How do I desensitize my dog to other people?
Alexie Beahan
2025-07-22 07:34:44
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: 11
Give treats as soon as strangers approach, have stranger retreat and stop treats. I've been following the advice from this article. My dog is scared of strangers, no matter where they are. If I put treats on the stranger's hands, he will snatch them as quickly as he can and then retreat. He is able to walk past them on the sidewalk outside, but if they are inside a building or pay any attention to him, he starts barking and backs away.
Donnell Leannon
2025-07-22 06:45:02
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: 10
To train your dog to act appropriately and be calm when he encounters strangers you should never punish reactive behavior, do not yell or pull back on a lead, which creates more excitement and anxiety and makes the behavior worse. You want your dog to be mentally relaxed when he encounters a stranger. Although he may be happy, and excited, or bark to let you know someone is there, there would be a confident, balanced, relaxed posture, and his behavior should be controlled and calm. The best way to create calm behavior around strangers is to socialize your dog early by exposing him to lots of different people and situations. During the training period you will want to keep your dog from being exposed to strangers except during scheduled training sessions, where you can modify your dog's behavior. Do not punish or force your dog to accept handling from a stranger during training, you will need to exercise patience and move at your dog's pace. Enlist friends who are not afraid of dogs, and who your dog is unfamiliar with, to assist you in training. Have lots of treats available to positively reinforce appropriate behavior. The use of a crate as a safe place can be used to help desensitize your dog to the presence of strangers.
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