The Pet Behavior Clinic
Helping Pets and People Grow Together.

Many forms of problem behavior are a result of a dog's fears. Some people assume shy dogs are more likely to be afraid and anxious. In fact, assertive dogs are more likely to worry about things over which they have no control but your dog's temperament may have little do do with whether anxiety will be a problem at sometime in his life. Anything that is new or unfamiliar to your dog could pose a threat to his life so it's normal for a dog to fear the unusual.  A dog can become anxious if frequently exposed to something he fears. In the home environment, where your dog has you to protect him, this anxiety is unnecessary. 

Your first instinct when your dog displays anxious behavior such as trembling or hiding, is to comfort him by petting, sooth him with your voice or pick him up. These reassurances DO make him feel better but comforting also rewards him for acting afraid and makes it more likely that he will use the same strategy next time he needs to feel better. With some dogs, this becomes a problem. These dogs begin trembling and whining any time they feel they are not getting attention or whenever something new is expected of them. This is not an act because the dog actually becomes anxious and fearful. You can help your dog overcome fear and prevent anxiety by ignoring anxious behavior and rewarding appropriate attention seeking (such as play or obedience). 

PHOBIAS:  If your dog is genuinely frightened of a specific person, object or event that can be avoided, its appropriate to simply avoid it. However, some dogs fear common events that can't be prevented, car rides, the groomer, or sunglasses. You can help your dog overcome fear and prevent anxiety by ignoring anxious behavior and rewarding appropriate attention seeking (such as play or obedience). Find something that your dog really likes; liver treats or a squeaky toy. Plan an activity that usually brings about anxious behavior. 

If your dog is anxious around strangers, have a friend come over, a stranger to your dog. Ignore any trembling, whining or hiding completely. Sit beside or perpendicular to your friend (face to face orientation signals confrontation to a dog). Bounce the ball or share food with your friend while you talk for half an hour or so. Act happy and acknowledge your dog calmly each time he moves to play or stops shivering. Don't INVITE the dog to approach you by calling him or offering food but reward all fearful behavior and respond to all interactive behavior. At any sign of overwhelming the dog, go back to a previous level of exposure to the fearful situation, perhaps by moving away from your friend or going outside to talk. Work up to the new level gradually.

If your dog is afraid of storms, you can buy a recording of thunderstorms and adjust the volume over the course of a half hour while playing with a ball or feeding him. The dog will NOT think the recording is a real storm. Storms include changes in temperature and barometric pressure so the recording is just a good first step to reduce his fear of the sounds that accompany a storm. Again, act happy and reward all interactive behavior while ignoring all anxious behavior. During a regular storm, offer your dog the same rewards for calm behavior. If your dog is usually motivated by food but won't eat during a storm, wait until you see lightning and offer a delicious food treat that takes a moment to chew. Your dog will be gulping it down just as the thunder claps, perfectly timing the  reward for NOT being afraid. 

If your dog is afraid of riding in the car, reward him for jumping in and out of the car without taking a trip. The next day, start the car while rewarding him but do not take a trip. Then take several short trips so that you can stop the trip before he becomes overwhelmed. Be sure most trips end in happy events and not just the kennel or the vet's office. The point is to cheer your dog through becoming accustomed to the things he used to fear. 

During this retraining period, be sure that all "new" experiences are good ones. Protect your dog by taking him out for a walk or into another room if you have repairmen or guests arriving when you have not prepared them in advance. You may ask your vet to prescribe a tranquilizer for impending storms or trips that will occur before you have had time to retrain your dog. Don't train when your dog is taking a sedative. Other medications, such as antidepressents may help a dog with chronic anxiety. Be sure to ask your vet about the effects of medication on learning and activity level. 

SEPARATION ANXIETY: If your dog's anxious behavior only occurs when you are not home, often referred to as separation anxiety, you can gradually accustom your dog to staying alone, just as you accustom him to other fear inducing situations. Click on the button at the top of this page for detailed training plan. 

REPETITIVE LICKING

There is a special manifestation of anxiety in which dogs lick a front paw at the "wrist", abdomen or flank so that a skin irritation develops. This is not usually related to allergies or flea dermatitis. A dog may spend hours licking the area. To stop the behavior you can apply an anti lick ointment such as YUK to your dog's fur. In addition to the ointment, reward your dog any time he is NOT licking by stopping to pat him or offering him a toy. Ignore all licking behavior. If you play with your dog to distract him from licking he will learn to lick to get your attention. Only invite him to play when he is NOT licking. If your dog has caused a severe skin lesion, you should talk to your vet about some of the medications used to treat anxiety. Some licking habits have a neurological or inherited basis that responds to medication. 

Copyright 1999 Pet Behavior Clinic, Inc.