Anxious Dogs…Can They Be Fixed?

Sometimes owners have a tendency to oversimplify their dogs’ feelings and reactions. If a dog lashes out, he must be angry. If he whines, he must be sad.

Quite honestly, dogs simply don’t look at the world the way we humans do. They rely on more base instincts. Aggression and whining are not the result of anger or sadness—something just isn’t sitting right with them. Something in their environment is off and that puts them on edge. In fact, aggression is usually the result of the one emotion dogs do feel similarly to humans—insecurity.

Dogs need structure and consistency to feel comfortable and secure in their environment. They need well-defined boundaries and a leader. If they are not provided with these things, they may lash out, show signs of fear, and demonstrate anxious behavior.

This is exactly the type of behavior Mylo was exhibiting when his owner gave me a call. When I came for the in-home consultation, Mylo barked and refused to approach me. I observed his behavior, got to know the owner, and went for a walk with them, but Mylo never settled down. He was on edge the entire time, and he wouldn’t pay attention to his owner at home or during the walk.

Your dog should always be focused on you. This may seem like a tall order, but they are used to a pack mentality, meaning they need a leader to look up to. Our goal with Mylo was to make his owner the leader. Now, don’t worry—establishing oneself as the leader doesn’t require aggression or much exertion at all. It simply takes dedication, consistency, and structure. Think about it—in a pack of wild dogs, the dogs are ready to jump, attack, lie down, etc. at a moment’s notice, with barely any cues from the leader dog. This is the type of response we needed to instill in Mylo.

The way we achieved this was through effective communication, proper leash handling techniques, and focus exercises that also taught Mylo basic obedience. He began to trust his owners, respect their leadership skills, and listen more closely to them in just a couple of weeks. Training began approximately two months ago, so Mylo isn’t 100% reformed, but he is much improved and continues to feel more comfortable and confident with each passing day.

To see the kind of change I can make in your dog’s behavior, call Baltimore Dog Training today at 410.844.6611.