What If My Dog is Afraid Of Strangers?
One of the biggest behavioral problems our pet can face is fear of strangers. Fear is a very important emotion, which has biological functions, but in these cases, it only causes stress to the animal and ends up being harmful to the animal.
The socialization phase is a vital period in the mental development of our pets and, normally, if our dog is afraid of strangers, the reason for this fear can be linked to this period. The first thing you should do is try to understand the causes of your dog’s fear of strangers. Without this, it is not possible to reach a diagnosis.
Why is my dog afraid of strangers?
There are several reasons why our dog may fear strangers. Usually, it can be due to incorrect socialization, or even lack of it. If, during the first few months of life, the puppy does not interact with people, it can generate this fear.
Dogs that live with humans must be social animals and gain confidence in a natural way; between two to three months of age, it is vital that the puppy’s socialization is done correctly. This socialization must continue during the juvenile stage and must never be replaced by an environment of isolation. During these few months, our dog must acquire many experiences.
Traumatic experiences, such as abuse or improper parenting, can also be the hidden reason why our dog is afraid of strangers. Sometimes this phobia occurs more with a specific gender or with a particular type of aspect, such as men with a beard or a certain outfit, which may be related to the aspect of the person who caused the trauma.
What to do if my dog is afraid of strangers?
Once the cause has been identified, it is essential to take our four-legged friend to a professional: your dog’s behavior and the help of the veterinarian are closely related. In addition to other professionals, such as ethologists or canine trainers. Do not trust your pet’s health to what you read on the Internet, as professionals are the ones who should help you make the appropriate decisions.
From then on, how you act depends specifically on the causes of the problem. That’s why your veterinarian can help you diagnose your pet’s behavioral problem and will know how to solve it.
Some advice if your dog is afraid of strangers
Some advice that we consider very important to be taken into account to prevent your dog from having behavioral problems and that are useful for people are: if our dog is afraid of the unknown, they should ignore the animal and not force contact. This will allow the dog to approach the person gradually and when he feels ready.
Ideally, strangers should not approach the animal, much less touch it. Strangers should have a relaxed attitude, and we can even adopt the positive reinforcement feature, rewarding the animal when it approaches a stranger.
And we insist: behavior problems in pets must be dealt with by professionals. Get in touch with your veterinarian, and if he doesn’t specialize in behavior problems, he’ll probably be able to recommend or pass your case on to an ethologist or dog trainer.
