I liked that you focused on the emotional side of things &making human analogies not just the practical behaviour management strategies. You are a joy to watch.💜☮
Thank you for continually educating me Tom, as a new dog owner I'm the one who needs the training not the dog. I'm taking in everything you're putting out there, podcasts, videos and social media posts. It's such a great resource. Thank you thank you thank you!
You make it so easy for everybody to understand whats going on in a dogs mind. Without fancy words or tons of equipment. Thank you, i really learned something today
I stumbled across your no bad dogs podcast while looking for some educational dog pieces for a road trip. Since then I’ve spent hours watching your TH-cam and listening to your show. I’ve been working with dogs for several years and am looking to start my own business in the future so I really appreciate how generously you are sharing your experience and journey I’m finding it very inspirational!
these are great tips, I have a 6 month old gsd Nala that I got 3 weeks ago, she is completely different personality wise from my other gsd Roxy who is 1 years old. Nala is very very shy timid, hides behind me, she does not want strangers to touch her she will pull away etc, she wasnt really socialized. Roxy is very outgoing isnt bothered by people in public and I put her through training classes so she is trained on her basic obedience commands, I decided to put Nala through similar training and it is helping her, slowly but surely, she is definitely more challenging to train, not treat motivated and still a little scared of the dog trainer. Nala also watches me and Roxy relationship and is picking up on the training commands, I also am exposing her to what I can car rides, walks, and going into public pet friendly places. I am hoping she will grow more confident with time she really has great potential as any dog who someone puts the proper work and effort into.
My soon to be 16 year old mutt was the beginning of my exploration of dog training. He was about 1 1/2 when we met at a no-kill shelter I was involved with. We became attached and I started bringing him home with me on my days off from my paying job. First time we walked in, my husband said hello and Bert immediately peed and pooped. He had to be in a quiet room away from everything in order for him to eat. If you told him to sit, he would sit beautifully....after he peed. There wasn't a lot of info out there about dealing with fearful dogs. What was out there about fearful dogs was the risk of getting bit. Bert has never attempted to bite anyone. Eventually, group classes became available in my area, which helped a lot. Bert was then 11. He's still a shy guy, but has come a long way, and was responsible for me learning to train dogs and doing so part time. (I'm an old retired lady.) Bert was supposed to be a GSD mix, but no one could ever figure out with what. I recently did a DNA on him, and I now believe his issues were partially genetic and probably harsh puppy training. His DNA came back as 12.5% of the following: German Shepherd Dog, Wolf, Chow Chow, Malamute, Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, Husky, and "Sight Hound Group". In his old age, Bert stays home most of the time, where he is the most comfortable. He will come out and watch people (strangers) when they are here instead of hiding, but doesn't want to interact with them. My training goals for him were simple. I just wanted him to become more comfortable and less stressed, and that has been accomplished. He will always be cautious by nature. I just wish I had known what I know now 14 years ago.
Thank you so much for your videos. I've just adopted a long stay shelter dog who has no experience of anything and your tips have been sooooo useful in getting her used to her new home and environment. From me and Luna, a big thank you!
This is very helpful! You help me understand my dog better. The part about us wanting the problems solved NOW, but that being an unrealistic expectation, is really important. I do want my dog to be cured of her fear of strangers right now, but being reminded that it is a process and that we have to take small steps to make big progress is really encouraging. 💕🐾💕🐾💕
My wife and I just learned about your videos and we really like them. It has helped us so much. My wife is a disabled Veteran and we are struggling with her service dog. She does everything perfectly away from people but is very fearful of children. We're not sure why. We've had her since she was 5 weeks old. Our old trainer was not able to help us with this issue. Please help us. Her dog is her baby and her life line.
Just rescued a beautiful dog and she’s afraid of pretty well everything. This well articulated. Even though I’ve read this before, your examples illustrate your point well. Thank you!
