How to Stop Your Dog From Fearing Men
Your dog may be perfectly calm and have no behavior problems around women and children، but it may become a completely different dog when a man enters the room or tries to approach. Some dogs try to hide or start cowering، shaking، or urinating out of nervousness. Others become anxious or show signs of aggression، like growling or baring their teeth. In some cases، a dog may unexpectedly attack or bite a man.
However، a fear of men is not an uncommon phobia in dogs، and some very well-behaved and well-adjusted dogs share this fear. Fortunately، there are some things you can do to help your dog overcome its fear and learn to accept the men it encounters.
Why Do Some Dogs Fear Men?
When people discover that a dog is afraid of men، they often attribute the fear to a bad experience. However، there are a variety of reasons why your dog may fear men in general or only those that are not part of its immediate family.
- Being abused by a man may cause a lifelong fear of all men. For the majority of dogs، this is not the most likely culprit، though.
- In many cases، being afraid of men can be traced to a lack of socialization with men when the dog was a puppy. Even a dog that has lived with a man can be fearful in the presence of unfamiliar men.
- Men can be more intimidating in a dog's eyes. They may be taller and bigger than women and children، have deeper voices، and may have different types of features، such as facial hair. From a dog's perspective، these things might be scary.
How to Ease Your Dog's Fear
The difficulty of correcting this behavior depends on the severity of your dog's fear. Some dogs are only mildly fearful، while others may be terrified. No matter what، remember to be patient with your dog، because it can take a lot of time for any dog to overcome any phobia. In the meantime، keep things as positive as possible and try a few things to help ease your dog's anxiety.
