The dog is afraid of people and barks - what to do for behavior

Most owners associate the image of a four-legged pet with friendliness and affection. That is why inappropriate behavior, when a dog is afraid of people, causes bewilderment and requires an analysis of the reasons. As a rule, such a strange reaction hides a serious traumatic experience in the animal’s past life. Read our article on how to identify negative factors and correct your dog’s behavior.

Reasons for strange animal behavior

An owner can encounter a dog’s fear of humans both when the animal is an adult and when a puppy appears in the house.

At the puppy's

A young pet’s wary attitude towards a two-legged creature is a common reaction, usually associated with the animal’s low socialization. If the puppy has had little contact with humans and has not been picked up, then in the first days in the new home the animal will behave separately, avoid communication with household members, run away and hide.

This behavior is often observed when an unscrupulous breeder removes puppies from their mother early and keeps them isolated, in cages or enclosures. In this case, the kids communicate little with the person; he represents something unknown and scary to them, and subsequently the animals will experience fear.

Cruel actions of the owner towards the baby can also lead to the puppy being afraid of people. Intimidation, loud screams, and physical pressure on a dog at a young age lead to the formation of a stable negative attitude towards a person, which can remain throughout the animal’s life.

The cause of fear in a young pet, according to animal psychologists, may be a congenital weakness of the nervous system. Experienced dog breeders often encounter a situation where one more timid, wary and nervous puppy appears in the litter.

Unlike his brothers, he experiences a sharply negative separation from maternal care, the appearance of an owner or a stranger, and reacts inadequately to a sudden sound or a new object.

Unfortunately, the congenital weak type of the nervous system is practically impossible to correct. The animal, despite all the efforts of the owner, will be fearful and cowardly throughout its life.

We recommend reading about how to teach your dog commands. From the article you will learn how to teach a dog basic and unusual commands in a short time, and whether adult dogs can be trained.

And here is more information about how to train a dog to sit.

If the pet is from a shelter

An owner often encounters the phenomenon of fear of people when they take a pet into their home from a shelter. Institutions of this kind often impose on its inhabitants not only problems with socialization, but also serious phobias.

The specificity of keeping animals in shelters is that they have little contact with people. The process of feeding and cleaning is minimized in time, and the pet is deprived of human warmth and affection. In many shelters there is a problem with walking the inhabitants of the institution. The small number of volunteers walking four-legged pets leads to the fact that the dog from the shelter is afraid of people, since it rarely leaves the enclosure and eventually runs wild.

In the past life of a shelter dog there may be a traumatic factor - beatings, bullying, methods of physical force from cruel people and even knackers. The use of violence in the process of raising a four-legged pet never leads to a positive result, but there is a high probability that the dog will grow up with a flawed psyche, fearful, insecure, shying away from a random wave of a person’s hand.

Often the owner is faced with a situation where the dog is afraid of people on the street, but is completely calm about the presence of strangers in his home. This behavior may be due to the fact that the animal feels insecure on the street, or it was during a walk that a stranger caused her pain. Within its own walls, the dog feels safe and has no fear of strangers.

In the event that a pet suddenly begins to be afraid and shy away from a previously beloved family member, animal psychologists classify it as idiopathic (unreasonable) fears.

Causes of a dog's fear of people

The reasons why dogs become afraid of different people can be divided into two groups.

The first group of reasons combines past life experiences and negative associations of the dog

. For example, if a puppy was beaten by people, it is natural that this dog will be afraid of people, first of all, as sources of threat to its life.

If this dog has a weak type of nervous system, it will try as much as possible to avoid the company of people. If the animal has a strong nervous system, it may display pronounced aggression towards humans as a response.

The second group of reasons will be related to the characteristics of the nervous system

and the worldview and education of this dog.

Quite often there are cases when in the past the dog has not accepted any inconvenience from people, but is still afraid of them. First of all, this phenomenon will be typical for artificially bred small-sized decorative dogs. Such a dog will acutely feel its inferiority in front of the outside world and people who are much larger than it in size and therefore pose a danger.

If a dog was raised in conditions where it constantly sees only one owner and very rarely any other people, and moreover, the animal has a weak type of nervous system, most likely all this will lead to the fact that people other than its owner , the dog will be extremely afraid.

