familyservicehub Stranger danger is a condition in which dogs are afraid or aggressive towards new people. It can happen at home, during walks or anywhere else. These dogs’ reactions are usually fight, run, or freeze.
You can help your dog become less stressed by doing a few simple things. Your dog may not be willing to accept pets from strangers, but with some effort you can decrease her fear response.
You can create a safe environment for everyone by following these tips. We will also discuss some techniques to teach your dog how to cope with stress, as well as resources that may be helpful.
*NOTE* Please consult a certified professional in positive reinforcement behavior if your dog has difficulty with fear, particularly if it has tried to bite, bark or lunge at strangers.
Set your dog up for success with these general tips
Here are some tips to help you train a dog that is afraid of strangers.
- Allow your dog to decide when to perform certain tasks.
- Celebrate your small victories : You’ll usually not have a lot of big leaps forward, so you should celebrate small achievements.
- You can teach your dog new skills that they will use instead of those you don’t like.
- Create positive associations. Negative associations are often strong and require a lot of positive ones to overcome them. To create good associations, you need to understand their emotions and respond accordingly.
- Think ahead and always advocate for your dog . Continue reading to learn more about this).
How to Create a Safe Environment For Your Dog And The People Around You
Set up your environment so that your dog feels safe. You can accomplish this in many ways, but you will need to plan ahead and be aware of your surroundings.
- Use tools for management, such as basket muzzles and leashes. You can also use baby gates, crates, pens or crates.
- try to avoid putting your dog in situations where they will feel the need for protection. You may need to consider how your dog might react in a new situation.
- Use two levels of management if necessary to prevent unexpected and potentially dangerous interactions. You might use a combination of a baby gate with a muzzle when your dog poses a biting risk and someone is visiting your home.
- Keep in mind that your dog cannot skip straight from kindergarten to college. Allow them to learn at their own rate.
How to manage a dog who is afraid of strangers
Start slowly. You want your dog to be comfortable around strangers. It may take some time to get your dog used to strangers petting him, but it’s okay if that never happens.
Step 1: Strangers from a distance
Here are some ways to get your dog used to people who are not right in front of him.
Associating strangers with good things will help you desensitize and counter-condition your dog. If you and your dog both see the stranger, give your dog a reward or spread treats on the floor. Once the stranger has left, the treats will stop. Strangers are the best predictors for treats.
You can use clicker-training to achieve this. Use a clicker to reward your dog when it looks at a stranger or any other stimulus that causes them anxiety.
Step 2: Strangers Up Close
Do not rush through this step. Allow your dog to take the time she needs to meet people. Allow your dog to leave if they show signs of stress. When dogs are apprehensive about people, they should not approach them until they are ready.
Strangers should not give treats to your dogs before they’re ready. To begin, have the person throw treats to your pet. It’s best to place them a few feet behind your dog to avoid making it feel like they need to approach the person they are scared of. The person can throw treats to your dog, ideally a little behind them so they don’t feel pressured to get closer to the person who is frightening.
We want our dogs’ confidence to be high, so we won’t force them to greet anyone before they are ready.
Teaching alternative behaviors and skills
You can teach your dog many alternative behaviors to keep them busy instead of barking or lunging.
It can be very useful to teach your nervous dog the cue “look at me”. This cue will encourage your dog not to bark at strangers, but instead look at you when they approach.
Teach your dog a trick to perform for strangers if your dog does not like being petted or approached. It can be as simple as spinning or sitting pretty. Your dog will be able to greet people using a cute trick instead of a pat on their head.
When you tell people that your dog is shy but can perform a funny trick to say hi, they are usually happy with the interaction.
Body language signs of dogs who are nervous or fearful that are commonly misunderstood
There are many signals that our dogs use to let us know that they are uncomfortable (ears back, lunging or growling etc.). There are two signs that we would like to emphasize that can be misinterpreted as friendly by nervous dogs.
The belly up is not always a sign that your dog wants a belly rub. It can also be a dog’s way of saying that they don’t feel threatened. The dog might roll over to expose its belly, but his body language is stiff. He may lick his lips and his eyes may dart.
Dogs licking is often a sign of friendliness, but it can also indicate a need for safety. If your dog is licking, but also seems tense or deferential to you, this could be a sign that they feel unsafe.
It’s vital to remove your dog from the person, or situation, if you see them exhibiting these behaviors.
This blog is adapted from a Bond Dog Training webinar that was given by Sarah Bond (CDBC, CPDTKSA, CPDTKSA). The recording can be found here.
Are you ready to begin training with a professional trainer? You can schedule your virtual behavior consultation now.