It is common, as in any living being, that our dog has very different fears throughout his life. We could classify these phobias into two large groups: social fear and inanimate fear .
Social fear refers to phobias that arise from a relationship or a confrontation with another being , be it another dog, some other animal, or even humans . We must bear in mind that if the pet has this type of fear, it probably has some type of socialization problem that we must try to alleviate.
Inanimate fear are phobias of objects, whether they are material, such as a car, or immaterial, such as water. These fears are usually rooted in some type of trauma that leads them to fear some unexpected sounds, sensations or things.
We must emphasize that fear problems must be evaluated and treated . An evaluation after a previous observation is basic since, otherwise, we could generate situations of great stress to the animal that even affects the correct functioning of its organism.
How to detect that the dog is afraid
Now, how do we know if our dog is afraid? Like any living being, it will show a series of actions to tell us and its surroundings that it is scared, as a defense mechanism. These actions can be: trying to escape, contract against the ground, defecate, shake, bark, growl and even attack to defend themselves . In addition to this, it is common for their pupils to dilate, put their ears back and hide their tail between their legs.
What should we do in this situation ? We should not enhance their fears with caresses or affectionate words, they should not see it as something positive and they may feel misplaced if you have that reaction. Likewise, do not punish him or get angry , understand that you also have fears and you too can be scared. We must show ourselves as indifferent as possible, move him away from that fear in the first place and bring him closer to him little by little so that he sees that nothing bad is going to happen to him (it depends on the case, too).
It is important that we understand that many fears are born by an overprotection of the animal by the owner . It is positive that the animal interacts and faces its fears since, in this way, it will socialize with other beings and with its environment in a healthier and positive way. Of course, there are cases in which it is advisable to put the pet in the hands of an ethologist.
Do you want to know what are the most common fears in dogs? We bring you a compilation with the 16 most common fears that your dog may feel.