What kind of people can a dog be afraid of?

In some cases, the animal develops a phobia towards specific people, for example, those dressed in a uniform, of a certain build and with a smell. This happens if the dog “remembers” its offender, for example, when beating, when catching, etc. When she meets something similar, she will feel fear.

Often, many four-legged pets are afraid of the veterinarian if he is dressed in a white coat, the animal experienced physical discomfort or pain at the appointment.

Dog phobias can be very diverse. It is sometimes difficult to guess which people dogs are afraid of. A small child, a cyclist, a person with a beard or glasses, and other “scary” creatures can cause a negative reaction.

Ways to eradicate a dog's fear of people

For absolutely all dogs, the method of eradicating fear with the help of correct and competent behavior of the owner will be effective.

Initially, the owner himself will need to boldly behave with other people without fear or fear, approach them on walks with the dog, talk, invite guests into the house so that the dog can see them, thereby showing it that such behavior is natural and there is nothing wrong with it No.

Every dog tries to copy the actions of its owner; it is no coincidence that it is said that pets are similar to their owners.

Thus, if the animal sees that the owner behaves boldly and fearlessly with other people, his fear of society will gradually disappear. But this method will only help ideally if the owner takes the place of leader in the dog’s mind.

It often happens that a dog is afraid of people because it has retained negative associative experiences with a specific person.

. For example, she was repeatedly offended by a man in a hat - after this the dog may begin to fear all people in a hat.

In this case, again, if there is a situation where the owner is the leader, his appearance in a hat, combined with treating the animal with some kind of delicacy, can gradually correct the situation.

Fear of people associated with past negative experiences with humans can be corrected if the owner walks the dog in crowded places as often as possible.

Don't forget, dogs are very trainable animals. If a dog is restless or aggressive towards other people, the owner should often bring it to a crowded place and use commands to force it to sit or lie quietly. Very soon, the dog will develop an unconditioned reflex and in crowded places it will behave calmly, gradually the fear of humans will recede.

Representatives of small decorative breeds, who are afraid of people due to a feeling of their own inferiority, are also easy to train.

It is enough to record on a medium the sounds of loud human speech, laughter, steps and let the dog listen more often. At first she will tense up, look for dangerous sources of sounds, then she will gradually calm down and get used to the sounds made by people. And when she actually meets a person, she will behave much calmer.

But the most important thing in the fight against dog fearfulness is the establishment of a strong, harmonious relationship with the owner.

A dog should not be afraid of its owner, it should only respect him and recognize him as its leader. A person keeping a dog must form a similar perception of his image in the dog in the following ways:

The person must enter the house first.
Monitor important activities for the dog: food, sleep, walking schedule.
Stop the animal from trying to move into a prohibited area, such as a bed. This should be done firmly, but gently, and under no circumstances should you hit the dog.
Do not allow your dog to bite you, even in play. In this case, you need to scare away the animal with a sharp sound.
Reward the dog after any positive actions.

Even though dogs are friendly and loyal creatures, in some cases they may not trust and fear their owners.

After all, dogs, like people, are by no means insensitive robots and have their own inner fears.

Cowardice

- this is just one of the character traits that can be inherent in an animal.

To help your pet feel confident, you need to understand the reason for the appearance of fears.

Reasons for that. It's enough for a dog to be afraid of its own owner. One of them is cruelty to animals. Naturally, the pet will be afraid of the person who has used or is using physical punishment in his direction and screams loudly at the pet.

Another common reason for a dog’s cowardice is the lack of mother’s love.

(as well as premature separation from her),
aggression
from brothers or life in complete solitude. Your little four-legged friend may be cowardly because he was separated from his mother early or was the weakest in the litter. The puppy will be afraid of the owner if he spends most of his time alone and does not see people or other dogs.

In some cases, it is difficult for a person to find contact

with the animal because of his cold and indifferent attitude towards the pet. This also happens with overly strict owners. The dog worries that its feelings are not being responded to, and begins to get nervous and scared. She feels that she has done something wrong; the owner does not approve of her behavior. Occasionally she believes that her owner is calling her to punish her. So that your furry friend is not afraid, you need to talk to him and praise him. If you don’t communicate with your pet, he will withdraw and withdraw into himself.

