Orlovia
Of course, there are many dogs that tend to act cocky rather than being too reserved. But dogs that tremble in fear suffer. The situations in which such a shy dog panics are very different, but often these fur babies quickly duck under the table with their tails tucked in as soon as the doorbell buzzes. Even a car ride puts such fur babies in a state of turmoil. So far we’ve covered so much about how to train dogs who tend to overdo it. The dog, who was too shy and whose self-confidence should be increased, was completely left out. But these problems are also part of everyday life with a dog, so I dealt with them for you right away.
Symptoms
Dogs that lack self-confidence ends up being like people with low self-confidence: they are insecure. And often to always. To be on the safe side, it’s always better to move away first, because after all, you never know what’s coming. Fear manifests itself. Fear of something new or experienced and its repetition. Such animals often have difficulty dealing with noise, which is a real problem at the latest at the turn of the year. A tucked-in tail that is pinched under the buttocks, tremors, and spontaneous urination are clear signs of anxiety.
Possible Causes
I would definitely start browsing the past if you can. Because if you have taken in an adult dog, that is very commendable, but then you both will certainly have a lot of work to do. You may find out details from the first life of your four-legged friend or you may have to make assumptions. Animals from abroad in particular often have traumatic experiences behind them and require a lot of affection and patience.
A dog from my immediate surroundings offers me the best example here: Zara was brought here from abroad and found shelter in a very loving home. She is a mix of – probably – the German Shepherd and a Collie. In her first dog life, she didn’t have it easy at all, because she had to survive on the street. In the truest sense of the word, because of where it comes from, street dogs were hunted down and brought down because they are considered a nuisance there. As a result, this bitch knew neither loving caresses nor real dog food. Accordingly, she did not even eat the relatively very good food, she did not even touch the bowl, which was still completely unknown to her.
Sure, this was a truly traumatized dog, but fearful dogs have one thing in common: fear. It is therefore important to give these dogs new self-confidence, they need a lot of praise and recognition. Small tests of courage that you can slowly increase are a good way. For example, balancing on an obstacle or daring to leap over a small puddle. If a step, no matter how small, has been taken, it deserves a lot of praise. A treat is welcome as a reward. Motivate your sweetheart, spur him on.
How to Solve the Problem
If you are afraid of certain noises, such as the doorbell ringing or the firecrackers at the turn of the year, the best way to combat this is to desensitize your four-legged friend: record the noises that cause the fear and play them back – first very quietly and gradually getting louder. So train the situation that would otherwise cause stress, so to speak, and thus defuse the stimuli for your fur child. This hardening works for almost all fears. The only important thing is that you dare to approach it step by step and that there is always great praise for your four-legged friend for remaining calm.
Another solution would be a second dog. Dogs also learn something from their peers and learn a lot. A slightly more self-confident dog as a buddy is an excellent role model.