I’ve been hoping you would do a fearful dog video for a while now. Thank you so much for the tips; our husky was dropped at a kill shelter in the middle of the night with obvious signs of abuse and she’s been making slow but positive progress in the past couple of years that we’ve had her. So glad to hear your technique for a dog like her and to know what we need to adjust so we can best help her continue to become more confident. Thank you!
I wish I had a resource like this when I adopted my fearful dog! These lessons took years to realize and am sure slowed down his progress. Thanks for sharing your lessons for all the different doggos out there.
THANK YOU! As you said, “many of you may know this”, and many of us don’t. I appreciate you making videos that span the dog-training world and stages of dog owner’s training level and the situations dogs find themselves in. Thank goodness dogs are patient lol!! 😅 (I am always learning from them).
This video helped me so much. My 5 month old German Shepherd was so scare getting into the car. We think he had abandonment issues. It seems that all the times he did take a car ride, his destination was always to a new home. I sat outside in the car with him on a leash on so many cold days. We went through a million treats in 2 weeks and we had so many play time near the car, we threw his favorite toys in the car to try and encourage him to get in. I would sit in the car and bribe him with treats. He would get closer and closer to the car, even putting his front paws inside the car but as soon as I called him to come in, he would turn around and try to run off. There were days when it seemed like he would never overcome his fear. I decided to order a dog ramp off of Amazon in hopes that it would help. On the day it arrived I took the ramp and my pup with me out to set it up, as soon as the car door slide open, he jumped in the car before I even had a chance to set up the ramp. I guess patience finally paid off. Now I am stuck with a dog ramp that my pup never used. LOL
I absolutely love your channel. Every other dog training channel is about the trainers ego. You really care about dogs and it's so clear your main goal is helping dogs. Thank you!
I love the way you think as well as how you explain everything.... it's real and makes sense! Thank you so much for taking your time to share with everyone!
@@tomdavisofficial I know and it is amazing how much we think alike when dealing with dogs! I'm not a "trainer" but when I see someone struggling with their dog I can't help but to offer information to them. Especially if I'm in the pet store and their dog is pulling, jumping... I usually will find a collar that best fits the dog's behavior then we try it out in the store, I will walk them down the isle, then the owner will and not only will they purchase what worked for their dog, they get to see that both of them can walk around with confidence. One guy I helped in my neighborhood thanked me cuz more his wife will go on walks with them again because it's no longer embarrassing. Knowing I've done that for those families means the world to me. .......... and yes, I always mention they can learn more watching Tom Davis on TH-cam by looking up Upstate Canine Academy!
This is great! I watched it twice and picked out the following gems: 1. take your dog to as many places as possible! I work from home, and we dont leave much. I need to start taking Moxie to cafes to work and different places so she gets way more exposure to different environments. 2. Step in to prevent people approaching her and work it in slowly. Her long hound ears attract a LOT of attention and I see her leaning away from people when they reach out to her. Question: Barking (not timid, but forward) at people when they come to the house - is that fear? or is that protectiveness and for the latter is that approached differently?
I live in a small town with one store dogs are allowed in, I may have to get him a vest that says “please ignore me, I’m in training”, bc I totally fear folks getting too close or going for a pet and freaking him out. Last night he met a friend he has met before, she was very excited to finally meet him out of his kennel. We discussed the ignoring part before and how he would smell her and come for pets in his time. I let him out after I thought all the excitement had diffused and He peed in the house in front of me, after he was just outside and I watched him do his duty. Is that why? He still caught on to excitement and felt nervous? I did have to remind her to do her thing and let him do his, like her dogs in her home. I realize we humans often want to snuggle and scrunch up dogs. He has never peed in house before like that, in the 4 weeks he’s has lived with us (two times when it first began hitting -15 he may have possibly wondered if pooing in the basement was ok, hadn’t don’t it since).
Upstate Canine Academy Okay cool. So we can work on that when we get to that level. I’ll be checking in with you in a few weeks. We still have enough basics to work on in the meantime.
