When your family decided it was ready for a dog, you decided to rescue one from a shelter; however, when you went to get it, your husband was working. You and your kids selected what you thought was the perfect choice and brought your new friend home. A not-so-pleasant surprise happened when your husband came home – your new dog was terrified by him. Your husband didn’t do a thing – he just walked in, and the dog ran for cover. Now what? Fearful Dogs Normal dogs are confident and social; however, puppies who aren’t properly socialized, or dogs of any age who suffer abuse, can develop anxiety and be afraid in social situations, or when around anyone who reminds them of their abuser. You don’t have to …show more content…
The wild is a harsh environment, and the alpha wolf or coyote has to constantly fend off challenges from other alpha-trending members of the pack. Dogs exhibit pack behavior; the difference in the domesticated dog is the alpha in the pack has to be the human in the relationship.Teaching Your Dog ConfidenceDogs without an alpha leader will also exhibit anxiety and anti-social behavior. The human in the equation, namely the adult in the family relationship must establish an alpha relationship with any dog in the house. The dog must feel there is someone around who will take charge and deal with any situations that arise. So, if your new shelter dog is afraid of men, Mom must establish herself as the alpha, and then begin the …show more content…
It doesn’t mean you won’t take your dog to an obedience class – you will; it means your dog needs to trust you, and look to you as the alpha in the pack. You can learn about techniques to desensitize your dog, and to train your dog to be a social, confident animal. There are books, videos, and online websites you can read, view, and visit. One good one is The Online Dog Trainer – the site is run by a professional dog trainer, and he shows you how to take control over your dog and how to train with love. Fearful dogs, anxious dogs, and rambunctious dogs – this site shows you how to train your dog out of its bad behaviors.You want to have a dog in your family; this is a good thing, but you need to understand dogs and dog behavior before you bring one home. A dog is not a human; it’s a dog, with thousands of years of canine behavior programmed into it. Don’t treat your dog like a person, treat it like a dog; not as a substandard animal, but as an intelligent, loving one. You will both be better off when you do. One of the best sites around is The Online Dog trainer. It has fantastic videos on establishing yourself as the pack leader and also shows