What should I do if my dog is timid? Some dogs are particularly sensitive and will immediately bark or hide in a safe area at the slightest sign of disturbance. In this way, the dog lives in fear every day and has no sense of security. So what should we do as hosts? Let’s take a look at the reasons and solutions with the editor below.
Reasons:
1. Personality.
Dogs have different personalities. Puppies like Chihuahuas are naturally sensitive and alert to everything, even if others like them.
2. Unable to adapt to the new environment.
If this is new to your family, it's normal to be timid. People are also full of fear and uneasiness about unknown things, let alone dogs. Give it some time to adapt and become familiar with it.
3. Too little company.
If the owner is very busy at work and leaves the dog at home every day, then his timidity is your problem, because you spend too little time with him, and the time he has in contact with his friends and things outside is also quite limited, making him unfamiliar with everything and giving him a sense of fear.
4. Abuse.
If your dog is adopted, the fear may be related to his past. Maybe it was frightened before it came to you, or it hurt so deeply that it left a lingering shadow in their heart.
Training methods:
1. Often take a timid dog to places where there are many dogs so that it can have more contact with the same kind.
2. When a dog has a desire to get close to another person, encourage it more. After a few attempts, the dog will not be so afraid of other dogs.
3. If the dog is afraid of strangers, it can arrange for strangers to appear in front of its owner. Initially, strangers should keep a certain distance from the dog. If the dog is nervous, the owner should reassure the dog and try again after the dog relaxes.
4. After several training sessions, the stranger can shorten the distance between him and the dog by 1-2 meters each time. If the dog behaves more comfortably, the owner can reward it.
5. When a dog can approach a stranger and behaves normally, it can ask the stranger to give reward food or caress on behalf of the owner.
Notes
1. When taking your dog out for activities, if you encounter something that the dog is afraid of, the owner should not rush to protect the dog, but encourage it to face it bravely.
2. Don't be impatient because your dog is timid, convey this emotion to your dog. During training, do not yell or use violence to your dog, as this will only make it more timid.
3. If the dog is timid because it has been traumatized, you should figure out what makes it scared and prescribe the right medicine to gain trust so that the root cause of the problem can be solved.
As the person in charge of the owner, give it adequate protection. You need to spend more time with it, play with it, touch it, and let it know that you love it through these actions. To correct its timidity, proper training is needed, but there is no need to rush to implement corporal punishment, which will aggravate its inner fear. Let the dog get used to your caresses. Movements must be gentle and slow.
Correcting your dog’s timid habit is also a sign of responsibility for it. And it’s also important for the dog’s physical and mental health.