Thank you for this video, I’m loving all the information! I have a fear aggressive dog that we adopted over a year ago. She is STILL fearful, but we are working with her and are seeing some progress. Over New Years, she got so excited that she bit my child! We tried the cbd treats, but recently found out they are illegal here, and our county DA is prosecuting heavily, so we stopped ordering them. We have now switched to a pheromone collar, and that seems to be working well so far. It’s A LOT of work, but I believe every dog deserves a chance!
my dog has been obedient since she was little but has drastically changed since after New Year, the motor bikes loud sounds definitely scared her and it seems we are back to square one. thanks for your videos, you make it look so easy hope i can do it with my dog, thanks for making us see from the dog's perspective
My pitbull is scared of her own shadow. She's scared of anyone who comes over and she Barks and growls like she wants to eat them. We put her now when anyone comes over because we don't want anyone getting bit not that she has but just in case. We've tried so many things but still just freaks out. Funny thing is we she had to be boared for a weekend and they said she was an Angel didn't bark or growl at anyone. We've had her since she was a puppy she was perfectly fine till about 1 1/2 and just completely changed. We've done a lot of what you mentioned. My next thing to try is muzzling her when my sons friends come over so we can work on getting her around people and not have to worry about anyone getting bit.
I have 2 pitbull breeds and can't speak to everything you are experiencing but wanted to give you support. I learned with our girl she is very protective over me. I didn't understand it until months after we adopted her but I had already given my girl months of my uneasy energy when she was around others outside of our home. So I know what has helped me in my confidence level is following a lot of what Thomas teaches and understanding she thinks it's her job to alert bark and look aggressive to outsiders because my energy was telling her I was afraid of outsiders when really I was afraid of what she could do. Once I realized she is trying to protect me I got direct with her in my energy like "no, just ignore them, I dont care about that stranger" and it made her calm down a lot. This is outside of our home so it could be your dog is protecting territory. But for your confidence level if you feel like the mussel will help build your confidence with them around strangers then definitely look into it.
Another great video of Upstate Canine Academy. Thank you very much Thomas Davis, with your advices and the changeing behavior of my two fearful female dog breed I learned a lot. Lots of mistakes and ignorance from me. Thanks again ! 👍
Wow - this was so helpful! THANK YOU. I'm at a loss on how to walk my 7 month old puppy in public and bringing him in the airport for the first time was a nightmare. We moved to busy LA area and was thinking professional help was the only way to help him get used to this area and the loud sounds. Going to give him more time and apply these 3 steps!
Just take that one step and then it is easier. Think of all the people that didn't want to use a computer or facebook or the internet and now they have no fear. Why would we think a dog would be different? Now on the other hand my Belle the rescue pup needs some serious help after our visit to the vet this week. Another year and 25 more pounds makes her a bit to handle and she LOVES everyone! So your tune up will be used everyday!! thank you!!
Oh I wish people would leave my Service dog alone. Being a Border Collie eye contact is such a trigger for her. Trick training really helps build confidence. My Zed had some fear based issues but I worked with her. Great video and subject Tom. Zed now thinks she is bomb proof lol : ) Thank you Tom for all you do.
Is there a book you recommend so I can have a better understanding of dog psychology or just general dog training ideas, philosophy? These videos are so underrated! On an unrelated note, you could add another light source on the side so there's a better separation between you and the background.
Yeah, we got some bad advice regarding the treat route and figured out the hard way to keep our male puppy away from strangers. Still a work in progress. The MOST difficult part is finding people who will be understanding, able to follow directions and that we can trust. Tom, when you take a vacation to San Diego, let us know!
