Why is My Dog Afraid of Other Dogs?

If you’re here, then you’ve probably been asking yourself this question for a while now. Don’t worry, it’s a valid question. We all want our buddies to have the best time at the park, on walks, in doggy daycare, or in social settings, but that can be difficult to do when you find them alone in a corner every time you go out. Well, there’s nothing to fear. There are a few reasons why your dog might be scared of other dogs, but they mostly revolve around past experiences or past trauma.

Signs Your Pup is Afraid of Other Dogs

• Tucking the Tail: A tail tucked between the legs is a classic sign of a fearful dog. This is classic body language showing a dog is afraid and also experiencing anxiety.
• Avoiding Eye Contact: If your dog looks everywhere but at the unknown dogs, they are probably afraid of other dogs and feeling stressed and nervous. Especially as other dogs approach and move into your pup’s space.
• Pulling Away or Hiding: If even the most well-behaved dog tries to hide behind their owner or even pulls away on the leash from the other dog, that fearful dog’s behavior means they are avoiding an interaction. They are nervous and scared of other dogs.
• Growling or Snarling: These actions are not necessarily indicative of aggressive behavior. Instead, they are warning signs to other pups saying “I feel stressed and uncomfortable, so stay back!”
• Whining or Yelping: Even dogs cry when upset or scared, much like human babies. If they do this when another dog approaches them, they are probably scared of other dogs.
• Flattened Ears: Another body signal showing a dog’s fear, ears are pinned flat against their head indicates a dog is not friendly and is not interested in making new furry friends.
• Shaking or Trembling: Extreme nerves can cause a fearful dog to shake or tremble. If your dog is this afraid of other dogs, do not let another dog closer to them until they have had training in a controlled environment with appropriate training methods. A professional dog trainer is a huge advantage in helping a scared dog overcome their fears.

Why Is My Dog Afraid Of Other Dogs?

As we said, it has mostly to do with early life experiences or lack thereof. Let’s talk about that in more detail.

Your Pup Lacks Social Skills

Lack of socialization is a huge reason why your dog might be nervous around others, especially if they’re a puppy. This just means that they don’t have enough experience around other dogs, big or small, to be confident when interacting with them.

Past Trauma or Negative Experiences

If you know that this isn’t a reason, then consider that they might have had a traumatic experience that has made them nervous around others since. If your dog is a rescue, then this could be a likely reason. If you know neither of these could be it, then your dog might just be submissive by nature. This means that they are lower on the canine hierarchy, and are acting as such.

A Personality Trait

No matter how much socialization or the positive experience they have had around other dogs, some dogs are shy or submissive by nature. Whether they had one negative experience that was enough to make them fearful, or they might have no history of trauma, it might simply be their personality, This could be with a rescue dog with an unknown background or a non-rescue dog you did everything right with since they were a puppy.

Things To Avoid When Working On Your Dog’s Fear Of Other Dogs

Forcing Interactions: Pushing your dog to play or to interact with other dogs at places like the dog park will only worsen their fear. They also might think they cannot trust you as a dog owner.

Punishing Fear: Scolding your dog when they are already afraid of other dogs is not the answer. In fact, it can make their fearful behavior worse. They already feel stressed, and punishment will only scare them more.

Comforting Too Much: If normally your dog loves attention, it is natural to want to try to soothe them when they are afraid. However, too much comforting in an exaggerated manner might reinforce the fearful behavior.

Avoiding Dogs Completely: If you have a dog scared of other dogs, the easy solution might be to avoid all canine interactions for the rest of your dog’s life. However, this is not only impractical but also does not give your pup a chance to learn and grow. Find a balance in training by finding low-stress situations in controlled environments allowing your dog to slowly acclimate to being around other dogs.

Using Tight Leashes: A tight leash can make a dog’s fear even worse. They can almost feel your anxiety through the leash and feel like they can’t escape.

Ignoring Their Signals: Advocate for your dog when they use body language to tell you how they feel.

How To Help My Dog Overcome Their Fear?

Obviously, you want your dog to be confident enough to have a good time around other dogs, but you can’t just throw them into the fray and expect them to survive. That’s like throwing you in a vat of spiders and expecting you not to cry. You have to be patient with them and ease them into social settings a little bit at a time.

If your friend has a dog, then ask them for help. Get your dog as close as you can to theirs, take a break when you notice yours get nervous, and then do it again until they can sniff each other and get acquainted. This will be a slow process but it will make it easier in larger social settings, like the dog park. You can also invest in some training if you feel that you might not have the patience or time to do it on your own. The best thing to do is to make sure it doesn’t go unsolved, as it can turn into worse anxiety.

How Can I Help My Dog When They Are Experiencing Fear?

When your dog’s threshold has been maxed out and they are in a fearful episode, it is important for you to remain calm and reassuring. Show predictable behavior rather than signs of fear to help your pup understand you are a safe space and instill confidence.

Understand your dog’s limitations and stay away from places like dog parks, particularly where there might be off-leash dogs who play rough.

When you are on walks, watch out for other dogs so you can intentionally create a buffer zone between your pet and the oncoming stranger.

If a friendly stranger approaches with their dog and wants to “say hello,” it is okay to advocate for your pup by firmly saying “no.”

Do not shout or scare your dog and don’t try to force them to interact with other dogs. If you feel like you are getting frustrated, it is time to end the training session.

What Can I Do To Help My Scared Dog Become Confident?

Work with a Professional Dog Trainer

From the early months of bringing home your new canine best friend, it’s important to begin basic obedience training. Bring treats with you every time you go for a walk so you can keep their attention. An expert dog trainer will show you how to use basic commands and confidence-building exercises, successfully training your dog to do what you ask. They will feel more confident and less timid around other dogs.

Desensitization Exercises

Desensitization techniques can help your fearful dog build confidence. One method is to expose your dog to the triggers, like other dogs, that scare them.

Be careful not to push your dog too much and overdo this exercise. But if done correctly and with patience, they will feel less scared or even fear-free around the things that would have had them hiding with fear in the past.

Watch your dog’s body language for clues that you are exposing them to their fears too fast. As they become comfortable, you can slowly start increasing their exposure and closing the distance.

Counter-Conditioning Training Exercises

Counter-conditioning training is another technique that helps canines overcome their fear of other dogs. Combine the tolerable exposure to scary things with the exposure of a delicious treat. This should be a special treat your dog normally doesn’t get. If they are too scared to take the treats, you are too close to their trigger.