Some dogs begin to panic as soon as the owner approaches them, and at the same time show their submission by tucking their tail and lying down on the floor. They may salivate excessively due to fear.

If this happens, the pet should be calmed down. They call him, treat him kindly, play with him. After some time, the dog is asked to come again, praised for fulfilling the request. Repeat these steps until your furry friend stops feeling afraid. At the same time, you cannot shout or punish. It is necessary to remain calm so that the dog does not feel irritated.

One of the reasons for fear of a person can be called a weak nervous system.

animal. This happens in cases where certain natural characteristics of the pet’s character are superimposed on the bad experience of living next to a person or errors in upbringing. The dog that is trained, developed and socialized will have strong nerves, because it is also a person. They need daily walks, training, close contact with the owner and communication with relatives.

When communicating with a dog, you should not wave your arms or shout, showing your superiority. You need to provide her with a special place where she can rest and sleep, and maybe be alone.

The puppy must clearly understand what he is allowed to do and what is unacceptable. You can punish a dog only when you see that it is not “embarrassed” in acting out in your presence.

Fear is a natural reaction of living beings to imaginary and real threats to their lives. And while a person can comprehend unrealistic threats and overcome himself, this is difficult for dogs. Many pet owners know this. They wonder how to teach their students not to be afraid of noise, other dogs, or people. What methods can you use to make your dog bolder? Let's try to understand the issue.

Manifestation of an inadequate reaction to strangers (aggressive and passive)

Inappropriate behavior of an animal towards a person can manifest itself in the most

in a variety of ways. Dog handlers identify two main behavioral shifts in dogs – aggressive and passive reactions.

The manifestation of one or another form of fear in relation to strangers depends on the individual characteristics of the pet, the type of temperament, and the presence of a negative traumatic factor in the anamnesis.

Melancholic and phlegmatic people by nature will gravitate toward a passive reaction to a stranger in the form of running away. The animal will hide and look for a secluded place when it sees a stranger.

If a pet has a predominant sanguine or choleric type of temperament, then the owner most often faces an aggressive reaction to strangers. Sanguine and choleric people, who are more active by nature, show their fear in the form of barking and sometimes attempts to bite a person.

To learn what to do if your dog is afraid of people, watch this video:

Root cause

However, if the above situations did not find a place in your life, and the dog still experiences such phobias, it is worth thinking about the root causes. If a dog is afraid of a person, and not only of strangers, but also of its own owner, it means that it has a very susceptible and, at the same time, traumatized psyche. All fears that arise in an animal when it sees a person are divided into two categories.

These are the ones that have a reason.
And the reason for which, unfortunately, is impossible to see.

Let's look at the first category. If fear has its basis, it means that the animal received negative emotions, was in a dangerous situation or experienced pain. Most often, fear is a consequence of life experiences. Thus, dogs that once happened to be caught by dog handlers, experienced rough treatment and bullying, are rarely inclined to communicate with humans. Those people who have a similar structure to the torturers will remind the animal of what they have experienced.

The cause of fear of people may be a traumatized psyche

Fears that have no reason are often recorded by veterinarians. For example, an animal becomes afraid when a baby cries. Or he begins to be afraid of any family member for no reason, while the person has never done anything bad to the animal. If you can determine the cause of the phobia, it will be much easier for you to fight it.

The dog needs to be helped to overcome uncertainty, but in no case should it be supported. Sometimes animals are insecure due to the fact that they are weak in front of their relatives. This feeling of weakness carries over into the home, where the animal feels vulnerable in the presence of people.

How to stop a dog from being afraid of people on the street

When faced with an inappropriate response, the owner must identify not only the cause of the strange behavior, but also know how to solve the problem. Animal psychologists recommend responding competently to your pet’s manifestation of fear.

If this is a puppy, then upon arrival at a new home he should be given time to adapt and gradually introduced to the household. A young animal should see only affection and care from a person. To prevent the puppy from being afraid, you can feed him by hand to establish closer contact. The animal associates food intake with safety and will contribute to the establishment of friendly ties with humans.

