Causes of Social Anxiety in Dogs

Social anxiety in dogs arises from environmental stimuli. Your pet may be fine at home with their regular family members where things feel familiar and comfortable. But any sense of calm goes out the window when they meet a stranger or step outside into strange terrain. This can lead to a dog acting out or otherwise behaving unusually. Their reaction will depend on their level of social anxiety and the intensity of a particular negative stimulus.

The issue can originate from a number of experiences. While it’s important to expose puppies to new things, it should be done slowly in order to avoid sensory overload. At the same time, however, please do not keep them overly sheltered to the point that anything unfamiliar scares them. For older dogs, social anxiety is common in those who were once strays or were rescued from neglectful or abusive situations. These animals have learned to distrust humans or have had limited contact with them and few opportunities to learn how to interact.

Signs of Social Anxiety in Your Dog

Social anxiety can manifest itself differently in different dogs, but there are certain signs you can look out for. Check out the following section to learn some things to look for.

• Sometimes a dog’s fear makes them feel cornered and their fight-or-flight instincts respond with aggression. This would be seen as growling, barking, or attempting to attack.
• Dogs who feel more timid will whine or cower behind their owner.
• In other cases, drooling, intense panting, or urinating may occur, which are signals of extreme nervousness.

How to Help Your Dog With Social Anxiety

If you notice these types of behaviors in your pet, you’re not alone. While socialization exercises are known to have greater success at a young age, it’s not too late to work on remedying their anxiety. It will take dedication and time to desensitize your dog from their fears. Be patient and prepared for a month-long process so that you are less inclined to throw too much at them at one time. Check out the following section to learn about some tips for helping your pet with social anxiety.

• Have your dog meet someone new and allow them to initiate the contact and safely retreat when they’ve had enough.
• Reinforce good behavior, but do not comfort their fears, as that creates the wrong type of associations.
• Take the same approach to outings in new places.
• Start off slowly and over time you will hopefully start to notice that they seem more relaxed.
• Remember your goal is not to make your dog love all these interactions and environments but to be able to tolerate them.

Contact Us to Book Your Next Dog Training Class

While you know your pet better than anyone, there’s nothing wrong with turning to a professional for dog temperament training. At The K-9 Center, we’re proud to assist dog owners across Hauppauge, Suffolk County, NY and the surrounding regions. No matter how old your pet is, our dog temperament trainers will use the latest techniques to help your furry friend with their social anxiety. If you’re interested in learning more, please feel free to contact our team to learn more about our available on-site dog training classes. We look forward to hearing from you!