Thank you for this video! It helps me know I’m doing things the right way for my dog. I just need to learn to be a bit more forward in really telling people to ignore her. Even though I say if you don’t look or talk to her she will be fine-they don’t listen
Firstly I'll say that you are great. Love watching and always learning new things. What is your advice on a dog that has fear based agression toward people. Shes even turned on me a couple of times during petting. The outburst are getting less and less but are still a conern to me as she is 115lb cane corso. We go to class every saturday and she excels at that. Even worked with a dog psychologist. I would love to hear what you think.
My puppy was afraid of the back stairs. There's only four but he would sit at the top and pace. I put a treat on each step and he slowly climbed down to get them and I slowly used less and less treats until he does it on his own. I have to train myself to have more patience.
Love the video Tom!! I’ve been waiting for one on fearful dogs as my pit bull rescue was never properly socialized. My dog is very fearful outside and doesn’t bark so we are just working on exposure, but inside the house is a different story. She will bark and lunge at strangers, should I use her prong to correct that behavior and then put her in a place? She gets so amped up though that she won’t listen at times
Hey, Sam, it sounds like it's a typical case of I'm inside your outside so I feel comfortable barking, I would be working on leaving it and a place command to redirect.
I have this issue with my dog and have always been trying to get people to give her treats like you said. Now I wish I seen this earlier. I try and take her for walks but when she sees the harness she goes straight to the kennel. We still go for a walk and she's been getting better at it while we're out but it's always that initial fear that gets her.
Hello, and thank you for this video! My problem with my Spitz is slightly different : He is scared of other dogs, but then pretends to be aggressive and doesn't stop barking when we cross some dogs. You said that you were talking about dogs that are hiding. What if my dog is scared of dogs in the street and dominant at the same time? Do you have advice for this situation please? Thank you in advance!
Thank you for yet another helpful video! We have a fearful GSD/husky mix that we rescued and have been working a lot with her to build confidence. We really want to get another dog but don't know at what point in her training is the best time to introduce another dog. She loves playing with other dogs and grew up with a lab who we lost in October so she's used to living with another dog. My main question is: have you found that fearful/shy dogs can gain confidence when they are with another dog who has great confidence with new people and new places? I'm wondering if she sees her future brother/sister getting positive attention from strangers if she will be more likely to welcome those new situations?
Upstate Canine Academy I think it’s your voice tone, looks and for sure the sudden moves and turns you do when you switch directions with dogs in your vids. I think you should do a JT parody with a trained dog. That’d be bananas :)
Upstate Canine Academy on a serious note. Your lessons have been invaluable in my first-dog journey and teaching my greyhound to calm down, become more confident, pay attention and walk well on a leash. Thank you!
We have our boxer/mastiff that growls at friends & family if he’s in the house so normally we put all our dogs outside, otherwise we find friends & family always try to engage with them whilst they lie in ‘place’. My mother in law gushes over the big dog so much, since he knows her he doesn’t growl but wee’s all over the place. Outside when she engages and gushes he jumps all over her & is hard to manage. He’s 50 kg & she’s 72yrs. She won’t stop.... how do u handle the growling? As it is scary if u don’t know him? How do I handle the other? Is this excitement? Probably answered my own question but...?? Thanks. Nikki
Upstate Canine Academy . I already know you don’t like it but a gentle leader when walking. At home he has a flat collar for his name tags. I do own slip leads. Normally figure 8 them for him (if that makes sense) around his nose like a gentle leader. More control for me on a walk, although he walks slowly with me if we see another dog especially a loose one all hell breaks loose. I m 60kg & he’s too strong. I know u like the prong but we don’t really have that here. It’s like a taboo to even use choke chains. I even had a lady moan at me for the halti. Asked do I know my dog needs to breath!
I have a boxer mastiff also. Same problem. Barks and growls at all the visitors to the home except for the in-laws. Looking for the same type of advice as to what to do to discourage the behavior. Major leash puller when she sees dogs on walks and will bark and growl at passersby occasionally. Vet suggested medication and behavioral therapy. Not crazy about the former and the latter is costly and I’ve heard experiences where it didn’t work.