If an adult animal experiences fear, it is strictly forbidden to scold it or, conversely, encourage it at the moment of manifestation of a negative reaction. Both of these incorrect actions will lead to the opposite effect: the dog will develop an attitude that fear is right, or even greater fear will arise (in case of punishment).

The owner will have to work long and patiently with the problem of how to wean a dog from being afraid of people. In a situation where a dog is running away from a “scary” object, you should not run after the dog. It is necessary to make sure that the pet runs away from the person frightening it to a safe distance, calms down, and only then calmly and confidently approach him.

Dog handlers advise using the neutral command “Stop”, putting a leash on the dog and petting it, encouraging it. The affection must be dosed so that the just frightened animal does not take it as encouragement. After this, the pet should be distracted with a game or an interesting activity.

If the behavioral problem is associated with negative experiences in the past, it is necessary first of all to gain trust from the animal. To do this, you should pay attention to your four-legged friend as often as possible, play interesting games, teach commands, and take walks.

If a dog is afraid of strangers and displays aggression, the owner should seek professional help from an experienced dog handler. Until behavior correction, such an animal should only be walked on a leash and muzzle.

We recommend reading about what to do if your dog is afraid to walk. From the article you will learn about why a puppy, an adult dog, or a dog from a shelter are afraid to walk, and providing assistance in overcoming the fear of the street.

Here's more information on how to train your dog to use a leash.

Common causes of fear in dogs of people are the low level of socialization of the young pet, as well as the presence of a traumatic factor in the past life of an adult. Most often, puppies and shelter animals suffer from various kinds of phobias towards humans.

Knowledge in the field of animal psychology, patience, and expert advice will help correct the problem. In advanced cases of aggression based on fear, an experienced dog handler should be involved in correcting the dog’s behavior.

The dog is afraid

It is not uncommon for a dog to begin to be afraid of something, and in this case, you want to help your pet overcome his fear and find the optimal solution for him that can quickly help in the current situation.

If you need to repair your washing machine, it’s easy to find experienced plumbers in St. Petersburg and call a specialist to your home to solve this issue.

It is clear that within the framework of one article it will not be possible to identify all the problems and give general advice on them, but we can highlight the most common ones, which is what is done in the material of this article. It is also worth remembering that only an experienced dog handler can help cope with any situation, since all situations are different and each of them requires a different approach.

The dog is afraid to go outside, walk, people on the street and cars, darkness, noise, what to do

A dog that is afraid to go outside for a walk, panickedly avoids people and cars, is afraid of the dark and noise is not socialized. A stereotype of behavior that has been hastily formed in an animal cannot be corrected. Socialization should take place smoothly and unnoticed by the animal.

Prayers

For example, if a dog is afraid of the noise of cars and shakes at the sight of people unfamiliar to it, then its walks should be organized first on the balcony, then in a deserted square or wasteland, and only when the animal has become well accustomed should it begin to gradually master the street space in the morning hours, when there is no peak of movement.

You can also teach an animal not to be afraid using the “carrot method”, for example, by luring the dog onto the same street or into a dark room with the help of a favorite treat.

The dog is afraid to ride in a car, elevator, what to do?

To teach a dog to ride in a car or an elevator, if the animal is afraid of them, you need to overcome this fear in it, and the easiest way to do this is during feeding hours, placing the bowl of food closer to the “rumbling monster”. Some owners recommend bringing your dog into an elevator or car at first, holding your pet in your arms and communicating with him in a calm manner. In general, you will need remarkable patience and affection. Violence and shouting in this case can only increase the animal’s fear.

The dog is afraid to enter a room, a booth, an entrance, a house, a room, to swim in the bathroom, to be alone in an apartment, to go to the toilet

Fear of the unknown is inherent not only in people, but also in animals. One animal is helped to overcome it by natural curiosity, another by a passion for tasty food, and a third by having its owner and benefactor nearby. In any case, you need to respect the dog’s feelings and not force him to do something he doesn’t want, much less is afraid of. Observe the animal and analyze the motives of its behavior. Perhaps the cause of fear was your indignation, which the dog perceived incorrectly, then both of you need to change the behavior pattern.

