Raising a dog is both interesting and daunting experience. This applies to new and old dogs. The worst scenario is when your canine friend is afraid of you.
It is quite strange to love and care for a furry friend that fears the owner. Is your dog scared of you? Well, there multiple scenarios that make a dog afraid of the owner.
The most possible reasons are buying new dogs from rescue centers, negative training methods, and stepping on their tail.
Building trust between you and the fearful dog can be a daunting experience. Keep in mind such dogs can react cowardly or aggressively.
But you need to exercise a lot of patience to create a rapport. In this article, I will share the possible reasons why some dog breeds are afraid of their owners and measures to implement to curb the scenario.
Why Is My Dog Afraid of Me?
No doubt a dog is the best man friend. But there are situations where dogs can act weirdly towards their owner. If you are desperately looking for reasons for such cases then you are not alone. The reasons why dogs are fearful to the owners include:
Negative Training Methods
Some pet parents tend to yell and hit their canine friends during training. These negative training tricks can make your pal afraid of you. You ought to choose the proper way of training.
Stepping on Dog’s Paw or Tail
If you have the behavior of stepping on the dog’s paw or tail without knowing can make your canine friend skeptical of coming close to you. This is one of the possible key reasons why your poodle is afraid of you.
Buying a Puppy from Pet Store
Puppies raised from pet stores tend to have poor human interaction at the beginning of their life compared to those raised by breeders. Therefore, these puppies will always have a strained relationship with the owner due to trust issues.
Buying Dogs from Rescue Centers
Dogs from the rescue center normally do not have stable families. In such a scenario, they do not trust anyone. They will always be afraid of the new parent. But the situation can easily be resolve with time.
What You Should Do If the Dog Is Afraid of You?
There are several things to put into consideration if you own a canine friend that fears you. Implementation of these measures can resolve any relationship strain with your poodle when new or old pal.
Consult A Vet
The behavior of dogs fearing their owner could be due to underlying problems. These conditions can make your poodle aggressive during their reaction. We recommend consulting your vet for checkup and treatment where necessary.
Create a Positive Environment
Dogs bought from rescue centers are not used to noise, quick movement, and aggressive behavior. These scenarios tend to make them fearful. You need to create an environment that is comfortable to the dog and that can easily lure him close.
Spend Time Together
Spending adequate time with your canine friend is another way of bonding. This helps to gain trust from your dog with a new or old pal. Remember to carry a couple of treats in your pocket. The smell will make your canine friend come close to you.
Play or Exercise with Your Dog
Fearful dogs are difficult to handle. You can introduce interactive toys and this will keep the canine friend engaged. Besides that, you can lure him into the playful mode and this is the only way to build trust. You can take him for a walk in the park to get used to people.
Be Patient and Understanding
New dogs need time to adjust to the new environment. Expect them to be afraid of every family member but this is a matter of time. Also, try to be understanding if your old pal behaviors in a manner you don’t like. Never should you shout or harass your canine friend due to a simple mistake. Talk to them calmly.
Conclusion
Dogs are the most loving pet that humans can have. These canine friends tend to show a strong affectionate and companionship to their owners.
Be assured that your canine friend can protect in case of any danger. However, any form of mistreatment can make your poodle afraid of you.
You will be forced to work around the clock to win the trust back. Always learn to treat your dog as part of the family. Try to be calm, patient, and understanding towards your poodle.
This is the best way to build trust and a strong relationship. You can consult a vet and animal behaviorist in case the behavior persists for long.
Forrest is a lover of dogs, the wild outdoors, deep mysterious conversations… and coffee. He is the owner of several websites, including Canine Weekly. He resides in Austin, Texas.