Just curious what your interpretation is of dogs that you describe at 1:55. Would you call that more of an insecure type who feels the need to put on a show and act tough in front of new visitors or whoever it is? Mine will sometimes do this, to large men especially, but a quick no + ecollar correction causes him to give up right away and then he is totally fine with and around the person. Zero bite history but when he does this he tends to get quite close to the person. It's like he's alerting "hey guys there's someone new here, hey new person I'm sniffing you out right now letting you know to not mess with my people". Would you say this is just insecurity/skepticism/suspicion of new people rather than a true crippling "fear" as you described?
Why do I do if 7 month Doberman is so gets bullied at the park. I don’t want him to be crazy aggressive but protective and brave to where he tells other dogs stop
Everyday basic training. I had an adult Lab show up at my door and was not very socialized with other dogs. I believe, with his lack of confidence, he was, inadvertently, being rude with other dogs (like an awkward teenager is practically begging to be picked on)... but with everyday training, he learned some ‘manners’ and now he’s SO MUCH better with other dogs. Be the leader, give him limits to respect and physical challenges to figure out and he’ll learn where he fits in.
I have an 8 month old shepherd husky mix. He was attacked by a pit bull recently n has been anxious fearful since how can I help him bc I really need help 7:13
My rescue dog has always been nervous around people but was amazing around dogs and she really relieved stress by playing with other dogs. But we went on a walk in the woods and another dog attacked her, she had to get stitches. Since then she has been fearfull around strange dogs, she is fine with the dogs she already knew. She will avoid strange dogs now and if they go into her space she will growl (rightfully) but even if the other dogs are respectfull towards her she doesnt open up to them after an hour or so. I want to build her confidence so she enjoys playing with them again but I dont quite know how. On lead if we meat another new nice dog she want to sniff their but while she is sitting but she wont let them sniff her but, she will back out or sit down. I cant take her to a dog park because there are always those dogs that "hunt down" a nervous dog. How should I train her to be more confident around other dogs again?
Any tips for stopping barking while In the kennel? My 3 year old German Shepherd will aggressively bark non stop when in the kennel as I let visitors in the house and whenever a visitor walks by his kennel. It’s intimidating for the visitors. But once people have come into my home and then I let him out he is extremely friendly with them and stops the barking.
This is a tough one, you are putting your security system in a can and telling it to be mute. I would suggest leaving him out if possible and working on the problem probably at hand which would be his OB and social skills.
What do u do when your boerboel lets people pet him, But then after a min or so if he doesn't like the person he makes a growl. (People say a growl is a good thing, he is saying i had enough or this)
Thank you for this information. My new rescue backs up every time I go to pet him but also follow me around the house. He hate the leash and pulls back when on it. Unable to walk him on it yet. Any pointers how to let me pet him or not to be fearful of the leash.
Why not just sit on the floor and patiently let him come to you... on his terms... may take several days/sessions... you have no idea what he’s been through. True trust doesn’t happen overnight... takes even longer when you've had a rough life. When he trusts you, he may walk for you, too. Good luck.
Question for you. My dog Koji will run up to people wagging his tail and sniff but after five minutes of conversation he begins to stare them down and growls. What is that all about?
How do I train an anxious chihuahua puppy that has neurological deficits? He’s ability to see is impaired. His hearing is also affected. How can I train him to come to me?
