For the past couple of weeks I have been delving into the development of fears and insecurities in dogs.
First I touched on the issue of a social, friendly yet unfamiliar dog who may avoid interaction with a human due to a need for a proper greeting ritual. In last week's column I discussed how fears develop in dogs to get a better understanding of the difference between a fearful dog and a dog displaying peaceful avoidance behaviour.
This week I'll touch on how we can help alleviate fears and move forward into a future rooted in a place of peaceful presence.
Whether it's a dog, a horse or a human, letting go of fear boils down to one simple thing: trust - a trust that says, "I have faith that no harm will come to me if I allow myself to let go of this fear, a fear that I believed kept me safe, even though it left me living in a stifling, anxious, petty world."
Of the three creatures mentioned, humans have the most difficult time letting go of their fears, for one reason: that loud negative voice in our heads that we listen to far more than the soft peaceful one.
Dogs and horses have been blessed with a mind that is referred to as "the still waters of a lake." They don't have to actively seek out that place of peace because they are that place of peace. Even when the fear is so great that it may seem like they have forgotten how to be at peace, given the chance they will seek peace and trust every time.
The best chance a dog has to overcome its fears is if its caregiver, owner, leader (whatever terminology you want to use) is also working from a place of trust and peacefulness. A fearful leader cannot instill trust in anyone or anything when they do not have it themselves.
This means that an owner must leave their personal baggage at home when training a fearful dog. They must also leave the dog's baggage at home when out with a fearful dog. Walking into any situation from a place of implicit trust is very hard, but it is what is required.
You cannot go through a walk thinking the next bad thing to trigger your dog's fear is just around the corner. It might be, but you have to have the confidence to find that peace within the storm so that if something triggers a fear response in your dog, you can think calmly and effectively apply the training you have worked on up to this point.
Training should have included basic obedience that the dog performs exceptionally well. Training should have been purely positive and, yes, with treats! - or at least a favourite toy so the dog's mind is triggered into a positive endorphin-filled state when the owner says, "Fido sit and watch me!" The neural pathway that was created in the training scenario around the "sit and watch me" command was purely positive, trusting and fun! This is the magic switch that turns the dog's once fear-filled response at the sight of a man in a black hat, for example, into a joyful, peaceful response. The man with the black hat did not trigger peacefulness in the dog, and probably never will. Rather, the command to "sit and watch me" from an owner whom they trust triggered the new neural pathway in the dog's brain.
Through repetition, the dog does not become less fearful around the man in the black hat. Remember that memory has been created and won't ever be forgotten.
But when the dog sees the man with the black hat it will choose to sit and look at its caregiver. The man in the black hat becomes insignificant as the dog faces a trusted leader. With time, the man in the black hat could possibly greet the dog, as long as the dog remains in a state of trusting peacefulness instilled by the owner's calm confidence and control. The fear will never become extinct, but over time it is moulded into something much more placid and tolerable. More life lessons, courtesy of our dogs.
Joan has been working with dogs for more than 15 years in obedience, tracking and behavioural rehabilitation. Contact her at k9kinship.com
