Timid and Under-socialized Dogs
719.687.9742 PO Box 713 · Divide, CO 80814 www. wolfeducation.org
Having a quaking dog who wants to run away from people and other dogs is no fun. Many people who have fearful and skittish dogs work to keep them away from the world. Ironically, that is the opposite of what needs to be done. Sheltering fearful dogs will only make them more fearful, and some may progress to the point they bite. Two main reasons I see timid dogs is nature and nurture, and sometimes they both work together to create even more problems. Training and socialization can help. Dogs who are timid by nature may appeal to some owners because these dogs are often clingy, which can be mistaken for affection. Wherever the owner goes, the dog often follows like a shadow. These same dogs will also be uncertain about anyone who comes over. Although they retreat to the person they feel secure around, what the dog really needs is to learn how to overcome his or her fears. Although some dogs have a timid nature, other dogs may be less secure because the dog didn’t get the correct kinds of socialization which is extremely vital for puppies. To become secure, dogs need to be taken out into our world and exposed to different things. People who acquire a dog, and never take the dog out anywhere except frightening places such as a vet’s office or a groomer, not only fall short of adequate socialization, these kinds of experiences will often times nurture insecurity. Some people are fooled about how much socialization dogs actually need. They may take a puppy to puppy class and feel their job is done. That marginal amount of socialization may work for a few dogs, but for many dogs, especially dogs with a more reserved nature or who are timid, this is not adequate. Dogs need socialized to different people, a variety of dogs, and to other animals including cats, household pets, and livestock. Although a puppy class offers some exposure to other dogs and to people, many dogs will become secure about the few dogs they meet in the puppy class, but remain aloof with other dogs they encounter. Behind the problem is that some dogs view the small class like a family, leaving the dog insecure about other meeting new dogs. Likewise, during a puppy class, ideally the pup is being socialized with other people. But, this is only begins the process. One thing a good puppy class can allow is the opportunity for the puppy to be handled by adults and children. If no children are present in the puppy class, then that kind of introduction needs secured elsewhere. Having taught puppy classes, I do have some guidelines and cautions for people looking to begin their dog’s social experiences in a class. If you have a timid dog, you will need to be all the more selective with your puppy class. Make sure your instructor has experience with working with less secure dogs. Don’t just settle for a “yes I do” answer. Ask the instructor to tell you how he or she works to help these kinds of dogs. When looking for a puppy class, make sure that play is monitored correctly. The way I did my puppy playtime was to allow the more rambunctious puppies to play before the class, then after class, those puppies went home. At that time, the less secure pups were allowed to play. With the rowdy group, I’d make sure if things got too intense that the puppies were interrupted, and allowed to settle down before they could resume play. Of course, you’d sometimes encounter one or two pups that
needed a lot of guidance in the “play civilized” department. Puppies who were insecure where handled differently. If a pup was far too insecure to play with others, I’d allow the dog to observe from a safe corner. After two sessions most puppies find the courage to venture out. If not I’d bring in an adult dog who was calm around puppies for a one-on-one. The fun part about puppy playtime was that sometimes I’d see a more timid individual graduate to the rambunctious gang after a few weeks. After your puppy class, you need to continue your dog’s socialization as well as add some diversity. That means introducing the pup to a variety of dogs, and to men, women, and children who are different sizes, shapes, and ages. Ironically, some dogs take issues with men with beards, so find at least one friendly bearded man for your dog to meet. Don’t forget that people have different demeanors. Some people have a nervous energy about them, and that may put off a dog, especially if the dog is more timid. Others may have a large and powerful presence. The secret to successful socialization with people, including children, is to allow the puppy enough time to relax in the presence of that person. But, don’t expect to do all of your socializing in one day. If you try and do too much at once, the dog can become overwhelmed. So watch for the dog to show reluctance. With more timid dogs, you will find one person at a time will be all they can handle, at least at first. You can expect to need to work on socialization of your dog for at least the first year and a half, and up to three years with certain breeds or individuals. Some of you may be reading this information, and realize that you missed an opportunity to acclimate your dog when he or she was a pup. Of course, dogs with a timid nature will take more work at any age, but given time, you can make social progress, even with an adult. Just be sure to take things at the dog’s pace and to end on a positive note. One category of adult dogs that I have worked with for socializing as adults are mill dog rescues. This kind of dog has an extra challenge. The dog is often not comfortable with me in the beginning. I find it takes about half a year for the dog to learn to overcome a lot of their fears. I am glad to report that the dogs I have worked with have not only left behind their timid nature, you can’t tell when you meet them that they began their lives caged and secluded. Socializing a dog, when done right, helps build confidence in a dog. As well, it creates a more pleasant pet. Although timid dogs may seem clingy, this is really not the same as loving you, and often these dogs become so dependent on their owners that they can suffer from separation anxiety when the owner leaves the house. If you find your dog is having issues with separation anxiety, there is training you can do to help resolve the problem. Peggy Swager is a behaviorist and dog trainer. Her new video, “Separation Anxiety, a Weekend Technique,” tells dog owners how to not only help retrain dogs with separation anxiety, it helps retrain dogs who are more timid and shadow their owners. Some of the sections of the video cover building confidence in dogs, mistakes dog owners make which result in a less secure nature in a dog, and using calming signals to help out a less secure dog. In her book “Training the Hard to Train Dog,” there is a chapter called “Nervous Nellies” which tells how to socialize insecure dogs. More information is available at her website www.peggyswager.com.