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A relative got a dog from what was obviously an unqualified breeder. The dog was always anxious, distressed, waiting at the window. One day I pet him on the bac
by mkr-hn 5y ago
A relative got a dog from what was obviously an unqualified breeder. The dog was always anxious, distressed, waiting at the window. One day I pet him on the back without making sure he heard me coming. He nipped me in panic, then ran and hid. It was obvious he thought I was going to hit him for it. And since I would never, that must have been from a past experience.
I think he was actually dissociating since I sat there with him for about 10 minutes and he didn't move at all, just stared off into a wall. He finally snapped out of it and accepted one (1) headpat.
- Tycho 5y agoAre there pet psychologists who can cure this sort of thing? (serious question)
- thephyber 5y agoBehavioral-specialist trainers for dogs. Most dog trainers do most of their useful training on the dog owner, not the dog. The trainer gives the owner guidance and strategies for conditioning out these undesirable behaviors and the owner should continue training the dog for the duration of their relationship. There are classical conditioning strategies which can reduce stress/anxiety of the dog, increase the dog’s socialization / reduce reactivity to stimuli in the environment (like and unexpected touch), and increase the bond between dog and human. Obviously the more severe the trauma, the longer it takes to counter condition the stress response.