Nervous dogs

Nervousness is a trait usually inherited from a dog’s parents. Nervous dogs need extra care when being introduced to new situations or people, as they are naturally more cautious than other dogs. It is therefore vital that, as a puppy, they are properly socialised and regularly exposed to situations where they will receive positive experiences. Great care must be taken so as not to overwhelm or scare the puppy or adult dog.

Signs of Nervousness 

Some of the signs, when nervous, may be subtle and go unnoticed. The dog may lick lips, look away, yawn or try to back away and hide. If you notice these signs, prevent increasing the nervousness by either moving your dog away from the situation or doing something else your dog enjoys to help distract them. This also helps your dog to associate the situation with something pleasant.

Helping a nervous dog

If you have a nervous dog (that has not shown any aggression) you can help prevent defensive actions by being patient and taking things slowly. Observe your dog carefully and when you notice the first signs of nervousness, move your dog away from the situation to relax. Keeping your dog in the situation with reassurances only reinforces nervousness but, by moving away, you have taken control and shown that your dog can trust you to be a protector.

When you are aware of the situations your dog is afraid of, avoid them, but whilst stuck in a difficult situation start to build confidence by encouraging your dog to play with you and a favourite toy. You can also teach simple commands so your dog is under your control. Keeping a dog occupied is a useful way to take the mind off scary situations and the physical effort will also help to keep your dog relaxed and comfortable in these surroundings.

When your dog is keen to play with you and is responding to your commands, begin to re-socialise your dog to the situations in which your dog was nervous. Gradually expose your dog to the situations, keeping your dog at a safe distance and watching for any signs of nervousness. Before the dog reacts nervously, encourage a short game with a toy or have a short, fun training session. Repeat this at the safe distance as often as you can.

Building confidence in a nervous dog

As your dog gains confidence and relaxes you can gradually move the animal closer and closer until your dog no longer shows any sign of nervousness. This may take many weeks. Whenever your dog copes well with a scary situation, reward with food and lots of praise.

If your dog is defensive it is important that you discuss the problem with your vet who may refer you to an animal behaviour counsellor to help resolve the problem. Meanwhile, walking your dog in a head collar, such as a Gentle Leader, will give you much more control of the situation.

Gradually building up confidence will ensure your dog enjoys a more active and varied lifestyle, as you can go to more places together. It is also rewarding to help a nervous dog turn into a happy family dog that can fully participate in the family’s activities.