How to wean a dog to be afraid of guests and people on the street?

Why is a dog afraid of people?

Consider a common situation: a dog reacts negatively to your friends or relatives dropping by for a cup of tea. Why is this happening?

You understand with your mind that the guests do not wish you harm, but you can’t explain this to the dog. For her, outsiders are strangers who have invaded her territory, so they urgently need to be driven away by barking or, even worse, biting their legs.

The dog is under a lot of stress. Each meeting with a stranger is perceived by the four-legged guard as an attack on personal boundaries and the well-being of the family.

It happens that a dog is afraid even of a member of his family who has certain qualities. For example, he has a tall stature, a rough voice, an unpleasant smell or clothes for a pet.

The sense of danger can be exacerbated when the owners themselves begin to behave emotionally when guests arrive: they begin to raise their voice at the dog, pull its leash, and punish it. It is not surprising that the dog does not re-educate, but continues to perceive every stranger who steps on the threshold as an enemy.

Think about it: what if you yourself provoke the dog to aggressive behavior? Of course, it is also impossible to praise, stroke and talk affectionately with a barking dog: he may think that you approve of his behavior. Better listen to our recommendations and do everything right.

How should the owner behave?

It is better not to allow guests and strangers on the street to squeeze, treat the dog, try to play with it, and even more so give commands to it. Otherwise, the dog may lose its boundaries: who will it obey in the end?

The ideal behavior is when the dog sits and quietly watches the people who come to visit you. The owner in this case gives her the command “His” (in this place there may be another word suitable for the situation).

If you allow your dog to cuddle with everyone, you run the risk of getting too friendly, trusting dog. In the future, she will throw herself at everyone with her “embraces” and will not see the difference between “her own” and “strangers”. This is also a big problem.

It is important to strike a balance between “I’m afraid of everyone” and “I adore everyone.”

Methods for teaching a dog to strangers

Be patient, persistent and persistent. Raising a dog is a responsible and necessary matter if you want to live with a kind and obedient pet.

• Make sure your dog gets used to people as soon as possible.

The puppy should begin to get to know family members and other people before 3 months of age. If you miss the time, the dog will only perceive the owner, and reject other people. It is important to teach the baby to the fact that the veterinarian and the groomer, for example, do not wish him harm, but on the contrary, they can scratch his belly and even treat him to something delicious.

• Keep calm

If the owner is nervous, what is the appropriate behavior of the dog? 

When the dog barks at guests, in no case show anger and irritation. Be calm and kind. Show the dog that there is nothing wrong with visiting other people, that you keep yourself in control, so the dog needs to follow your example.

• Create a good association

Dogs have associative thinking, which means that they can easily be instilled with a positive association for the same call or knock on the door.

For example, when a dog hears a bell, it becomes frightened and feels anxious. Help her get rid of the negativity – give your pet a treat as soon as the guests make themselves felt. Or show your dog his favorite toy that he loves to spend time with. Let the four-legged defender be distracted.

Remember: you need to give a toy or a treat where none of the guests will see the dog, for example, in another room. Otherwise, the pet will decide that strangers can take away its “charm” and will jealously protect its property.

• Talk to guests

Often the guests themselves can provoke the dog to aggression. Someone laughs or talks loudly, someone tries to squeeze the dog or throws himself into the arms of the owner. All this the dog can perceive as a provocation and attack.

Ask guests to keep a low profile and ignore the pet in the house.

• Protect the people

If the dog is too impulsive, you need to isolate the guests from the dog. Keep your pet in a separate room until guests arrive. The safety of others is still a top priority.

But do everything so that the dog does not perceive locking in the room as a punishment. Leave her food and water, give her plenty of toys. If there are more dogs in the house, let them accompany their brother and brighten up his loneliness a little.

• Don’t violate your dog’s personal boundaries

Let’s say the dog ran off at the sound of the doorbell and hid behind the sofa. You will make a huge mistake if you try to forcefully pull a pet out of its hiding place for the amusement of guests.

First, you will undermine the dog’s trust. She will decide that she cannot rely on you in a difficult situation. Secondly, by pulling the dog out and violating his personal boundaries, you will not relieve him of fear, but will make him worry even more. Thirdly, it is initially a traumatic undertaking – to pull the dog out of his “house”. Not even the owner will find it small.

If the four-legged hid – do not climb to him. You can affectionately call, offer a tasty treat. Doesn’t go? Leave your pet alone. Later, he will see that there is no danger, and he will go out himself.

• Teach different behavior

A few trainings are enough – and instead of rushing to the door barking, the dog will go to another room, take a toy in his teeth or lie down on his favorite couch. It is up to you to decide how your dog should behave when the doorbell rings.

Don’t forget generous praise and, of course, treats when the wet-nosed one gets it right.

• Walk in public places more often

From deserted squares and outskirts, slowly move to more crowded places. Let the dog understand that strangers do not care about her and that no one will harm her.

At the same time, in no case do not scold your pet, do not show hostility towards him. The calm state of the dog is the key to success.

If your dog is afraid not only of strangers, but also of unfamiliar terrain, start taking him for walks, trips, picnics, etc. The development of new territories is very important for any dog. Let the coward see that this big and evil world is not scary at all, but very interesting and multifaceted.

By acting gradually, patiently and slowly, you can ensure that the dog reacts calmly to strangers in the house and on the street.

If you have tried all possible methods, but you can’t cope with dog fear in any way, it is better to contact a zoopsychologist. And if you are the owner of a large but hostile dog, you should immediately contact a cynologist. We wish you success!