Trust, Fear, Stress, and Anxiety

There are a lot of things which cause dogs to feel uneasy.

Busses, cars, skateboarders, bikes, loud noises, the sound of nail guns (our dog, Vida, is really scared of this sound), other dogs, cats, horses, novelty, men with beards, people with sunglasses, people with bags, umbrellas, rain, thunder, fireworks, grooming and strangers are just a few examples of things which can frighten some dogs.

With any luck, you are living with a dog that has been properly socialized (for more information on the importance of early socialization, I will direct you to a wonderful site for dog owners, here), a dog who has been exposed to a large variety of experiences, and a dog who can now cope with the stress of our modern world.

If your dog has not been adequately socialized or if he has developed a fear to a particular stimuli, he may move further away (flight) from the stimuli, or attack (fight).

In the dog training world, we are faced more often with the fearful dog who attacks rather than retreats, and aggression in dogs is still considered the most serious issue pet guardians face. But, it is vitally important to also address the needs of any dog living with fear or anxiety, as to much stress can detrimentally affect the dog's health - of mind, body, and spirit (I will direct you to a great resource on fearful dogs, here).

I want to outline a few cases I am currently dealing with to illustrate my point and hopefully shed some light on the topic of "dealing with fearful dogs" at the same time.

Client A: When I first met her in her home, she would not approach me. The slightest move from me would cause her to flinch and flee. She was eventually able to take food from my hand, but she kept as much distance from me as possible. I have been able to bond with her through exercise and training, and now we are friends. She trusts me. When I knock on the door, there is certainly barking (possible indication of anxiety), but as soon as I enter she is happy as heck to see me. She has learned that my visits lead to walks, training, and fun. She has also learned that I am no threat. She "knows" me now. However, the world is still a scary place, and unfamiliar things are still scary for her. This dog is currently making great progress.

Client B: I first met this boy at his daycare. He "greeted" me by barking loudly, repeatedly, and with a lot of anxious energy (my interpretation). He was certainly not happy that I, a stranger, had entered the building (he was roaming the top floor with the owner of the shop, not playing with other dogs below). The second time I saw him at the daycare, he barked then jumped up and bit my coat. Then, as I moved toward him, he fled, barking as he backed away. When I went to his home for a private consultation, he barked repeatedly when I rang the doorbell, but he could not approach me, as he was on a leash (per my request). This dog has been working this week on mannerly greetings in the home,  the pet guardians are watching for signs of stress in the dog (keeping him under-threshold), and the pooch is making new associations with the doorbell and the entry of guests.

Client C: I came to his house. He was held in the arms of the pet guardian. I moved to the couch and sat. He joined me on the couch. I talked with the guardians, turned my camera on the pooch, went to make contact, and he attacked me, biting my hand and lunging toward my face. Now, I know that I should have seen the bite coming, but, at times, it is important for me to act like a member of the general public and not "act like a dog trainer" by being appropriate, reading dog signals, and modifying my own behavior to reduce the stress of the dog. Speaking of stress and reading dogs, here is a great site on the topic. This pooch has had a lot of good experiences since I saw him just a few days ago. The pet guardians have a plan, his guarding problems are being managed (for now), and he is happily doing sit-stays when people enter the house.

The common threads in theses cases are:

• The dogs lacked trust
• The dogs were under stress
• The dogs were fearful or anxious (here is a bit of info on the difference between the two)

The common thread in my treatment approach is:

• To create a "Yippie!" response to the things (triggers) which once caused stress, anxiety, or fear through reward training. 

Here is a great reference on an approach to dealing with fear in dogs which looks spot on. Pay close attention to the section which states "any threats or retaliation from the stimulus (as perceived by the dog) or any anxiety or punishment on the
part of the owner or handler, will further add to the pets fear or anxiety." We, at David the Dog Trainer, agree wholeheartedly.

Thanks for reading, and happy training!