Hmm,my dog is 13 and isn't confident at home.He doesn't like any of our other dogs in his personal space,is afraid of loud noises and is an excited Barker.He barks when he is happy,when he's alert,while the other dogs are playing.... he'll do commands and fetch but....waaay away from the other dogs lol And won't go get the ball is our other dogs are near.If they want the toy he has,they just enter his personal space and he drops it and runs.None of our other dogs have ever hurt him.He can sniff them but he won't allow them to sniff him.He also has recently taken to following me everywhere in the house. He follows commands really well,walks on leash really well,loves people,just not other dogs.He is very confident on his own.How can I get him to interact with our other dogs a little more and stop the excessive barking? I have a leave it command and for 13 years he is the only dog that has ever disregarded that command.lmao
The most frustrating part of trying to socialize my dog and get her comfortable to new environments isnt even my dogs unwilling-ness and fear- its the people IN these places. Its interesting because i only ever take her to pet smart or pet valu to try and get her seeing some new places and people and you’d think that all these people who own dogs would understand or be able to identify a fearful dog when they see one. My dog is very beautiful and I understand that people want to interact with her, but even when i tell them shes very nervous and is not a fan of people or touching or eye-contact, and sometimes, ill even step directly in front of my dog to cover her from peoples eye contact, they still stick their hand out and start to make kissy noises at the dog. I dont know how else to politely tell them to eff off...it makes getting her to walk with me through the store very difficult and she pulls me very hard towards the door. Sigh.
Please help someone ! I have a 2 yr Chihuahua i got from a shelter a month ago.she is so scary she don’t take treats from your hand , don’t play , don’t like walks , run if you get close idk what to do .i took her to the vet and no health issues.How can i make her more comfortable 😫
hey great video , i need your help to tell me what to do with my dog he has already bit my friend and i dont know what to do , he doesnt like humans , like im in pet store and someone wants to pet him he wants to bit him with no sign
I have a weird situation with my dog. Hes a 5 months olds Norwegian elkhound and he isn't scared of people but isnt sure of other dogs. I take him to pet stores and he will sniff noses with the other dogs but one of two things will happen. He will either get excited and want to play or he will run even if the other dog shows no aggression. What am i doing wrong?
What should I do if my dog is so afraid that she starts to pull back home right after taking a pee outside. We live in the city, she's afraid of sounds and people. I can't give her tasks because she completely zones out.
We just took on a Red Heeler/ whippet Mix Foster who is supposedly great with other dogs but fearful of people. She will be 2 in April. She was found as a puppy in the woods abandoned with her 4 siblings. In less than 2 years, she has been with at least 2 fosters and two adopters which returned her in less than 48 hours!! She is currently in decompression. It is day 3 and my husband has managed to gain her trust enough to handle her, pet her just a little and get her in and out of the crate. She wants nothing to do with me. We are trying to gradually increase her exposure to me as I am away from home at work all day and she spends most of her time with Joel, my husband. Should I just continue to ignore her and not make eye contact or talk to her? I extended my hand for her to smell.... she sniffed and ducked away. I am treating this as she has to approach me if she wants to engage... I don’t want to overwhelm her... she is very nervous and easily frightened... she knows a few basic commands. They also had her on a bunch of meds for anxiety.... she is not taking them now. Suggestions??
Hello, I’m writing here hoping for a small hint on how to train my dog. She’s a female 6 months old and she’s really scared. I feel like it’s my fault due to the fact that I haven’t walked her enough. Outside she pulls the leash, barks at people/other dogs:( I don’t know what to do because I get frustrated before my dog, I think
Love watching your videos ...my girl screams at other dogs literally screams ..she doesn't hear me , treats don't work she doesn't want them ...I'm at my wits end ! Any tips please would be so greatly appreciated
Omg yes me too! Ive never heard a dog scream till i brought my rescue lab home. Soooo vocal! It scares people. He does it when he sees other dogs, squirrels or vehicles driving by. But lots of other situations too. Hes soo fearful but also excited hes able to be out in the world and that combined with his hifh energy and its like his little brain just explodes lol. Hes super friendly with dogs and new people thankfully but he otherwise doesn't handle life. He bolts and jumps the fence in some of these situations when in the yard.
Hey recently after we slaughtered goats at our eid my cane. Corso became fearful in streets before he was the most confident dog like the king of the jungle in street so any solution now he is too much fearful of cow and goats He is 1.2 year old So please tell me a solution
My dogs have alot of bragging rights ..One used to be a very fearful dog, Submissive pee problem and everything in between ,She is a bad a** now Dogs need training their whole life.
