Fearfulness is a common nature on puppies, who can blame them? Everything around them seems scary, big, and hard to be understand. For a puppy, everything is a new experience. The differences are, some puppy are more adventurous than other. An adventurous puppy do still feel fear, but what they can do? Their curiosity is way to bigger than their fears. So, they manage their own fears, try to find out the way something work by themselves.

Something that fearful puppy missed. The lack of curiosity and the adventurous side make them surrender to the object of fears and let the bad assumption grow wilder in their mind. Make them do the only thing they could to protect themselves from this “bad” object. They will come to conclusion that hiding is the best way to eschew from it rather than try to figure it out and understand what’s the thing in front of them.

But, don’t think that only a puppy can be fearful like this. The truth is, an adult dog could be fearful too. Many dogs out there grown with the shyness and dreadful feeling with the environment surrounds them – but don’t worry, you could train the adult dog not to be scared and train the shy dog to be more friendly from all these common dog fears that every owner must know. Plus, you should make yourself as an owner to get more knowledge about your own dog behavior.

Also, fearfulness could be the impact of lack of confidence within your puppy, and as a result, insecurity could attack them easily. Is there any ways to make a puppy less-scare and increase the confidence inside of him? Yes! Today we’re going to learns some ways to teach your fearful puppy gain confidence. Not only make him more confidence, with do things together, you’ll also build a bond to each other and grow the seed of trust between you and your puppy.

1. Knowing The Signs and Symptoms of Fearfulness

This is your job to observe is there any changes of behavior on your puppy. Wherefore fearfulness symptoms practically easier to recognize than other psychologist problems on dogs. So, keep your eyes on him, what may could be the trigger of fears, when and where the fears would usually come. All of this is your obligation – to understand and truly know how’s your puppy feel about particular thing, mostly something that might be threat to his mental state.

When your beloved little one got scare, they will exhibit distinctive body’s gesture such shaking, painting, cowering (lowing his head to the ground with ears flattened to the back of his head), confuse and nervous to looking for something that could hide him (or easily just hide behind your body), stand freezing on sudden (but his eyes still lock on something), and whining. If you saw your puppies making this kind of gestures, that’s mean your puppies are scared and need your help.

Remember, your puppy can not calm himself, it is your job to bring the calmness over him. Try to assure him that everything is okay – that they are safe – no danger will come to him, and other encourage words. Therefor, if it necessary, you could bring him away from his source of fears for a while to calm him down – to avoid more serious stress case. Also, you must know these signs of anxious your pup will point out: loss of appetite, spinning or pacing, yawning, drooling, and sleep more or less than usual.

2. Giving Your Puppy Some Help

First thing first, to help to handle your scared puppy, you should calm yourself and be patient. Your puppy may do many things that might be overwhelmed you, but do not ever loss temper on him. If you shout or yelling of him because of his behavior, you only make it worse. The fear that they feel is real, so you need to be respectful and try to understand him, and make the situation easier for him.

Basics Tips You Can Apply to Gain Some Confidence

Never lie to your dog. If what he did is wrong, you should tell him it’s wrong – don’t spoil them.
Distract your puppy from his fears with some delight routine, toys, and delicious treats.
Praise him every time he did something good, to show him that you proud of him.
Persistent, patience, and consistent, are the keys to make progress on him, don’t – ever – loss control. Remove unnecessary emotion which could make your puppy loss his trust on you.
You could offer some treats, and his favorite toys in tough and stressful moment.
Do obedience commands to make him thinking, not just become spontaneous reaction habit.
Adjust your voice tone in every situation. You make a sweet and lovely tone during the cuddle time, you can make a cheerful and happy tone to praise him about his excellent work, and use the stern and firm tone while teach or reject them – not shouting or yelling.
Plan some new and adventurous experience together. Introduce your puppy with something he never see before, to make him learn about something outside his “home”. But, do please, make sure everything included in your plan is safe.
Always give him a clear command, no need long words – just view words, but he could understand it.
Tug game could also increase his confidence and fun of course. Yous should try to play it with him.
You can teach your puppy every name of objects surround him. So, he can adjust himself and become more familiar with objects around him.
You can start to prevent a hiding and cowering habit of your puppy every time he see his object of fears. Teach him to try facing the object slowly.
Introducing him with “Hi” word as a sign for him to interact with other people. This is to make him familiar with stranger that might want to interact with him.
Do not ever petting and stroke him while he’s in scared or cowering position. He will catch it as an “agreement” to his manner.

So, these are ways to teach your fearful puppy gain confidence. Good luck, people!