Why Is My Dog Afraid of Animals All The Time?

BY | June 21 | COMMENTS PUBLISHED BY
Why Is My Dog Afraid of Animals All The Time?

Why Is Your Dog Afraid Of Animals?

A dogโ€™s fear of other animals can have a big impact on their life, and your life too. Some dogs are afraid of all animals. Other dogs are onlyย afraid of unfamiliar animals. And still others are afraid of certain species: many dogs are afraid of cats!The way your dog shows fearย will depend on your particular dog. Some dogs exhibit classic fear behaviors: tail tucking, trembling, panting, lip licking, trying to escape, whining, and hiding. Other dogs respond to fear by becoming

aggressive. Rather than waiting for an attack to happen, they go on the defense and growl, bark, lunge, or bite.RELATED STORY: Reading Dog Body LanguageClearly, a dogโ€™s fear of other animals can be dangerous. A dog who is afraid and exhibiting fear behaviors could become a target for other animals. A dog who becomes aggressive when afraid may hurt other animals or people.So what causes a dog to become afraid of other animals, and what can you do to help!There are a number of factors that can contribute to a dog becoming afraid of other animals:
  • Lack of regular exposure to other animals:ย Even if you socialize your dog early, they may still become fearful if they do not have regular continued exposure to other animals.
  • Genetic predisposition:ย Some dogs are just born more anxious

    or timid. In many cases, these are traits passed on by the parents. So even if your dog is well-socialized, they may still tend to be fearfulย of other animals.

    • Traumatic event involving another animal:ย If a young dog gets into a fight with another dog at a young age and is badly injured, they may liveย to fear all dogs. In some cases, a dog may even become fearful if an animal was near them when something frightening happened, even if the animal was not directly involved.
    • Unknown cause:ย In some cases, you may not be able to pinpoint the exact cause of your dogโ€™s fear.
    RELATED STORY: How We Misunderstand Dog Aggression

    What to Do if Your Dog Is Afraid of Other Animals

    The first thing to do is correctly identify your dogโ€™s fear of animals. Some pet parents mistake their dogโ€™s fear for aggression and will punish or yell at their dog when it growls or barks at other animals, thus making the dog more afraid and their future reactions to animals worse.So first things first: study your dogโ€™s behavior and try to find the source of the problem.Once your correctly identify your dogโ€™s fear, you can go from there:
    • Manage your dogโ€™s behavior: especially if your dog becomes aggressive

      when afraid. Keep your dog on a leash, stay a good distance from other people and animals, and stay calm. If you grip the leash tighter or tense up when another animal turns the corner, your dog will notice and tense up, too.

      • Do not punish your dog for being afraid:ย again, it can only make the problem worse. On that same note, you should not constantly reassure your dog when they are afraid. Your dog will not understand and may only become more anxious.
      • Do not force your dog to be around other animals if they are afraid. Many pet parents think that they can fix their dogโ€™s problem by forcing exposure to other animals, and if the dog has never acted aggressive before, whatโ€™s the harm? The problem is that forcing a dog into an uncomfortable situation can actually increase their fear, and even if youโ€™ve never seen it before, there is a good chance the dog could respond with aggression.
      • You may need the help of a trainer or animal behaviorist to correct your dogโ€™s fear. Desensitization and counter-conditioning training -- in which you to teach your dog that good things rather than bad things happen around other animals -- can be very successful, but challenging to carry out.
      Is your dog afraid of other animals? Leave a comment and let us know, and sign upย for PetPlus, a benefit program for pet owners that provides member-only access to medications at wholesale prices, plus discounts on food, supplies, vet visits, boarding, and more. 
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