One of your best videos!! 👍 Very well explained! I'm always best buds with fearful dogs. Never knew why these insecure snowflakes came crawling towards me, but now I know haha. Thanks!
I liked that you focused on the emotional side of things &making human analogies not just the practical behaviour management strategies. You are a joy to watch.💜☮
kristina hewer thanks so much Kristina!
++++++++ooöö
Thank you for continually educating me Tom, as a new dog owner I'm the one who needs the training not the dog. I'm taking in everything you're putting out there, podcasts, videos and social media posts. It's such a great resource. Thank you thank you thank you!
Orrent THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!!!! ❤️❤️
You make it so easy for everybody to understand whats going on in a dogs mind. Without fancy words or tons of equipment. Thank you, i really learned something today
I stumbled across your no bad dogs podcast while looking for some educational dog pieces for a road trip. Since then I’ve spent hours watching your TH-cam and listening to your show. I’ve been working with dogs for several years and am looking to start my own business in the future so I really appreciate how generously you are sharing your experience and journey I’m finding it very inspirational!
Morgan Sanders awesome thanks Morgan! Nice to meet you!
these are great tips, I have a 6 month old gsd Nala that I got 3 weeks ago, she is completely different personality wise from my other gsd Roxy who is 1 years old. Nala is very very shy timid, hides behind me, she does not want strangers to touch her she will pull away etc, she wasnt really socialized. Roxy is very outgoing isnt bothered by people in public and I put her through training classes so she is trained on her basic obedience commands, I decided to put Nala through similar training and it is helping her, slowly but surely, she is definitely more challenging to train, not treat motivated and still a little scared of the dog trainer. Nala also watches me and Roxy relationship and is picking up on the training commands, I also am exposing her to what I can car rides, walks, and going into public pet friendly places. I am hoping she will grow more confident with time she really has great potential as any dog who someone puts the proper work and effort into.
Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
LOL! My gsd mutt's name is Nala too haha
My soon to be 16 year old mutt was the beginning of my exploration of dog training. He was about 1 1/2 when we met at a no-kill shelter I was involved with. We became attached and I started bringing him home with me on my days off from my paying job. First time we walked in, my husband said hello and Bert immediately peed and pooped. He had to be in a quiet room away from everything in order for him to eat. If you told him to sit, he would sit beautifully....after he peed. There wasn't a lot of info out there about dealing with fearful dogs. What was out there about fearful dogs was the risk of getting bit. Bert has never attempted to bite anyone. Eventually, group classes became available in my area, which helped a lot. Bert was then 11. He's still a shy guy, but has come a long way, and was responsible for me learning to train dogs and doing so part time. (I'm an old retired lady.) Bert was supposed to be a GSD mix, but no one could ever figure out with what. I recently did a DNA on him, and I now believe his issues were partially genetic and probably harsh puppy training. His DNA came back as 12.5% of the following: German Shepherd Dog, Wolf, Chow Chow, Malamute, Beagle, Cocker Spaniel, Husky, and "Sight Hound Group". In his old age, Bert stays home most of the time, where he is the most comfortable. He will come out and watch people (strangers) when they are here instead of hiding, but doesn't want to interact with them. My training goals for him were simple. I just wanted him to become more comfortable and less stressed, and that has been accomplished. He will always be cautious by nature. I just wish I had known what I know now 14 years ago.
Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
Even if we have heard it, its refreshing to hear it from someone we trust!
vG_GameOver thank you so much as always!! ❤️❤️
Thank you so much for your videos. I've just adopted a long stay shelter dog who has no experience of anything and your tips have been sooooo useful in getting her used to her new home and environment. From me and Luna, a big thank you!