The dog is afraid to eat in front of the owner, how to fix the new owner

If the dog is afraid to eat in front of the owner and there is 100% confidence that the animal is not sick, then nothing bad will happen if the little coward skips several meals. And there, as they say, “hunger is no help”... At the same time, it is important that only the owner brings food and the dog does not have the opportunity to profit from anywhere else. With the help of treats and gentle words, you can achieve not only the disappearance of the fear of eating in front of the owner, but also the feeling of fear of the new owner. If these shortcomings cannot be eliminated on your own, then you should seek advice or help from dog handlers.

The dog is afraid to go up and down the stairs, to walk around the apartment on the laminate flooring

The dog’s perceived “fear” of going up and down stairs or walking on laminate flooring in an apartment can actually be caused by painful sensations experienced by the animal. Check your pet's health. It is possible that he will develop dysplasia.

What to do if your dog is afraid of aggression from other dogs and barking

You can train your dog not to be afraid of aggression and barking from other dogs by giving the animal the opportunity to communicate with its own kind. Having acquired a friend just like itself, the dog will gradually forget its fears and adapt more easily to its surroundings.

The dog is afraid of firecrackers, fireworks, explosions of firecrackers, loud and sharp sounds, the dark, how to calm it down

To teach a dog not to be afraid of loud and sharp sounds, it is necessary to make the animal realize that sounds in themselves do not pose any danger. In practice, this is done as follows - buy the same firecrackers and explode them one at a time every other day or two during walks, while forcing the dog to strictly follow the command “Sit” and not react to what is happening. After 5-6 sessions the animal will get used to it and will no longer experience panic. You can teach your dog not to be afraid of the dark by lingering for a walk in the evening and specially choosing places not illuminated by lanterns for the promenade.

The dog is afraid to eat from an iron bowl with food and drink

Forcing a dog to eat and drink from an iron bowl, which for some reason the animal is afraid of, will make the situation even worse. It’s easier to replace the bowl with another one, and when the passions have subsided, start using the dish the dog doesn’t like again.

Refusal to eat from a certain bowl in a healthy dog is most likely associated with emotional or physical distress. For example, while eating, something scared the dog and the animal associates this “something” with the bowl. It is also possible that the bowl itself was too hot or cold.

What to do if your dog is afraid of water, thunderstorms, thunder and lightning

The easiest way to teach a dog not to be afraid of water is through personal example. When walking near a pond, move closer and closer to the water each time. After several such walks, go ankle-deep into the water and try to call your dog to you with his favorite treat or toy. After the dog gets comfortable in the shallows, it will be possible to go deeper. When you see that the animal cannot reach the bottom with its paws, support it by the stomach until the dog understands how to swim. Be sure to encourage and praise your pet, and he will definitely overcome his fear.

The calm behavior of the owner can also give confidence to a dog that is afraid of thunderstorms, thunder and lightning. In this case, it is advisable to focus the dog’s attention not on a natural disaster, but on following a specific command or favorite game.

The dog is afraid of the electronic collar and leash

To prevent your dog from feeling afraid of an electronic collar and leash, you need to gradually accustom the animal to these accessories. So, at the first stage, you need to ensure that the dog gets used to the collar and leash, placing them, for example, near the bedding where the animal rests and leaving them there for several days. At the second stage of training, you can begin to put a leash or an electronic collar on the dog, with the batteries previously removed from the device. It will be possible to start training the animal in a couple more days, so that the dog does not have the association that all its troubles come from the collar, and are not related to punishment for the offense committed.

As for the leash, when using it it is also important to find the “golden mean”. When pulling the leash, you need to try not to hurt the dog too much and at the same time let it realize that this is not just a rope with which you can walk your owner wherever he wants. When using an electronic collar or leash for punishment, dog handlers advise giving the disobedient pet the opportunity to correct itself by issuing the appropriate command, and applying punishment only after making sure that the warning was ignored.

The dog is afraid of the smell of lamb and hides from its owners

If a dog is not accustomed to eating lamb, then when it smells an unfamiliar and specific smell for the first time, it may actually experience some confusion and fear. It is not known how to explain this phobia, which by the way occurs in many dogs.

