REWARDING YOUR PET FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR WILL BOOST HIS WILL TO COMBAT THE FEAR. Proclaiming affirmations for your pet's good behavior around strangers is a must. Keep a bag of treats in your pocket and reward him for calming nature around people. Such an action as a guardian will bring positive vibes to the pet.
Building Confidence Around Strangers
This may mean being a foot or two away from people or only having the sight of someone down the block. Expose your dog to the sights and sounds of strangers but stay at a threshold where they are comfortable and not reacting, and if people approach you ask them to ignore your dog.
While it is never too late to socialize your dog, the sooner you start, the better. Socializing your dog is very important at any stage in their life. It's especially crucial as they get older.
A confident, controlled dog will not go on barking, become hyperactive, jump, or be aggressive around strangers, which is usually a reaction to fear.
Once your dog has learned to search for things hearing the “find it” cue, you can preemptively stop your dog from barking or lunging at people by tossing the treats away from whatever it is you know your dog's going to react to. They key is to do this the instant your dog starts to feel anxious or uncomfortable.
You start by exposing them to different experiences, or anxiety-inducing stimuli, in small amounts so the dog feels comfortable. You gradually increase the exposure until the dog can remain calm around new people and situations.
The main means of helping your dog overcome social anxiety should be through counterconditioning and desensitization.
A great way to begin is by letting your dog interact with one person at a time. Let the nervous dog initiate the first contact so they don't feel overwhelmed. Always reward their good behavior, including moments where your dog is calm, curious, or friendly.
Generally, puppies start to calm down when they reach emotional maturity — around 1 year old. However, some dog breeds take longer to reach adulthood and emotional maturity. In those cases, puppies may not mellow out until they hit 18 months to 3 years old.
Basic Commands
Teaching your dog how to execute basic commands is a great way to calm their hyperactivity. Basic commands will teach them general etiquette, manners and will also keep them out of trouble. To put it simply, obedience training is the key to managing your canine companion.
Walk Your Dog Daily
Dog walks are great opportunities for your pet to be exposed to people in different environments that are not their own. Walks will create less pent-up energy due to the exercise, therefore, making your dog to be calmer and more submissive.
Many dogs that show territorial responses are often fearful and anxious and just want the intruder to leave. The longer the person stays within the territory, the more aggressively aroused the dog may become. The goal of the territorial display is to get the "intruder" to leave.
Lunging and mouthing are typical ways for dogs to play with each other. This play behavior is especially common in puppyhood, but can continue into adulthood. Certain breeds are more likely to jump up toward the face during play, rather than focusing on the paws, chest or side as other breeds may do.
Territorial instincts (in any breed) can cause aggressive behavior towards “intruders,” whether animals or people. Then this behavior grows stronger because passersby, mail carriers, and delivery people come and go quickly; the dog may perceive that his behavior is what drives them away.
The most challenging time of raising a puppy is the adolescent period. Dogs become “teenagers” and seem to forget everything they have ever been taught. This period is individual to each dog, but it may begin when he's about eight months old and continue until he's two years old.
While dogs can and do experience social learning throughout their lifetimes, puppies are maximally primed for socialization between the ages of 3-14 weeks of age. This period is called the ''sensitive period for socialization”.
One of the most common causes of shy behavior is a lack of exposure to new people and places at a young age. Dogs that remain confined to a limited area, and that aren't given an opportunity to meet people and other dogs, are likely candidates to become timid.
Reasons for Fear
A dog that has a general fear of all strangers—rather than a specific fear of men or children, for example—may be genetically predisposed to being fearful. A lack of proper socialization as a puppy is another reason some dogs fear strangers.
If you have a dog that is acting aggressively toward visitors to your home or property, it's vital that you consult a qualified behavior professional immediately. Catch it early if you can– if your dog appears uncomfortable, anxious, stiff, or is growling, then seek help before the problem escalates.
A reactive dog is usually a fearful dog. Causes can be genetic, but they are more likely due to a lack of socialization, prior bad experiences or a lack of training. Aggressive dogs show similar signs but are determined to cause harm and destruction.
it is usually because they were either bred to be guard dogs or they were not fully socialized as a puppy. When a dog encounters someone they feel uncomfortable around, they want to increase the distance between them and the person. They can either flee or make the person go away by behaving aggressively.