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how to get a scared dog to trust you
- Avoid Eye Contact
- Lower Your Level
- Patience
- Give Dog Lots of Attention
- Bonding With Your Dog
- Watch Your Tone
- Repeat
You’ve finally decided to add a new member to the family. This is an exciting time for all of you, but the new member of the family may be having a harder time adjusting.
You could have found this dog on the street, which will have its own set of challenges.
Maybe you rescued it from an abusive home, shelter, or it was offered to you by someone you know.
It doesn’t matter how this dog made it into your life, the important thing now is building a positive relationship with this dog.
Below we will talk about the top ways to help you and your canine friend build a better bond.
How to Get a Scared Dog to Trust You
Table of Contents
1. Avoid making eye contact.
This might not seem like a big issue, but don’t overlook how important this is. Making eye contact could suggest you are a threat and will trigger them to be defensive.
I had a neighbor that lived above me and had a German Shepherd. Often, I would be invited up for a visit after work, but their music was so loud, the only one that could hear me was the dog.
After opening the door, my first reaction was to look at this animal that was approaching me quickly.
Big mistake, this would immediately make the dog get in a defensive stance and start aggressively barking at me.
I had to think of a better way to avoid this type of interaction, so making some small changes made a big difference.
I stopped knocking on the door when arriving, and soon as I walked in I avoided eye contact and went to the counter. I made myself look busy and acted like the German Shepherd wasn’t even there. The dog would then walk over to sniff me and then walk away.
This was a great way to remove any fear this animal may have had of me, and prevent any unnecessary aggression from not being comfortable with my presence yet.
2.Come down to the dog’s level
Meeting a new person can seem very intimidating, even more so depending on the situation that both of you met.
Try to imagine what the dog might be feeling.
You may not think your size can be intimidating, but to a scared dog, you may seem like a threat that is much taller, hovering over the defenseless animal.
His environment may be already too much for him to handle, and now you’re a new addition to it.
Try lowering yourself to his level.
Bringing yourself down to the same height may take away some of the fear and allow your new friend to trust you. Make sure you are not too close and let the dog come to you when it’s ready.
3. Patience
This may be a tough one, but some animals will need a little more time than some to trust you.
This dog may be having a hard time adjusting to the new surroundings, and now you’re here invading its space. We may not always know what the cause is but we know that love and patience can heal many things.
Eventually, this animal you are trying to help will recognize that you are not trying to hurt it and will consider you a friend.
4. Give the dog some attention
Dogs naturally love attention and may be ready to receive some from you. Touch the animal if it allows you to, but never force your affection onto the dog if it’s not ready.
Stop touching if it’s trying to back away. Give it some time, it will come back to you when it is ready.
5. Try bonding with your dog
Dogs are naturally curious and love to explore. This may be a great opportunity for the two of you to connect a little more.
Taking the dog for walks can be something you’ll both enjoy doing. You may need to avoid unnecessary traffic depending on how scared your dog is. Attempt taking it to a dog park or trail if it’s up for the challenge.
This activity will become a habit your dog will look forward to, will trust you more, and not be so scared of you.
6. Watch the tone of your voice
Dogs may not be perfect at everything, but they sure know how to read people. How you speak to them can give them a strong indication of what your intentions are.
While you may not think it’s a big deal, raising your voice can suggest something is wrong. Try using a lower tone and see if that makes a difference.
A calm voice might be exactly what a scared dog needs.
7. Did you say treats?
What dog can resist a delicious, mouth-watering, special treat?
Dogs love food but go bananas for treats.
Sometimes building a new bond can be tough, so anything that has a positive impact is a win-win.
Try tossing some treats near the dog, then a little closer to you each time. Eventually, the dog will be close enough and may start trusting you some more.
The dog will make the connection that being close to you means more treats. They are quick learners and this will help your scared dog to trust you a little more.
Conclusion
As you can see there are numerous things that can be done to help build your trust with a dog. If you consistently work at it, eventually all your efforts will come to fruition. It takes a kind soul to help an animal in need of your affection, and you should already know that is its own reward.
