Common Dog Phobias and What to Do About Them

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As a dog owner, you probably thought the last thing you needed to worry about in terms of your pet was phobias, but actually, they are pretty common amongst our canine companions and they can make life pretty difficult for the pets who experience them.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most common dog phobias and how you can help your pet to overcome them.

Fear of strangers

Fear of strangers is a very common phobia in dogs especially rescue dogs who might not have had the best experience with humans. If your dog has a fear of strangers, he may cower or run away from them or he could become aggressive.

How can you help your dog to overcome this particular phobia? Slowly introduce him to new people. Do this in an environment he is comfortable with and take it slow. Praise him for being calm and offer him treats when he reacts in the right way, and although it may take some time, you should ultimately be able to desensitize him.

Fear of sounds

Many dogs will develop phobias to one or more sounds like thunder, fireworks, or even the sound of certain music. If this is a problem for your pooch, then you will want to help him through it. In-home dog training services can be useful to help you with this because they will help you to train your dog to be less reactive to outside conditions and more reactive to your voice. This means you will be better able to soothe, distract, and ultimately desensitize your dog so that sounds do not bother him nearly as much as they once did.

Fear of being left alone

Separation anxiety is hugely common in dogs. So many of our pets hate being apart from us even for a moment, but of course, we often o have to leave them for a period of time to go buy groceries or go to work or whatever it is we need to do.

Separation anxiety can be difficult to deal with, and it can be heartbreaking to see your pet so upset when you have to leave, but there are a few things you can do to help. 

First of all, don’t make a big deal when you leave or when you come home. Leave it a few minutes before you greet him and he won’t get overexcited by the thought of your arrival, nor if you leave without a fuss, will he make it into a much bigger deal than it is.

Next, start leaving him for a few minutes, adding more time to your trips as he gets more comfortable, Eventually, he will be ok.

When a dog has a phobia, you need to treat them with care and kindness, but you also need to work on helping them overcome their irrational fears, whatever they may be. If you cannot do this alone, then talking to a dog behaviorist or a dog trainer, who may be better positioned to help, is likely to be a good idea.