Why is my Dog Scared of Other Dogs? Tips to Deal with a Dog's Fear

Your dog may be afraid of other dogs due to a lack of socialization. In other words, your dog didn't have enough contact with other dogs when it was a puppy.

This can occur in dogs that were separated from their siblings very early on and who don't know any other dogs in their adopted family. Adult dogs can be socialized, but it's more difficult than training a puppy.

Socialization is a critical process, as it teaches dogs how to interact with others of their kind and with humans, which can prevent fear-based reactions. According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, the critical period for socializing puppies is between 3 and 14 weeks of age. During this time, exposing them to various stimuli and experiences can greatly reduce fear responses in adulthood.

If your dog is fairly easily scared, an accumulation of bad experiences can encourage this fear and even turn it into phobia. This can happen when a small, easily-scared dog comes across large dogs with lots of energy who will want to play with it in a fairly rough manner.

When a young small dog is scared or goes through a traumatic experience as a puppy, it could later growl, bark or behave in other aggressive manners towards any large dogs that it comes across. Note that this may also occur in large dogs. Of course, this fear can also follow from actual attacks from other dogs.

It should be noted that traumatic experiences can have a lasting impact on a dog's behavior. The University of Bristol's research on canine behavior indicates that early negative encounters, such as being attacked or bullied by other dogs, can lead to lasting fear responses. This is why it's important to address these fears early and seek professional help if needed.

Owners often want to help their dog when it is scared by stroking it and talking to it softly to calm it down. However, that actually worsens the problem. Indeed, doing so will only give the dog confirmation that it is right to be afraid.

Forcing him to be among the other dogs is also not a good idea, and it can even worsen the quality of your relationship with your dog.

It's essential to understand that dogs take cues from their owners, and your reactions can significantly influence their behavior. As noted by the ASPCA, positive reinforcement techniques are more effective in encouraging desired behaviors than inadvertently rewarding fearful reactions with attention. Instead, focus on rewarding calm and confident behavior.

In order to help a dog that is scared of other dogs, the first thing is to accept it for what it is and not try and force it to overcome that fear in a single day. It will be important to build up the dog's confidence and security.

If your dog gets scared when approached by another dog, it is best if you exude calm and maintain neutral behavior. If you try to calm it down by talking quietly to it, it might interpret this as justification for its fear. It could also encourage your dog to continue behaving like this in an attempt to get your attention.

Neither should you force it to be in a stressful situation, as this could traumatize it further and make it lose trust in you. Neither would it help it get over its fear in the slightest. Find out if your dog is stressed because of this situation.

At first, the simplest thing for your four-legged friend is to avoid coming across other dogs. You can help with three different techniques:

• Desensitization consists of progressively exposing it to the stressful situation until it no longer makes it stressed. In particular, you can keep your dog a few feet away from other dogs, gradually reducing this distance during walks in accordance with the dog's evolution and improvement. You can also arrange meetings with very gentle and quiet dogs, before progressively exposing them to more energetic or imposing dogs.

• Habituation consists of teaching the dog not to react to the stressful situation: Taking it for more walks in areas where you will come across other dogs will allow your dog to get used to them and thus realize that they are not a threat. If you apply this method, be careful not to submit your dog into a situation which is too stressful for it, as this would make the situation worse.

• Counter-conditioning allows it to associate the stressful situation with a positive experience. For example, by playing with your dog when other dogs are nearby, it will associate this moment with game time, and will relax in the presence of other dogs.

You can apply these three methods together; however, the important thing is for you to respect your dog's learning speed. It is a process that can take time, and it depends on each dog in particular. If you feel that you can't tackle this situation alone, make sure you consult a dog behavioral expert or canine ethologist who will be able to advise you on the best steps to take for your dog in particular.

Dogs are social animals that need to interact with their peers, and helping them to overcome their fears in order to communicate with other dogs is a huge show of love that you can give to your dog. Additionally, engaging in structured play activities, such as agility or obedience training, can further boost their confidence and improve their interactions with other dogs.

If you want to read similar articles to Why is my Dog Scared of Other Dogs? Tips to Deal with a Dog's Fear, we recommend you visit our Behavioral problems category.