Understand your pet
One of the most important steps to help cope or modify this behavior is to know the causes of fear of people. Empathy will be key to being able to support our pet since it will help us understand it better and that will generate more trust in us.
- Bad socialization . It is one of the main reasons why dogs are terrified of people. Accustoming the furry to people during their socialization stage, that is, since they are puppies, will be essential. Dogs are traditional animals, so it is important to get them used to dealing with people from a young age. During this period they also learn to interact with other animals, both with their own species and with others, and they begin to understand and get used to factors that may seem dangerous to them but are not really dangerous, such as the noise of a motorcycle or the storms.
- A bad experience. This not only includes abuse, but it can be a traumatic situation such as being in a crowd and having a great noise. This experience could have made him associate that people cause situations of loud noise.
- Old age When dogs are older, more and more they need to be calm. That is why they seek to escape the noise, crowds and uncomfortable situations for them. One of these can be being around people, since it can be annoying.
- Question of genetics. Many animals can be afraid of people because they have learned it. For example, if a puppy sees that his dog, with whom he lives, is afraid of people, he will end up acquiring it. It is what is known as ‘genetics of fear’.
Some advices
- Learn their language. Recognizing the body signals that our pet presents in certain situations will be essential to know how it accepts and manages them. Above all, those that respond to the state of calm and threat.
- Determine what situations are those that cause fear. When are you scared of people? Are you scared of only a certain type of people or of all? Is it only in closed spaces or also in open spaces? Does it happen when you are in a territory that you do not know? You have to ask yourself several questions to try to reach a conclusion.
- Ask people around you for help. Your friends can help you create an atmosphere of trust and have the situation more controlled. Give them instructions to help you create the climate your dog needs and thus overcome his fears.
- Be patient. Dogs assimilate situations and orders gradually. For this reason, don’t wait for your pet to change his reaction to people immediately. Give it time.
- Take care of your diet . A lack of nutrients or vitamins in the pet’s diet can lead to behavior problems. Stop this, consulting with experts in canine nutrition will be the best option.
If after applying all these tips, your pet is still afraid, we recommend going to a specialist so that he can determine and treat the problem.
