Helping Your Dog Overcome Fear and Anxiety

When we see a dog acting out, we often assume it’s being stubborn or naughty.

But Orlando Dos Santos, from Results Dog Training, says that’s the wrong mindset.

“Fear in dogs is a very, very real thing. All of us want to feel safe, dogs included.”

Before we can support our dogs, we need to shift our own perspective. If you assume your dog is misbehaving, you’ll treat it that way. But what if it’s scared instead?

The Link Between Fear, Anxiety, and Trauma

Fear is a response to a real or perceived threat. Anxiety is the anticipation of that fear. Left unchecked, it can lead to trauma: “A dog that once had a fearful experience might now expect to feel fear again,” said Orlando. “That’s anxiety.”

If your dog suddenly acts anxious around certain objects or situations, it may be reliving past fear. That’s why identifying the root cause is key.

Why Dog Behaviour Often Gets Worse During Adolescence

Dogs go through two major fear periods: one at around 8–11 weeks old, and one during adolescence – roughly 8 months to 3 years old.

“This adolescent phase is when things often fall apart,” Orlando says. “It’s just like teenagers. One part of the brain says, ‘I’m brave!’ The other part hasn’t finished developing.”

During this time, dogs may:

Become fearful of new or familiar things
Start barking or lunging unpredictably
React with impulsive behaviour

“Around a third of dogs are rehomed by the age of three,” Orlando notes. “Mostly because of challenges in this adolescent stage.”

Are Dogs Misbehaving or Just Struggling?

“When we don’t understand what’s going on, we label dogs as stubborn,” says Orlando. “But the dog isn’t giving us a hard time, it’s having a hard time.”

Instead of punishing your dog, try understanding its behaviour. Often, the solution lies in giving the dog a different job or creating new routines.

“When the dog has predictability, it starts to settle. The human understands the dog. Everyone’s happier.”

Try Desensitization Instead

To help your dog overcome fear, Orlando recommends desensitization and counter-conditioning. For example, if your dog is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, break it down and gradually introduce it to the dog a bit at a time. The vacuum cleaner has three elements:

Visual: what it looks like
Movement: how it moves
Sound: the noise it makes

Here’s the process:

Start with just the vacuum in the room (turned off).
Give your dog treats while it sees the vacuum from a distance.
Remove the vacuum, and stop the treats.
Repeat, slowly bringing the vacuum closer over time.
Eventually, add movement and sound, one step at a time.

“You’re creating new associations,” Orlando explains. “Vacuum equals food, which equals good things.”

Watch for Your Dog’s Threshold

A dog might get very still or show the whites of its eyes, a behaviour called ‘whale eye’. That’s a sign the dog is nearing its comfort limit.

“Always respect the threshold. Go slower if needed,” said Orlando. “The goal is trust, not tolerance.”

Bringing Peace Into the Home

For Orlando, it all comes down to one mission: bringing peace into the home by understanding pet stress.

“Most of the dogs I work with are adolescents. Once we help the humans understand what’s going on, everything changes.”

If your dog is showing signs of fear or anxiety, remember, they’re not being difficult. They’re asking for your help.

Article supplied with thanks to Sonshine.

Feature image: Photo by Michelle Tresemer on Unsplash