Fireworks, firecrackers and other festivities should soon arrive in your daily life. The opportunity to take stock of the fears in the dog!
Fear can be defined by a feeling of anguish felt in the presence or at the thought of a real or supposed danger, of a threat. It is an emotion that is part of the ethogram and responds to an instinct for survival. 
She is
normal because it allows an individual to adapt to an unfamiliar stimulus. It is therefore considered normal for some dogs to be more fearful and sensitive than others. In the pack, some will be more sensitive than others and they will act as warning signals.
Fears can be separated into 3 categories:
- primary fears : the object of fear, the original stimulus is identifiable and always generates the same emotion.
Example: The dog is afraid of a gunshot. - secondary fears : These are fears that have been associated with the original stimulus.
Example: The initial fear is the gunshot. The dog associates the shot with the sound of a whistle. Fear of gunshots breeds fear of whistles. - Generalized fears : the initial fear generalizes to the environment. The dog could not flee on a first contact; and everything ends up putting him in a feeling of insecurity
Example: The dog is scared as soon as he arrives at the dog club.
When a feeling of insecurity leads to inappropriate behavior (panic, flight, trembling, aggressiveness, etc.) we no longer speak of fear but of a 
fear problem. These fear reactions are normal but can evolve into pathologies, that is to say towards behaviors that do not fulfill their “normal” biological function. This leads to disruptive behaviors, emotional problems, and significant social maladjustment. Canine behavioral pathologies are close to human psychiatric pathologies. We can thus cite:
- Phobia : Reaction of fear in relation to one or more stimuli presenting no real danger for the individual.
- Anticipation : Learning process that allows the animal to react in advance to the appearance of the stimulus. This requires remembering the context.
- anxiety : Evolution of the phobic state by anticipation.
- Awareness : Process that leads to a gradual increase in reactions to a given stimulus, process of aggravation of symptoms.
Example: The dog fears a gunshot, his reaction increases over time with each new shot.
It is often difficult to pinpoint the causes of all of a dog’s fears. Some factors are very brief or appear very early in the dog’s life. The possible causes of fears in dogs are partly:
- The lack of stimuli in its first weeks. A puppy must be confronted with frequent and non-traumatic stimuli. It goes so
learn to manage these stimuli. If the puppy is understimulated, he may not know how to react, and therefore develop fears. - The character of the mother. A fearful female can transmit her stress to the embryos and then her fear to the young.
- The intensity of the stimulus was too strong during a first contact. A stimulus that is too loud or too violent the first time can lead to fear. It is therefore important to confront the dog with a weak stimulus at first and to increase the intensity gradually.
- The frequency of the situation causes fear: if the dog is little confronted with the stimulus (ex: visit to the veterinarian).
- The ability to escape from the situation that scared him. If the dog does not confront the element, he will never learn to deal with it but will amplify his reaction as the confrontations progress.
- The age at which the dog was exposed
The warning signs are quite visible / noticeable for the master observers. They are very variable and depend on the dog and the context. The dog may pull on its leash in an unusual way, be agitated, tremble, pant, hide, try to flee or, on the contrary, become immobilized.
The solutions
- Determine the source of the fear and its nature (primary or secondary)
- Start a desensitization
The most effective solution is often to identify the primary fear and act on it. habit. This process leads to a gradual disappearance of reactions to a stimulus and allows a decrease in emotions and reactions. Example: a dog that walks regularly in the city ends up not reacting.
For this, the dog must have absolute confidence in the person who makes him work and expose him. gradually to this stimulus. It is essential to continue to stimulate the dog but you should never force him to confront him directly. The dog needs leeway. The ideal is therefore to let the dog step back and move away to give him time to manage, or to calm down.
emotionally. The exit door must exist without being easy to reach.
Be careful not to ask too much! Like us, dogs need time to progress through their fears. Think about spiders 😉
Should we reassure a dog who is afraid?
- Yes for dogs who need to be reassured to progress. To do this, use your voice and your gaze as much as possible to appease him.
- No for those to whom it allows not to face the stimulus
On secondary fears and even more for generalized fears, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian because the dog often needs medicinal help to work effectively.
Finally, keep in mind that:
- A fearful dog’s first option is often leak
- It is only when a balanced dog has no no choice he becomes aggressive