Is Your Dog Shy?
Believe it or not, dogs can have a shy personality also. They might never have to face a demanding audience while giving a speech, but they too have to deal with meeting new people. Signs of shyness in dogs include hiding under the bed when you have visitors and general nervousness around new people and new dogs. The cause of the shyness may just be a natural condition of their personality or it can be caused by something that happened to the dog in the past. Certain breeds are also known to be more shy than others. Knowing why your dog acts the way it does can be important, especially if this is a new dog you have adopted. An abusive past needs to be addressed and the dog’s behavior must be assessed.
The most frequent cause of fear and shyness in a dog is physical abuse. If a simple extension of your hand to pet the animal results in the dog flinching or cowering, then you can be pretty sure that the dog has been abused in the past. This is especially true in dogs that you have rescued or adopted as adults.
An illness or injury will also cause a dog to act timidly. If you dog normally doesn’t suffer form this condition and suddenly starts to act fearful, you need to check him thoroughly. Injuries in dogs are not always apparent. Since the dog can’t tell you what the problem is, you have to take it upon yourself to look for and recognize the problem. Examine the dog from head to tail and look for sensitive areas. If you find one and can’t see any evidence of injury, get the dog to a vet. It could be a sign of an internal injury.
Some people actually scold their dog for being timid. The only thing that does is worsen the problem. Since dogs often urinate when scared or nervous, owners punish them for the accident. This will only make them more likely to do the same thing next time. Instead, gently reassure the animal that everything is OK.
Some dogs can be brave in most circumstances, but cower fearfully in the face of certain things. Loud noises are among the most common trigger of this behavior. Dogs’ sensitive ears make things like vacuum cleaners and large trucks especially daunting and they will often retreat to their dog crate. Once again, your response should be to reassure the dog that everything is fine.
Puppies should be socialized so they are used to both new people and new dogs. If they are kept sequestered they will naturally be fearful of new things. Dog parks are good places to get this kind of contact. If that isn’t available, just a simple walk around the neighborhood should help.
Just like people, probably even more so, dogs are naturally fearful of new things. Help them through this by exposing them to as many new things as possible. A gentle introduction to many new experiences is the best cure for natural shyness.