Shy dog? Read this!
Did you recently adopt a shy dog? I’ve specialized in working with shy dogs for over a decade; volunteering in a shelter, teaching group dog training classes and coaching private dog training clients.
Here are some foundations for helping your shy dog:
A dog’s body language tells all
Dogs are always letting us know how they feel through their body language. The more you observe and study your dog’s body language, the better you will be able to understand and communicate with your dog.
Not sure how to read your dog’s body language?
Some examples of body language that can indicate fear/stress/discomfort:
Freezing
Ducking/head lowered
Moving away
Hiding
Lip lick
Yawn
Paw lift
Panting
Whale eye (white crescent of eye showing)
Tail tuck
Stiff body language
Furrowed brow
Not eating food
Working with a certified dog trainer can help if you are struggling to understand your dog’s body language. When I’m working with clients, I provide detailed feedback through videos to interpret each dog’s body language during training sessions. Video can be a powerful way for a dog parent to watch both their dog’s body language and their body language during a training session. Being able to pause, rewind and repeat can be a game changer for noticing details that may be missed in the moment.
Be thoughtful about your own body language
Do: Let your dog choose whether to approach you and to what distance.
Don’t approach your dog when their body language is indicating fear of your approach.
Do: Train with your dog in spaces where your dog always has the option to choose more distance or retreat entirely.
Don’t corner your dog.
Do: Find the setups for training that make your dog most comfortable. For example, you sitting on the ground vs standing.
Don’t lean into or over your dog. For many dogs, a person looming over them is uncomfortable.
Do: Try having your side body toward your dog and watch your dog without intense eye contact.
Don’t face your dog head on and stare. For many dogs this can be intimidating and scary.
Space is good!
If you’re dog’s body language indicates fear, give them space from the thing that is making them feel unsafe in that moment. When a dog’s body language indicates fear but they are forced/pressured to be in the situation that is upsetting, risks include increasing fear, shutting down and aggression. I often hear from dog parents that they have tried to expose their dog to something that the dog is afraid of but the dog got increasingly fearful. In my training approach, I coach people to build a dog’s confidence through systematic desensitization and counter conditioning. In a nutshell, I give dogs lots of choice, and through small steps build new positive feelings about the scary stuff.
The dogs I work with are free from pressure or force to be in uncomfortable situations. This is often times a relief for dog parents to hear! Using humane training methods means that I always aim for your dog to feel safe.
Want more support for your shy dog? I provide personalized support for each unique dog household.
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