There are many people in life who are sensitive and introverted, not good at talking, not generous enough in dealing with others, always timid, and very nervous. This is what we usually call "social fear".
So, may dogs have "social phobia" similar to humans?
The answer is: Yes!
In response to the problem of "social phobia" in dogs, some experts specifically studied 6,000 dogs and found the following rules:
1. Compared with dogs in the countryside, dogs in the city are more likely to suffer from social phobia
On the one hand, this is because dogs in the city Dogs are often in a busy environment, and noisy environments can make dogs anxious; on the other hand, due to the requirements of urban management, urban dogs have few opportunities to go out and run. Even outside, they can only wear leashes most of the time. Various restrictions make dogs prone to social barriers.
2. Different breeds of dogs have different degrees of social anxiety.
Research shows that Chihuahuas are relatively prone to social anxiety. I believe this is similar to the impression many people have in their lives. Scholars speculate that this is because Chihuahuas are relatively small and have a strong sense of self-protection. From their perspective, humans and other dogs are giants, and they will instinctively feel scared and nervous. On the contrary, Corgis are dogs that are not prone to social fear. If you think about the Corgis around you, most of them are indeed friendly and seem to have fun with everyone.
3. Dogs are also prone to social phobia after sterilization
On the one hand, losing a part of their body will inevitably make them a little uncomfortable. Dogs usually need a transition period to adjust their mentality; on the other hand, after a dog has been neutered, the hormones in the body will also change to a certain extent, causing the dog's temperament to change.
In fact, it would be a very bad thing for a dog to suffer from "social phobia", because dogs do not have the same strong self-control abilities as humans, and even if they have social phobia, they will force themselves to socialize. Dogs with social anxiety are prone to behavioral problems due to nervousness, and may even attack other dogs and humans.
So, if a dog has a social fear problem, what should the dog owner do?
1. Encourage dogs to "go out"
A big reason why dogs suffer from social phobia is that they go out too little. Therefore, dog owners usually want dogs to take more walks and take them to public places more often, so that they can gradually become familiar with and get used to the smell of the world around them.
2. The control of the traction rope should not be too tight.
When dog owners take their dogs out to socialize, they must learn to relax rather than tighten the dog's traction rope. If the leash is kept tight, it will only make the dog more nervous and unable to socialize properly.
3. The place to overcome social fear starts with a place they are familiar with.
Dogs’ friendship behavior generally occurs in places where they can feel safe and comfortable. This is especially true for dogs with social fear. Therefore, you can start to exercise your dog around your own community at the beginning, and then take it to other places when it can move freely here.
4. The owner's mentality should also be relaxed
In order to reduce the dog's fear, the owner should also learn to relax his own mood. Only when he is in a relaxed state can he transfer calm energy to the dog, so that the dog can also calm down. You need to be calm when your dog is excited, and you need to be calm when your dog is scared, so that your dog will become calmer and calmer when facing other people and dogs.
5. Details that need to be paid attention to when overcoming social fear
During the training process, dogs may become overly aggressive due to fearful behavior, and may even bite and fight. At this time, everyone must first protect themselves, hold the leash, and prevent the dog from fighting or biting people further. If the dog's behavior tends to get worse, it means that there may be certain problems with the owner's handling methods. If it continues, it will only strengthen the dog's bad behavior. At this time, it is recommended to consult a professional dog trainer.
In addition, when the dog makes a little progress, everyone will give the dog a little reward, so that the dog will be more confident and motivated to overcome the next difficulty.
It may be a long process for dogs who are shy, timid or have strong self-awareness to overcome social anxiety. All poop pickers must maintain a positive attitude and pay close attention to every progress of your dog. Watching it slowly get better will definitely make you feel that all your efforts are worth it.