A dog trembling during a thunderstorm or backing away from a stranger may seem like an isolated reaction—yet new research suggests these moments are far from rare. In fact, the majority of dogs may experience some level of fear or anxiety more often than their owners, according to a new study that analyzed behavior data from tens of thousands of pets across the United States.
From Biology News - Evolution, Cell theory, Gene theory, Microbiology, Biotechnology via This RSS Feed.
This is honestly not surprising information to me. Many dogs these days are kept mostly indoors or in their owner’s private spaces, only leaving for an occasional walk or a vet visit. Most owners either don’t know or don’t care to properly socialize their dogs to the world and show them that things aren’t scary. When I got my golden the breeder warned me he had developed some anxiety and skittishness in the past week, and it was likely going to be a long-term trait. She was correct, but because of that I’ve spent his entire life showing him new situations, places, people and things, and working with a trainer occasionally for guidance. 5 years ago walking past a large dumpster would freak him out to the point of running away, but now if he spooks it’s just a quick startle reaction before he cautiously investigates. He was taught and learned to overcome his initial fear reactions to new or startling things, and with gentle encouragement he quickly gets over it.
More dog owners should spend time actively working on this with their dog, and responsible breeders play a role by trying to breed healthy confident puppies. Some fears are harder to overcome than others, but working with a dog to overcome their tendency to be fearful helps overall.