According to Dr. Wooten, the most common reason why your dog is afraid of you is because she had a negative, scary or possibly painful experience with you in the past, even if you didn't mean for this experience to happen.
Little or negative socialization
You might find your dog become aggressive, shy, or fearful around other humans or animals. Lack of socialization may even cause depression spells. You may witness your dog develop irregular sleeping and eating patterns, or it may refuse to play.
Changes in behavior may indicate a health problem, so it's important to bring your dog to the veterinarian. Health isn't the only reason a dog's behavior changes. A dog who suddenly becomes disinterested in his pack may be experiencing a wide range of emotions, such as jealousy, anxiety or depression.
Something in His Environment Changed
A sudden change in his surroundings could cause him to suddenly avoid you or even make him depressed. Did you move, introduce a new person or pet, or make drastic changes to your home? Just the presence of strange noises can cause anxiety in some dogs.
The reasons your dog may not be listening might be medical in nature, but most often, if your dog will not come to you or ignores you completely, it is because of a training or a behavioral issue. Once you feel you have ruled out potential illness, training and conditioning your dog will improve his recall ability.
Sit on the floor or squat down so that you are at eye level with them. Keep a bit of distance between you and the dog and ignore them until they come to you. Let your dog come to you. When your dog approaches, respond with a calm, happy voice and reward them with a food treat.
Separation anxiety can occur when your dog is left alone. Loud noises, such as fireworks or thunder, car rides, or being confined in a crate or small space can also trigger anxious behavior, and can cause your dog to exhibit fear. These are excessively anxious reactions that occur in response to specific triggers.
What causes 'dog depression'? There are many factors that can impact on a dog's emotional state – these include changes to routine, environment, social group, or as a result of chronic stress or anxiety resulting from fears and phobias or lifestyle.
If you're unsure whether your dog is showing symptoms of illness or distress it is always best to consult your veterinarian to discuss what may be the issue. Because our dogs cannot communicate with us through words we must pay close attention to what they demonstrate through their physical and behavioral changes.
If aggression or another behavior issue shows up suddenly, contact your vet. There is a good chance one of the above health complaints, or something related, could be causing your canine to be cranky.
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Common signs of anxiety in dogs include:
Barking or howling when owner isn't home. Panting and pacing (even when it's not hot) Shivering. Running away and/or cowering in the corner of a house.
Dogs typically go through at least one fear period during their life, and most average about four. Some dog parents may not notice the later fear periods as their dogs are likely to be well-adjusted and have strong personalities by this point in their development.
Arthritic or structural ailments can make dogs uncomfortable and therefore make it harder for them to settle, causing stress. Also failing senses of sight or hearing can put your dog on edge at night. Noise phobia can also be heightened during the night when it is dark and visibility is restricted.
Some of the most common reasons for your dog's shaking & shivering are cold, excitement, stress & anxiety, seeking attention, pain or illness, and old age. It's important to recognize the difference between normal shaking vs. signs of a seizure.
It's like the old saying goes - trust takes years to build and seconds to break. While a dog's trust can be reduced through actions like inconsistency in routines and negative reinforcement during training, trust can seriously be broken in the following situations: Abuse and injury.
While a one-off hit might be forgiven, dogs will find it hard to move on from repeated harsh discipline and it could negatively affect your bond. You should work on positive training techniques and seek the help of a dog behaviorist if you are struggling.
Fact #6: Some Breeds, and Dogs, Kiss More Than Others
“There's a different culture in each household, so wherever each of us draws a line, that's what your dog will learn,” Arden says. So, if your dog doesn't kiss you, that doesn't mean he dislikes you, nor does it mean he is depressed or physically ill in any way.
According to Svartberg's data (PDF), a pinscher, a Bernese mountain dog, or an English springer spaniel might be the most disloyal since each ranks very low on playfulness, with moderate sociability.
Dogs who follow you to the bathroom
As their owner, you are the one who meets most of their needs, including for affection, so following is a sign of this attachment. They may also be waiting for routines they enjoy such as a walk or dinner time.