A lot of people questioning do dog could fear of something? The answer is yes. Dog could fear something just like human. Not only fears which projected from the external object, our dog could also develop fear from internal emotion, such trauma and phobia. This event could hit them hard and as an owner, it is your job to help them walk through this path. Show them that they are not alone – that you will always be with them.
This action requires a strong relationship between you and your dog. Better if you start train them to trust you since they were a puppy, but it is not impossible to train them as an adult either. There is easy guide to take care of dog at home for beginner, in case you have no experience about raising a dog. The key is to watch and observe your dog behavior,and learn from it. And do not trust the myth.
If you still confuse about something, the best thing you can do is to get some advice from the vet – cause it’s the safest way. Some fears, without receiving immediate help, could transform into aggression. Your dog would act aggressive to something – even someone – as a form of self protection caused by fear that grow inside them. In this stage, it could be very dangerous. But today, we’re not going to talk about some serious fear, but we would discuss the light kind of fear that might can get into your dog.
Common dog fears that every owner must know! Not because they were a coward, but just simply as a reaction of something had happened or going to happen. Just exactly the same reaction like when you see a spider and cockroach – you will absolutely jump and scream – just like that. So, here we go: common dog fears that every owner must know!
1. Left Alone
Generally the fear which come from the feeling of being left alone is referred to anxiety problem. Separation would make them thought that you will leave them and not going back. If your dog really suffer from anxiety, the symptoms would appear when you come home. Your dog would show a destructive behavior, also some other act such housebreaking action the moment you try to leave them, and excessive barking to you.
You could help them through separation anxiety by changing some routine before you leave them, also, show calmness and tender gesture to your dog before you leave them and the moment you return, would help to reduce the anxiety itself. Soon or later, they will remember this routine and getting used of being home alone.
2. The Thunder
The fear of thunder also known as astraphobia, it could catch not only human – actually, this phobia is one of the common fear in dog. All dog have their own degree on how to react to the fear. Some dog would just tremble slightly, tucked their tail, and flattened the ears. But some other dog which is more sensitive, or suffer from astraphobia would take a destructive action – even wetting.
For your note; your dog has capability of sensing a thunderstorm coming. So, don’t be shock if they shown some sign of fear, several times before the thunder really hit the ground.
3. The Veterinarian
Yes, perhaps you already know this. A lot of people had upload the videos in YouTube about their dog behavior during check up time, and many of us find it funny and entertain; to see our dog – with all the ideas which they have – try to escape from this routine schedule. Maybe for us, but not for our dog. In your dog perspective, veterinarian is a weird smells place, with a bunch of stranger that would take care of them in strange way, and do a pain job like vaccination.
No wonder why your dog always try to stop you to bringing them into this place. But, don’t worry, this fear is treatable. You can help them manage the fear by take them to the vet for social visit purpose, without any examination involve. It’s very good to take your dog to one certain veterinarian every single time – at least, your dog would remember all the staff that would take care of him.
4. The Stairs
Oh, yeah. This is a very common issue you would found on your dog. Why? It caused by lack of early socialization of your dog with the stairs. Example; if you adopted a dog from a shelter, the place where they lived before, could be has no stairs. So, when your dog encounter the stairs for the first time in their life, they would have seen it as a dangerous path to walk in.
Very different with a dog which – literally – the stairs has been a part of his life. They would enjoy every step of it – even make it as their playground. All you can do to help your dog is showing them how to walk through it, step by step – slowly – and make sure that they follow you and still feel safe about it.
5. Strangers
This fear is quite common on dog. Your dog literally would afraid of everyone he doesn’t know. This is a hard issue to solve, because you can’t force your dog to accept and open their heart for people they had just met. Forcing them only make the fear grow even more, and lead to aggressive action toward the stranger – which is dangerous.
Your dog has their own timing of recognizing people. Let them approach the person in his own time – make them learn about those people, slowly. Trust me, if that person isn’t a bad guy, soon or later your dog would show friendly act toward them.
6. Car Ride
The last of the common fears that might get into your dog, is fear of car ride. We all know that for some people, car ride could trigger a motion sickness for the passengers. Don’t be surprise, your dog could get this motion sickness too. Motion sickness is different from a vehicle anxiety, so, you need professional hands to observe – do your dog just had vehicle anxiety or he get more serious problem such motion sickness.
You could do some prevention though, by hold him forward, facing the car seat, crate, or seat belt on purpose to reduce the dizzying – triggered by seeing moving objects. You could also open the window – a little bit – to make sure that your dog get the outside air, to help them adjust with the car – and please make sure that your dog didn’t eat anything before the journey. Your dog’s health should be your first priority.