The Nervous Dog

The nervous dog doesn’t need to know about your ability to dominate dogs the first moment he meets you. He doesn’t need to experience the awesome power of your alpha roll on your first encounter.

I’m being a bit tongue in cheek (just in case that doesn’t read), but in all truth, the nervous dog does need a much softer and much slower approach.

He needs a friend. He needs someone to have fun with. He needs someone who is willing to set up the rules for the relationship in a patient, yet matter of fact sort of way.

The nervous dog needs the order and structure that consistent obedience training affords. This dog may need it even more so than other dogs, because their nervousness comes from a lack of understanding of how the world works and his place is in it. Under socialization adds to this problem, but, for a dog, being under socialized just means he missed out on those lessons at a critical period in his juvenile development.

It isn’t our job to only coddle the nervous dog, or shelter him from any experience that might be difficult for him. Nor should we never correct him for inappropriate behavior that stems from his nervousness. He still has a responsibility to exist in our world as a respectful canine member of the community.

But it is our job to first become a friend that he can trust and have fun with. Only then will it be safe and fair for you to create consequences for his mistakes. And only then will your praise for his accomplishments have real meaning.