How do I help my dog with anxiety in public?
Jaydon Feil
2025-08-03 23:27:47
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If your dog is often anxious, there are steps you can take to help it overcome fear. Begin by introducing your dog to one person, ideally in your home or yard. Allow your dog to initiate contact and ensure it has a safe retreat where it can go if it begins to feel overwhelmed. When introducing your dog to another dog, remain calm and speak quietly so that your dog senses your comfort with the situation. Take your dog to quiet outdoor areas and avoid crowds so that it develops comfort with the idea of outings before attempting to visit dog parks or walk along busy streets. Be attentive and carefully judge how much stimulation your dog can handle at one time, increasing the social challenges at your dog's pace. Desensitizing a fearful dog is hard work, but it's well worth it. Helping your dog overcome its fears will not only make your pup happier, but it will also make it easier for you to enjoy outings with your canine companion.
Lula Stokes
2025-08-03 21:58:44
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To help your dog with anxiety in public, be your dog’s best advocate and keep an eye on their body language and get to know their signs of stress or fear. Dogs learn from positive association, so the best way to help a shy or fearful dog gain confidence is to expose them to what frightens them at a low intensity, pair this exposure with something positive, like a tasty treat. This is called counter conditioning and desensitization, and when done successfully, it helps them feel more comfortable around the source of their fear. Allow your dog time to get used to people, and instruct others to ignore your dog, and let your dog decide whether they want to approach someone. Approach dogs at their level, crouch down or sit on the floor, and don’t stand over a dog. Build up trust with your dog before bringing them to public settings like the dog park, a friend’s house, or a dog-friendly restaurant or brewery. Putting your dog in a stressful situation will set their progress back, so go slow and give them time to gain confidence and trust. If your dog demonstrates any behaviors that show they are uncomfortable, don’t force them to interact with whatever it is that’s causing their fear, give your canine companion some space.