Fearful Dogs

One of the saddest things is a fearful dog. Fear can be the result of many things. Usually one thinks of a fearful dog as one who has been abused and that's absolutely correct. But fearfulness can also be the result of no socialization before the age of 12 weeks. For every day past that 12 weeks window of opportunity that the puppy remains unsocialized it becomes more difficult to do it and the pup grows more and more fearful.

Dealing with a fearful puppy or adult dog can be frustrating and exhausting, especially if you have no help. While it's extremely helpful to work with a veterinary behaviorist, applied animal behaviorist or certified animal behavior consultant, someone who uses positive, gentle methods or your problems will only escalate. It's always helpful to have something you can read to learn more about the problem and and how to deal with it.

Recently, I caught up with a book published in 2008 that will prove very helpful to anyone dealing with a fearful dog. A Guide to Living With & Training a Fearful Dog by Debbie Jacobs, CPDT-KA, CAP is, according to Jacobs, the book she wished she'd had when she started working with her fearful dog, Sunny, the Border Collie mix she adopted from a Humane Society in Mississippi in November 2005. It's a guide for helping fearful, shy or anxious dogs.

Jacobs' book is filled with helpful hints, advice and personal experience. She helps the owner of a fearful dog change their outlook in order to help change the dog's outlook. It's a slow process but a journey well worth taking. It's also a useful resource for shelter and rescue people. She includes an incredible amount of useful advice and explanations including medication that can be prescribed while you're implementing a behavior modification program. At the end of the book Jacobs has also included a useful reading list.

You can find Debbie Jacobs' blog online at: http://fearfuldogs.wordpress.com and on Twitter: @fearfuldogs

Help is out there. You don't have to give up on your dog.