Cinq conseils pour promener un chien craintif ou anxieux

La réactivité de la laisse peut ruiner les promenades, mais vous pouvez prendre des mesures pour surmonter les peurs de Fido. Voici comment aider un animal de compagnie anxieux.

Les chiens ont évolué aux côtés des humains, mais tous nos comportements demandés ne viennent pas naturellement à nos animaux de compagnie. Marcher en laisse peut faire en sorte que certains animaux se sentent vulnérables en leur retirant leur capacité de se battre ou de fuir en cas d'urgence, ce qui entraîne un comportement problématique appelé réactivité en laisse. Heureusement, vous pouvez soulager le stress de votre animal en quelques changements simples:

1. Use tasty treats. One of the best ways to ease your dog’s leash anxiety is to use positive reinforcement. Feed Fido his favorite treat when another dog or person approaches, for example, to distract him from the anxiety trigger and help him form a positive relationship with the experience. Practice and patience are key in this type of training, so remember to be consistent and don’t give up hope if you don’t see immediate results.

2. Practice choice training. You can make walks a more positive experience by reinforcing good behavior. The goal of this type of “choice training” is to praise your dog for remaining calm in a stressful situation, such as when a strange dog approaches. As soon as you see an animal nearby, begin lavishing your pet with praise for staying cool and collected. As soon as he becomes reactive, however, withdraw your praise. This will let your dog know what type of behavior earns your coveted attention. Because dogs will often not eat when they are in a state of fear, this can be a good alternative to using treats for positive reinforcement.

3. Be consistent. Another way to relieve your dog’s anxiety is to keep habits as regular and predictable as possible. Follow the same walking route, which is ideally quiet, and try to walk at the same time each day, if possible. Keep your pet’s attention on you and away from his anxiety by incorporating a tiny unpredictable element into this routine, however. You can bring a toy along as a distraction or change your pace throughout the walk. This will help your dog tune in to you, rather than focus on his fear. 4. Teach your dog a target word: Another way to get Fido to focus on you during walks is to train him to use a target word or cue. When you see another dog or person approaching, use this signal to get your dog’s attention on you and away from the trigger. Reward him for listening with a treat and praise.

5. Choose your battles: We all like to overcome our fears, but sometimes the best way to prevent stress is to avoid the trigger itself. If you are not sure you can manage your dog in a high-stress situation, such as walking in a well-traveled area, it is best to avoid that situation altogether, until you feel comfortable. Safety comes first, so be sure you are confident in you and your dog’s ability to handle a stressful situation before you approach it. Working your way up to progressively more challenging walking environments can be a great way to boost your dog’s confidence, as long as you are patient with his progress.