dog in an encouraging and comforting way. Reward your dog with some treats for being so brave, especially if they approach your friend to say hello.
Take your time and do this exercise only a few minutes at a time. They had the leash at first, then me. During the walk I never gave a treat, but just chatted with the owners and totally ignored the dog. And the little pooch did the same. He ignored me and got lost in the sights, sounds and smells of a nice walk. When we returned home we sat down on the front steps where the little guy came right up to me for a sniff and was happy to let me pet him all over.
From that point on, he was my best bud. For fearful dogs it accomplishes a bunch of things at once. It alleviates eye contact and direct frontal positioning. Everyone is moving the same direction and all eyes and bodies are facing forward. Gives the dog something else to concentrate on. The walk unifies everyone as a singe entity. When your dog is on one side of the room and your guest is on the other they are two very different groups. Me and them. This automatically bonds you by default.
The walk is one big reward. Give it a try and let me know how you make out. If these dogs are to be successfully rehomed, they often require intensive behavior modification and sometimes medication to reduce their fear and anxiety. Rarely, some dogs remain so fearful of people AND the environment that their welfare is severely compromised.
For a detailed behavior modification plan for dogs who do not respond adequately or at all to the basic Enrichment and Training plan outlined above , click here. Because of the potential for dogs with this problem to demonstrate the same behavior in a home environment, and that fear can result in aggressive behavior, dogs with fear of people should not be made available for adoption unless your shelter has the ability to perform special adoption screening and counseling [ link to special adoption program ].
For a detailed plan on how to safely place fearful dogs in homes, click here. Post adoption follow-up for a minimum of three months is important to answer any questions the adopter may have and to ensure that the dog is being successfully managed in the home. We did all that we could to help her in the shelter environment including office foster, regular training, quiet time with people, playgroup, and enriching her kennel environment.
To get her into a less stressful environment, Nellie was fostered by Dr. She loves her new surroundings, new parents, and especially her new brother, Bosworth.
Bolt, now Buddy, lives with his adopter and absolutely loves his new home. They go on walks together, watch TV together and enjoy lots of snuggle time. His owner is a single man who was looking for companionship with a dog that was quiet and low-key — Bolt fit the bill perfectly! Now Bolt seems to be happy to see them when they visit. Related Videos Mild Fear of People. Significant Fear of People. Background Information Most behavior problems are caused by a combination of environmental and genetic factors.
Identifying the Problem Shelter dogs with fear of people are usually identified through three ways - an intake questionnaire, a behavior evaluation, and observations of behavior while in the shelter. Related Videos Further Assessment. Fear of People - Making Outcome Decisions Outcome decisions must be made based upon the resources available at your shelter, the severity of fear, and the presence or absence of aggressive behavior.
These include: Severity of reaction - i. This is a serious welfare concern; it is an emergency to treat this dog or transfer the dog to an environment where he is less stressed. Or is the dog demonstrating fear AND aggression, and has bitten someone?
This is a serious liability concern for your shelter that must be considered. Potential to cause injury - i. Ability to manage the problem - how challenging is it to manage this problem in the shelter and can your shelter provide the dog with good welfare?
How challenging would it be for an adopter to manage this problem in a home? As animal shelters, our goal is to save lives of our companion animals AND protect the public from harm. Protecting the public from harm should take into consideration physical harm from injury due to a pet AND the emotional toll of owning a pet who is poorly suited for a person and causes them significant stress.
Methods of identification — there is likely more certainty that a serious problem exists with a dog whose fear is identified on the basis of multiple methods i.
Goals of Management and Training: Ensure the safety of people in the shelter and after adoption. Provide the dog with enrichment, to alleviate stress. Treat Buckets for Shy Dogs. Interacting With Fearful Dogs.
0コメント