A dog is afraid of people - why and what to do?

Each person, dreaming of a dog, imagines how he will feed her, take him for a walk, introduce new friends - people and other animals. But not always so perfect. Often a dog that has not been properly trained and educated can be afraid of people or behave aggressively near strangers. This gives the owner serious discomfort. A person cannot even go out with an animal to a park or nature, cannot take a pet with him to rest, not to mention exhibitions and other events with a lot of strangers. That is why the fear of an outsider for the owner of the dog is not just a feature of the character of the animal, but a real gap in the upbringing that needs to be fought.

Why is a dog afraid of a person?

In order to protect yourself, your pet and people around you, to rid the dog of excess fear and aggression, you need to understand the reason for the unusual behavior of the animal.

1. Negative experience. A dog can shun a person if she knows that people can bring pain and suffering. As a rule, this occurs in adult dogs that did not come to you from very good conditions. If the previous owners mistreated the animal, beat it or used other types of physical and moral violence, it is not surprising that the dog will be afraid of all people. For him, man is a potential danger. It often happens that children play unceremoniously with a puppy, bringing pain and discomfort. From this moment, the animal begins to negatively relate to all children around.
2. Lack of socialization. A puppy, just like a child, needs to be trained and educated, instilled in him the skills of socialization. From an early age, the dog should be brought into the society of people and other dogs so that the animal is not afraid and gets acquainted with surrounding personalities. If the dog grew up locked up and has not seen anyone except the owner in his life, naturally, the baby will be afraid - this is the normal behavior of any animal.
3. The attitude and reaction of the owner. Often a person is to blame for the fact that his pet is afraid of people. Of course, some wariness of the animal has a place to be, but the confident and fearless voice of the owner can suppress these doubts. If a person is angry when he sees the behavior of his dog, if he starts screaming and cursing, shows aggression, the dog may be even more afraid - both for himself and for the owner.
4. Character features. Like a person, a dog can be different, with its own individual characteristics. Breeders know this, so they distinguish puppies at a very young age. Clap your hands strongly in front of a litter of monthly puppies - they will scatter in all directions from a loud sound. But after a while, curiosity will prevail and the bravest will come to a person again to learn about the source of the sound. The first puppies approached are considered the most powerful and fearless. But those puppies that will not come up to you or come up with the latest, are considered the most shy and cowardly. A dog with a similar character is not suitable for every owner, however, such animals are appreciated quite high. Thinking and alert dogs make good bloodhounds.

In addition, zoopsychologists argue that fears can be idiopathic, that is, without cause. A dog may be afraid of a certain smell, a person with a special timbre of voice, a man of high stature, etc. To get rid of such causeless fears is the most difficult.

How to teach a puppy not to be afraid of people?

When a young dog turns 3-4 months old, it should be brought to people, and do it gradually. You should not immediately go to a large-scale event with a large number of people. At first it can be a small low-populated park, then an ordinary street. So, gradually, the dog learns and accepts that there may be other people and dogs around. From the same age, the dog should be taught such commands as “Fu”, “Place”, “Stand”, “Quiet”, etc. All of them will help you to correct the inappropriate behavior of the animal in the future.

You can invite pets with their owners to visit you or go to visit yourself. Remember that you need to choose a well-educated "friend" who behaves correctly, often these are older dogs, friendly. Your pet will understand that aggression is not the main quality, you can not only defend yourself, but also play together.

What if an adult dog is afraid of people?

It often happens that an adult dog is afraid of a person, which is already quite difficult to raise because of his age. But do not despair - the right behavior will help you adjust the reaction of the animal. After all, often the cause of alertness and fear of a dog becomes the wrong attitude of the owner.

Zoopsychologists argue that dogs, as humans, have their own character. As a rule, puppies are divided into active fidgets and concentrated idlers. The first show their fear with the help of aggression - they begin to attack, show a grin, sometimes even bite. The second - run away and hide. In each case, you need to act differently. Whatever the nature of your pet, you should not feel sorry or scold it - this is one of the main mistakes of a person. Remember that the behavior of the dog depends on your reaction. The pet constantly looks back at the person, because he is the "leader" of their pack. If you are constantly balanced and calm, the animal will understand that there is no threat, there is nothing to fear.

Much more complicated is the situation with aggressive dogs, which, with any imaginary danger, begin to bite and attack. Such dogs bring serious trouble not only to their owner, but also to people around them. Such behavior must be immediately stopped - wear muzzles, hold the leash with force, and in some cases give the pet to the dog handler for re-education. After all, adequate behavior of a dog is the key to a peaceful and calm life of its owner.

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