Fears and phobias.
Fears and phobias in dogs both involve anxiety responses, but they differ in intensity and impact.
Differences:
Fears: Normal responses to specific stimuli (e.g., loud noises, unfamiliar people) that can lead to your dog avoiding those things but are generally manageable.
Phobias: Intense, irrational fears that can cause extreme anxiety and distress, often leading to destructive behaviours, panic or aggression.
Signs and symptoms.
Dogs may exhibit shaking, hiding, barking, or attempts to escape when faced with their fears or phobias, increased heart rate, salivating, panting, or aggression can occur in response to the fearful triggers.
Severe phobias can significantly affect a dog's quality of life and well-being, making it difficult for them to engage in normal activities.
We know dogs might attempt to fight or flight when faced with something scary, but they might also freeze, fidget, or flirt (try to befriend or pacify the person, animal or object).
Treatment.
Desensitisation and counterconditioning are used to gradually expose your dog to the feared stimulus in a controlled manner, rewarding calm behaviour to change their emotional response.
Positive Reinforcement using treats and praise to reward your dog for calm behaviour in the presence of their fear trigger.
Provide a safe, quiet, comfortable area where your dog can retreat when feeling anxious.
Consult a Professional: A behaviourist can offer tailored strategies and may recommend referral to a vet for anti-anxiety medication with severe cases.
Prevention.
Early Socialisation and exposing your dog to various environments, sounds, and experiences during their critical developmental period to build confidence.
Routine and consistency to establish a predictable routine to reduce anxiety.
Positive experiences to ensure that your dog has plenty of positive experiences with various stimuli to build resilience.