There are lots of reasons a dog might lack confidence and be fearful about navigating his environment. He may have had a bad experience or even have a genetic predisposition toward being fearful or shy. In many cases, though, the dog simply was not well socialized as a puppy.
Some dogs just naturally have lower self esteem and they need an owner willing to work with them to boost their confidence levels. Dogs suffering from low self esteem will look to their owner for support and encouragement.
Confident dogs are confident because they have nothing to prove or fear. They can sometimes appear to be docile and possibly unengaged because they are so relaxed. However, they are more than capable of appropriately defending themselves if need be, but do so as a last resort.
He may have his tail level or in the air, with a relaxed body. His ears may be alert, but not stiffly pinned back or forward. He may have his mouth hang open loosely, rather than in a tight grin or growl. Confident, happy dogs tend to have loose and wiggly bodies.
The imprinting period from age 6 to 20 weeks is a defining time in a dog's life when habits develop and overall personality takes form. With help from you, a puppy can take on new situations with confidence and learn to adapt to a variety of circumstances.
It's possible! Most fearful dogs gradually improve with time, training, and trust. But they won't likely become outgoing if they're naturally nervous or shy.
Signs a Dog is Faking Being Fearful
Signs of fear (real or faked) range from subtle lip-licking or yawning, right through to the quivering wreck. It's also salient to be aware that some dogs will manifest fear as aggression, and decide an attack is the best form of defense when placed in a stressful situation.
Signs of a confident dog include a wagging tail, wiggly body, eagerness to greet other people and dogs, and a relaxed mouth with their tongue hanging out or a grin expression. While some dogs may naturally adopt these behaviors, others may have to work up to being this comfortable around others.
It's possible! Most fearful dogs gradually improve with time, training, and trust. But they won't likely become outgoing if they're naturally nervous or shy.
The longer the duration of the bark, the more thoughtful and confident the dog is in what they're attempting to do or get. Dogs who are fearful or less confident often bark in shorter durations, or it could indicate that they are worried or confused.
A lack of socialization early in life can lead to insecurities for pups, as well as anxieties when it comes to interacting with other dogs. Other things like lack of proper leadership, traumatic experiences, and inexperience can lead to doggo insecurity.
Nervous, insecure, fearful dog = Ears sideways or back, pupils dilated, tail low or tucked between legs, low body posture, tense, wants to hide, turns away, does not accept treats, lip licking, yawning, hyper vigilant, moving slowly, stalling, panting, or pacing.
The most common reasons for anxiety in a dog is abandonment, fear of being home alone, loud noises, traveling, and/or being around strange people, children, or other pets. We've also seen the anxiety in dogs that have been abused or neglected. The best way to treat your canine companion is to determine the cause.
When a dog is protecting a person, he's reacting to a dog or person approaching the pet owner and himself. Protective dog behavior manifests differently for different dogs. Dogs will either freeze, glare at the approaching person, snarl, show teeth, snap or even bite.
This is well-intended but incomplete advice – if you only ignore the behavior, your dog will probably never learn to stop barking, jumping, or pulling. Just ignoring unwanted dog behaviors misses an important piece of teaching your dog what TO do instead. Dogs learn by association.
Socialization is like building up a stress tolerance for your dog. 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.
A confident dog is a happy dog. Dog training and socialization will help increase confidence. Dogs don't know instinctively how we want them to behave. They don't naturally have good manners.
Stage 5: Adolescence (6 – 18 months) This can be the most difficult time during a puppy's development – adolescence. Your cute little puppy is becoming a teenager and will start producing hormones which may result in changes in behaviour.
This stage occurs most often between 6 and 18 months. What is going on? For dogs that are not altered, this is the time of sexual maturation and the hormones and drive that go along with that create a dog that is less inclined to listen to his owner.
You can teach any dog to respond to the 'no' command, regardless of age as long, as you are willing to put in the necessary work. Younger dogs tend to learn faster and some older dogs "forget" how it works. Since this is one of the first commands you will be teaching your pup, there aren't any real prerequisites.
A confident, self-assured dog is easier and more enjoyable to train, work, and live with. Unfortunately, many things can happen to create an under-confident dog. But never fear – confidence building in dogs can be accomplished with training and confidence-building activities, plus a little patience and understanding.