If a dog hides from its owners, then the blame for this behavior of the animal falls on the owners themselves. The dog owner should analyze the current situation. Perhaps he is too strict with his pet and the dog fears that by approaching the owner he will receive another scolding.

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Why does an animal react this way to people?

The reasons for such a reaction may vary. Among the main ones are the following:

Fear often arises from abuse. This can happen if the dog was taken not from professional responsible breeders or dog lovers, but from so-called “breeders”. In this case, the spirit of profit prevails, and the animals are often kept in harsh conditions and are often punished. This is possible in the conditions of kennels for stray dogs, and when an ill-mannered dog was adopted into a family and did not live up to the expectations of the new owners.
Lack of socialization - the dog is kept locked up and does not see strangers. If the adaptation process has not occurred before three months, it is possible that subsequently the pet will be afraid of everything unknown, including strangers.
Weakness of the nervous system - often there is one puppy in the litter that behaves differently than the rest, more warily. Even a rustle can frighten him, and from loud sounds the baby can hide in a corner and even wet himself. This behavior is often associated with a weak nervous system. Such a dog will be haunted by various phobias all its life, and the owner will have to work hard to turn a timid dog into a braver dog.

In addition to the above, there are also idiopathic, that is, fears of unknown origin. In this case, the dog is afraid of something specific - tall people, crying babies, men with beards, etc. The same can happen within a family, when one of the family members begins to cause fear in a pet.

Of course, if you know the reason for the origin of fear, it will be easier to correct the animal’s behavior. In this case, it is necessary to make some effort, treat it with understanding and patience.

In dogs, fear of people occurs when they do not trust a person or are unsure of their own abilities. In this situation, the animal feels threatened by the bipeds and should be dissuaded from this.

How to deal with aggressive behavior

In such a situation, the owner tries to catch up with the pet and grab it by the collar, while shouting over the barking of the angry and frightened animal. And then the dog will get a beating... And who behaves inappropriately in this situation? Of course, master. With his behavior, he once again proves that the danger is not mythical, and that the main method in the fight against fear is the use of physical force.

If your dog not only barks, but also uses his teeth, you should definitely contact an experienced dog handler and sign up for training. An aggressive animal should not be around people.

If the dog only growls and barks, you should confidently approach and pull it by the collar, giving the command “Quiet!” If this does not help, you should clasp your pet’s sternum with your knees and hold it there until the person who caused the aggression leaves. Then you need to sit the animal nearby and say “Okay!” in a stern voice. You cannot praise, stroke, feel sorry for, or reassure. Then the dog needs to be given a few simple commands.

Experts recommend that the first step is to accustom your pet to two important commands - “Quiet,” upon which the dog should stop barking, and “Ugh!” Intensive socialization, frequent walks, a kind attitude and understanding of your four-legged friend will also help.

What to do if you have a passive reaction

It looks like this: the dog runs away without looking back from the person who caused her fear. What does the owner usually do? In the first case, he calls the pet, which does not bring results, and then catches up and punishes for disobedience. In the second, having caught the animal, he shows pity, begins to feel sorry for the pet and calms him down. What can I say, both options are wrong, if you punish a dog, it also begins to fear the owner, if you feel sorry for it, then assume that it is behaving correctly and sees that the owner supports it.

The correct actions should look like this:

It is necessary to allow the dog to move away to a safe distance.
If the dog is not going to stop, then you should call, but without using the “Come to me” command, it is better to call the nickname or other phrases, for example, “Stop!”
You should approach the dog only after the animal has stopped moving. This must be done calmly, without fuss and running.
You need to make sure that the dog is not afraid, come up from behind and fasten the leash. You can pet your pet, but without showing excessive trepidation or pity.
Then follows the command “Nearby” and distracting the pet with games and simple tasks.

It is important that the owner exudes goodwill and calmness. The dog should not feel the owner's anxiety or uncertainty.

In most cases, a passive reaction indicates that the dog is not confident in its own abilities. Therefore, the owner must set an example that there is nothing to worry or fear. After all, dogs tend to copy the behavior of a person who is considered a leader. The dog may not stop being afraid, but will move away from the dangerous object rather than run.