Adopting a Fearful Dog

Some dogs may display fearful behavior in the presence of unfamiliar people and may be hesitant and/or slow to approach if they approach at all. Fearful dogs can take a while to warm up to their new pet parent and home. They require calm and patience to help them learn that the world is not such a scary place and that you and other humans are worthy of trust. 

Starting your relationship out on the right paw is crucial to growing trust between you and your dog and to building a strong relationship.  Take things slowly, move at the dog’s pace, and you’ll have the reward of seeing your shy dog overcome their fears.

Fearful dogs will frequently express their fear through various body postures and positions. Every dog is different and may express their fear differently. While this list is not meant to be exhaustive, common behavioral indicators of fear include: 

• Attempts to reduce physical size, by hunching their back, curling up, holding a lowered body posture and/or lowering their head
• Tail is held low or tucked in 
• Ears are held back and down 
• Eyes are wide, with dilated pupils and clearly visible sclera (whites of the eyes)
• Occasionally these dogs will roll over and expose their stomachs
• Trembling

Dogs can also express unease by performing gestures in an attempt to calm themselves. Behaviors performed outside of normal contexts are called displacement behaviors and can indicate that the dog is uncomfortable and is seeking to comfort themselves. Displacement behaviors can include:

• Lip licking
• Yawning
• Sudden and excessive grooming, scratching or sniffing

The best way to approach a fearful dog is to not approach them! All the things that humans do naturally when greeting one another—holding each other’s gaze, leaning forward, reaching out our hands—are threatening in dog language, and can further intimidate fearful dogs.  In their own polite greetings to each other, dogs approach each other in a circular way, avert their gaze and then sniff each other. When greeting a fearful dog, always let them make the choice to approach you, and try to mimic these same sorts of gestures in your own greeting ritual (without the sniffing, of course!)

Wait to pet your dog until they are clearly soliciting petting. Watch for your dog to voluntarily approach you with calm and relaxed body language and nudge your hands with their head. Focus on petting your dog under the chin and on the chest rather than on top of the head. Petting the top of a dog’s head is an intimidating gesture and could increase their fear.

Avoid introducing your fearful dog to new people at least until they are comfortable and social with you. It is important not to rush this process, as moving too quickly may increase the length of time it takes for your dog to become more confident. It is possible that your shy dog will always be fearful around unfamiliar people. 

Always make sure to closely monitor your dog around people that are unfamiliar to them, particularly people that are tall, loud, or who move in fast, erratic ways. Closely monitor your dog’s body language and remember to let them decide when to approach. Feed your dog their favorite treat. If your dog starts displaying any fearful behaviors, move them to a more comfortable distance or ask the person to move away. When your dog gets more comfortable, you could ask the person to crouch and toss treats. Make sure they do not pet your dog unless the dog clearly solicits petting. Taking it slow is always key.

It can be difficult when you have to travel for an extended period of time and are unable to bring your dog with you. This is particularly true with fearful dogs, as they may not have the same level of comfort with anyone else, making finding them a caretaker they are comfortable with difficult. There are many stories of shy dogs who have gotten scared and darted away from the caregiver while their owner was away!

For more information on living with and loving a shy dog, we recommend the book The Cautious Canine: How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears by Patricia McConnell.

Back to the ASPCA Adoption Resource Hub