While one of our main reasons for pride is the fact that “my pet is the bravest in the world”, there are some things that can make him tremble with fear. In this article, we explain what are the things that dogs are very afraid of, so you will know how to help them reduce their distress in these situations.
Panic attacks and fears in dogs
While we believe that animals don’t suffer like people, that’s not true. Our 4-legged friends suffer from phobias, panic attacks and fear . Not to mention the stress or anxiety that certain situations or changes cause them.
To understand if a dog is terrified, we can pay attention to some signs:
- He barks too much and in a high tone
- Look for a way to escape or escape
- He stretches excessively on the floor
- He is desperately looking for a place to take refuge
- Urinates or defecates in prohibited places (even in his kennel)
- He trembles
- He growls and bares his teeth
- Pull your ears back
- He opens his eyes well and his pupils dilate
- It puts its tail between its hind legs
How to help a frightened dog?
Often we want to do something so that our dog can overcome the crisis and we get the opposite effect: that he is even more afraid! That is why we recommend that you, in the first place, not reprimand him or speak to him in an imperative tone . In these moments the least useful thing is to shout or do something that increases his despair.
It is not even good to caress it to try to console it, since the animal can interpret this gesture as an out of the ordinary situation and think that there is some kind of danger. Another piece of advice that can help you is not to hold him back against his will. This means not squeezing him or pulling him towards you, because this will make him even more anxious and could also make him become dangerous and push him to attack you.
Finally, don’t change your routine or show him there’s a problem . Try to act as if nothing had happened and the dog, alone, will reassure himself and return to normal.
Dogs are very afraid of …
Although every animal is different and there are some breeds or animals considered “fearful” in comparison to other specimens, the truth is that to a greater or lesser extent dogs are very afraid of:
1. The very loud noises
This includes thunder , thunderstorms, fireworks, screams, vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, blow dryers, sirens from firefighters, ambulances or police, etc. Dogs’ hearing is finer than ours (up to 4 times more sensitive) and can record… 35,000 vibrations per second! Imagine what it must be like for them to hear heavy rain hitting the window.
2. The other dogs
Even if he has grown up with other pets in the house, the dog tends to feel a little uncomfortable when confronted with a fellow dog . It’s not about jealousy, he just doesn’t want to share space with someone of his kind. In most cases, an animal that is afraid of others is because it did not have good socialization as a child or was removed from its mother too early.
If we add to this the fact that we tend to humanize our animals and treat them as children, they will not be very fond of the outdoors or interacting with other similar ones.
3. People
It all depends on the experiences he had when he was a puppy. If, for example, he has been abused in the past, he is more likely to be afraid of someone or something similar or have something that reminds him of that traumatic moment (a broomstick, a belt, a shoe, etc.). Dogs don’t hold a grudge, but they have a hard time trusting again.
4. The changes
If the pet is too spoiled and does not go out often, it is likely that he is afraid of new experiences such as traveling in a car, being with a small child or moving.
These are just some of the things that dogs are very afraid of. Try to prevent and correct them as much as possible.
