Why is my dog so scared of everything? How can I help him relax?

Poor Marley! This is a fairly common problem for many dogs - you're correct that the barking is generally caused by fear. Treatment for this issue normally involves teaching the dog to associate good things (like treats!) with seeing large dogs and men so that over time, she begins be happy about seeing them rather than getting scared and barking. To do this successfully, you need to start at a distance away from the dogs (or men) where she is comfortable and able to notice them without barking - for some dogs, this may mean that you need a lot of distance at first! As soon as she sees another dog or a man, praise her and reward with a treat. Once she understands the game, you can gradually move closer as long as she's doing well. This can be difficult to do on your own at first, so I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer who can help you in person - he/she can help to set up controlled training sessions with a helper dog or some strange men until you get the hang of things and are ready for "real life" situations. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

I certainly sympathize with your situation. My own 2 year old dog is the same way. The key to training him is to expose him to situations that are not too scary for him, but improve his confidence. This is not a quick or easy process, and will need to be continued long term. I have found the best method to be a desensitization and counter-conditioning system. When Max encounters something that is slightly scary for him (not too overhelming at first), ask him to sit or lie down for a treat. The goal is to get him to do something that he is comfortable with and receive a treat (positive reinforcement) for doing that behavior instead of being afraid. Do not give him any reinforcement (verbal or otherwise) for fearful behavior, but try to ignore it. Instead reward the behavior you want to see. It would be a great idea to have a trainer try to help you start this type of training program, so you might ask your vet for a recommendation on a trainer. I have been using this on my dog, and it works well, but requires a lot of work. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, sorry to hear about Oscar. There are some things you can try at home to manage his fears. Here are some basic definitions and tips to better orient you, however, successful management of his fears may require patience and time as counterconditioning to the stimulus can sometimes take a long time. Hope this helps and best of luck. DOES YOUR DOG HAVE FEARS? Fear in a dog may present in a variety of ways. Recognizing that your dog is indeed fearful is the first step. Some signs that a fearful dog may display include: tucking its tail between its legs, lowering its head, shaking or trembling, lip licking, rolling over to expose the belly, urinating, or becoming immobilized. A scared or frightened dog may also display aggression, including barking or growling, if it feels it cannot escape what is feared. Avoidance behaviors such as running away, hiding or backing up into a corner may also be seen. WHY IS MY DOG FEARFUL? Many dogs are fearful of specific stimuli or situations. These fears may stem from a lack of exposure to the stimulus, or may develop due to an adverse experience. Both can result in the dog having a fearful, emotional reaction when confronted with the stimulus. Often dogs respond fearfully to things in their environment that in nature would be potentially dangerous, such as loud noises or strangers. This behavior can be troubling for owners to watch. Often, owners become concerned that they have done something to make their dog fearful and their natural reaction is to try to comfort the dog which may amplify these behaviors. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR DOG? 1. Identify specific triggers This is an important step in moving forward and helping your pet overcome their fear. Knowing what stimuli are a “triggers” is key in creating a treatment plan because it allows you to have more control over the behavior and avoid such stimuli when possible. 2. Avoid the stimulus Initially it is often best to avoid the things that will trigger a fearful reaction. This may provide an opportunity to work on your relationship with your pet and develop trust without distraction. 3. Define your relationship with your pet How do you and your family members react to the behavior? Often times the natural reaction to the fearful pet is to comfort them by petting or picking up small dogs. This response may enhance the dog’s reaction to the fearful stimulus because they perceive the comfort as positive reinforcement of their fearful behavior. Rather, a more appropriate reaction is to act as though nothing unusual is going on and try to redirect the dog’s attention to you through a “look” or “sit” command and then treating that behavior. Some dogs are so fearful they may not be food motivated. Perhaps there is something else that your dog considers a “treat”. You may use this in the place of food. In these cases it is essential that all family members are consistent and treat the dog in the same manor.

Aww I’m sorry to hear about Marshall. This type of behavior is often due to anxiety. I would suggest your sister talk to Marshall’s vet about anti-anxiety/ behavior modification medication which can make a huge difference! Continuing what you’re doing in conjunction with the medication is a great idea as learning is much more effective once the fear is reduced. Best of luck to you and Marshall!

Poor Jaxon! It does sound like he's quite fearful of many things, including sounds, the vet's office, and other dogs barking. The patch of hair that stands up is called his "hackles" - when you see the hair stand up like this, it usually means that the dog is frightened or upset. Since it sounds like his anxiety is fairly severe, the best option would be to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate Jaxon in person. He/she can help you determine why he is so fearful, and will give you a detailed treatment plan for him including some training exercises you can do to increase his confidence and teach him to associate good things with people, other dogs, etc. He may also benefit from anti-anxiety medication. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org In the meantime, you could try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help reduce his anxiety - this won't be as effective as prescription medication, but it may help to take the edge off of his fear in these situations until you are able to see the behaviorist for a more complete treatment plan.

Poor Star! It sounds like she's a very anxious girl, if she's afraid of so many things. You can work with her on this by taking tasty treats with you everywhere you go - if she sees something that makes her nervous, praise her and give her a treat. If she wants to move closer to investigate, let her do this - if she would rather move away, that's fine too. It's very important not to force her into situations that scare her or make her uncomfortable, as this will only make the problem worse. You might also want to try a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps. A veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer would also be very helpful for you, if you feel like you need some hands-on guidance - your vet should be able to refer you to someone in your area who can help, if needed.

Poor Oakley! It sounds like he needs a little help with socialization and would benefit from seeing a trainer or veterinary behaviorist in person. You can have a trainer come to your house to observe the situation, and help provide some more tailored advice to help get him feeling more comfortable, especially since he is still so terrified after several weeks. In the meantime, continuing to try and get him adjusted to things may help. Try tossing a favorite treat to him every time you go near him, or placing a favorite treat or chew toy outside of his kennel to encourage him to go out and explore a little. If he does come out, gentle praise and even more special treats can help teach him that what he is doing is OK! If he's startled by loud noises or objects, soothing music can help drown out scary sounds, while letting him sniff and approach new items on his own (and then rewarding him when he does) can help encourage him to explore some. You can find a local behaviorist in your area, and learn more about them as well, by checking out this link: http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/