Live With Them Or Repair Them?

Last year I visited friends on the coast who had a rescue dog they’d gotten a few months earlier. We met at the park to let our two Dobermans run and play, then we went back to their house. I was surprised when my friend took his boy out of the truck and put him in the backyard so he could enter the house through the back door instead of bringing him in the front door with us. Once inside, I learned that this poor dog is afraid of slippery floors, and that, because it opens onto linoleum, he couldn’t come in the front door.

We need to help our dogs overcome their fears. Because they weren’t doing that, and the dog wouldn’t come in the front door, he stayed only on the carpet and entered and exited the house through the back. An upside to this for them was that he stayed out of the kitchen, which they appreciated. I, myself, don’t like dogs in the kitchen either, but I would be alarmed if my dog were afraid to walk on linoleum - or any other surface – and would attempt behavior modification to “fix” this fear issue and then TRAIN him to stay out of the kitchen.

My friends say this kid came from a bad home where he was possibly tied up for long periods. His teeth are worn down, possibly from chewing on a chain. We don’t know, but his fear of walking on slick floors is probably due to a lack of proper socialization – which would include walking on various surfaces – when he was a pup.

When dogs’ fears go unabated, when they are allowed to “live in fear,” they are – even if only momentarily – miserable. I’ve seen people LAUGH at their dogs’ fearful behavior. “Oh that silly dog – ha-ha – watch him run when I turn on the vacuum cleaner,” or use the fly swatter or whatever.

Some people even actively CAUSE their dogs’ fears, then seem indifferent to the trauma they’ve inflicted. What comes to mind is someone who uses a rolled-up newspaper to scare his dog into quitting a particular behavior, then seeming quite satisfied when the dog sulks away or hides. No mind is paid to the fact that the poor dog is frightened each time the newspaper is handled in any way in that home, or that the dog’s trust in the owner is compromised.

Most puppies come from the womb as perfect creatures. In a good environment, they grow quickly into bundles of confidence and curiosity and lovers of life. A pup’s most crucial socialization period is only up to the age of 4 months. This is the period during which it is most important that nothing bad happen to him and that he get a taste of as many positive life experiences as possible.

(See my handout on puppy socialization, which must be done properly, and before the age of 4 months.)

This is the period where all things – good and bad – are “imprinted” on them and stay with them forever. This is why it is vital to properly socialize a pup during this time. This is when we get them onto various ground surfaces and out in public and around other animals and people, etc (being careful to take the suggested precautions to reduce their risk of getting disease.)

Of course, later traumatic experiences can damage them too, and many rescues have had their share of these.

But all of this said, there is nothing positive for the dog in his being fearful. We’ve all been afraid at times – it is not pleasant. A dog with fears is limited in his ability to relax and enjoy life, and to trust his master. A dog in a fearful moment is not calm, cool and collected, which is what we should all want for our dogs. A fearful state is stressful and not healthy. And in extreme circumstances, it can breed more fear. And, of course, a dog in a fearful state is at risk for biting.

If a dog has enough frightening experiences in life, he can start to generalize that the world is a scary place, adding fuel to the fire. We want confident, relaxed, happy, SECURE dogs. They are the easiest to live with, and the least likely to bite. (The majority of biters are “fear biters.”) Let’s cure and eliminate these fear issues when possible and when not, let’s at least attempt to lessen their negative impact on a dog’s life.

I suggested to my friends that one thing they could do is stop feeding this boy from his bowl and begin placing his food on the linoleum so he can stay on the carpet and eat it off the slick floor. Over time – and this is very slow work – they can move the food back farther and farther as he – hopefully – gains confidence to reach out more onto that floor. This boy, they said, loves, and goes crazy for, children. I suggested using the grandchildren to gently encourage him (no pressure!) to venture onto the floor a short distance, then over time, farther and farther.

They must be careful he doesn’t get hurt doing this, and there is a lot more behavior modification they can implement, but this is a start.

They did start working on some other fear issues the dog has. They began using my advice on how to desensitize him to the buzzer on the washing machine, which upsets him. I was thrilled to hear this and hoped they would work on the floor issue next.

Don’t we owe it to our dogs – these wonderful animals who make such great companions - to try to help them heal or mend their fears so they can be more comfortable and at ease in OUR world? I believe firmly that dogs have a “RIGHT” to quality of life. They are living beings with emotions and sensitivities and are totally at our mercy for their every need. One of their needs is peace of mind. I believe that when dogs are fearful, WE OWE IT TO THEM to help them get over, or lessen, their fears. We may not want to admit this, but in almost all cases, humans caused those fears in those dogs. Taking "CARE" of a dog is an awesome responsibility. They give us so much in return. Let’s not feed or maintain their fears. Let’s commit ourselves to doing what’s possible to help them feel confident, safe and secure.