<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" We recently got a four-month-old Havanese puppy from a pet store who is very scared of people, especially my husband. She barks at him and pulls away when anyone on the street stops to pet her. How can I help her become comfortable with new people and situations? For fearful dogs, I usually try a technique called counter-conditioning that involves, in your case, having the person she&amp;#039;s afraid of always arrive bearing gifts \u2014 usually in the form of special food such as cut-up chicken breast or a piece of cheese. Initially your husband may have to throw the treat near your dog and gradually work up to handing it to her. Remember Pavlov&amp;#039;s dog? In the end, as a result of this technique, your dog will associate the person with something positive (food) and will begin to show an appetitive response rather than a fearful one. However, if the fear is so great that the dog is unable to eat or focus on anything but the fear, then we have to do something called systemic desensitization. This process employs the counter-conditioning techniques that I mentioned, but it moves a lot slower, exposing the dog to the fear-inducing stimulus gradually. Begin with your husband standing far away without making eye contact with your dog. Reward her, and praise for correct, calm behavior. Only when she&amp;#039;s totally relaxed in the presence of whatever causes her fear can you move to the next step, which is incrementally reducing her distance from the fear-inducing stimulus. Remember, you must proceed slowly in order for this process to work, but if you&amp;#039;re patient and read her responses correctly, you will have success. In the meantime, make sure you&amp;#039;re not contributing to the problem. Owners who comfort their fearful dogs with &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s okay, sweetie, it&amp;#039;s okay&amp;quot; are actually sending the wrong message. This happy, reinforcing tone is translated as praise for their fearfulness. Instead, say nothing so as not to encourage her timid behavior. Also, consider a small puppy kindergarten class for the dog \u2014 it will help her adjust to people and other dogs, as well as learn important obedience skills. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/advice/a21754/shy-dog/?src=shelter_footer>