Living with a Fearful or Anxious Dog?
Let's help them feel safer
Does your dog struggle with new people, unfamiliar places, noises or everyday situations?
Whether they hide, freeze, bark, lunge or try to escape, fear and anxiety can have a big impact on both you and your dog.
With the right approach, we can help them feel safer and more confident.
Why do Dogs Become Fearful or Anxious?
Fear is a normal emotional response to something a dog perceives as threatening. It helps animals respond to potential danger and keep themselves safe. Anxiety can develop following fearful experiences, but individual differences in genetics, learning history and previous experiences can also influence how a dog responds to situations they perceive as threatening.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety involves anticipation of a potential threat, meaning a dog may show signs of distress even when the feared event hasn't happened yet. This is where the level of anxiety can be abnormal.
Signs of Fear or Anxiety
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Frequently scanning the environment
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Tension throughout the body and face​
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Startling at small noises or movements
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Panting
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Cowering or crouching
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Hiding or fleeing
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Trembling or shaking
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Vocalizing (whining, whimpering, barking)
Why do Dogs Display Fear or Anxiety?
Your dog may have had an unpleasant past experience but genetics, temperament, maternal experience, learned behaviour, fear periods, adolescent experiences and pain can also all contribute to the behaviour.
What Should I Do Next?
The first step to getting support is to get in touch via the contact form or book a discovery call, we can then discuss what's going on with your dog and have a friendly chat about how we would work together. I'll then provide you with the appropriate steps to get started.​​
Behaviourist Supporting Fearful & Anxious Dogs In:
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York