This is very helpful! You help me understand my dog better. The part about us wanting the problems solved NOW, but that being an unrealistic expectation, is really important. I do want my dog to be cured of her fear of strangers right now, but being reminded that it is a process and that we have to take small steps to make big progress is really encouraging. 💕🐾💕🐾💕
My wife and I just learned about your videos and we really like them. It has helped us so much. My wife is a disabled Veteran and we are struggling with her service dog. She does everything perfectly away from people but is very fearful of children. We're not sure why. We've had her since she was 5 weeks old. Our old trainer was not able to help us with this issue. Please help us. Her dog is her baby and her life line.
Just rescued a beautiful dog and she’s afraid of pretty well everything. This well articulated. Even though I’ve read this before, your examples illustrate your point well. Thank you!
I’ve been hoping you would do a fearful dog video for a while now. Thank you so much for the tips; our husky was dropped at a kill shelter in the middle of the night with obvious signs of abuse and she’s been making slow but positive progress in the past couple of years that we’ve had her. So glad to hear your technique for a dog like her and to know what we need to adjust so we can best help her continue to become more confident. Thank you!
erica forst thanks for watching!!!
I wish I had a resource like this when I adopted my fearful dog! These lessons took years to realize and am sure slowed down his progress. Thanks for sharing your lessons for all the different doggos out there.
Well thanks for watching now Jessie~!
THANK YOU! As you said, “many of you may know this”, and many of us don’t. I appreciate you making videos that span the dog-training world and stages of dog owner’s training level and the situations dogs find themselves in. Thank goodness dogs are patient lol!! 😅 (I am always learning from them).
Thanks Amy!
This video helped me so much. My 5 month old German Shepherd was so scare getting into the car. We think he had abandonment issues. It seems that all the times he did take a car ride, his destination was always to a new home. I sat outside in the car with him on a leash on so many cold days. We went through a million treats in 2 weeks and we had so many play time near the car, we threw his favorite toys in the car to try and encourage him to get in. I would sit in the car and bribe him with treats. He would get closer and closer to the car, even putting his front paws inside the car but as soon as I called him to come in, he would turn around and try to run off. There were days when it seemed like he would never overcome his fear. I decided to order a dog ramp off of Amazon in hopes that it would help. On the day it arrived I took the ramp and my pup with me out to set it up, as soon as the car door slide open, he jumped in the car before I even had a chance to set up the ramp. I guess patience finally paid off. Now I am stuck with a dog ramp that my pup never used. LOL
I absolutely love your channel. Every other dog training channel is about the trainers ego. You really care about dogs and it's so clear your main goal is helping dogs. Thank you!
I love you posting these information videos. As there are a lot of people who eather don't know, of forgot some simple training tips.
I love the way you think as well as how you explain everything.... it's real and makes sense! Thank you so much for taking your time to share with everyone!
tami davis we have the same last name! Thanks so much for the comment and positive feedback!
@@tomdavisofficial I know and it is amazing how much we think alike when dealing with dogs! I'm not a "trainer" but when I see someone struggling with their dog I can't help but to offer information to them. Especially if I'm in the pet store and their dog is pulling, jumping... I usually will find a collar that best fits the dog's behavior then we try it out in the store, I will walk them down the isle, then the owner will and not only will they purchase what worked for their dog, they get to see that both of them can walk around with confidence. One guy I helped in my neighborhood thanked me cuz more his wife will go on walks with them again because it's no longer embarrassing. Knowing I've done that for those families means the world to me. .......... and yes, I always mention they can learn more watching Tom Davis on TH-cam by looking up Upstate Canine Academy!
Thank you so much Tami!
This is great! I watched it twice and picked out the following gems: 1. take your dog to as many places as possible! I work from home, and we dont leave much. I need to start taking Moxie to cafes to work and different places so she gets way more exposure to different environments. 2. Step in to prevent people approaching her and work it in slowly. Her long hound ears attract a LOT of attention and I see her leaning away from people when they reach out to her. Question: Barking (not timid, but forward) at people when they come to the house - is that fear? or is that protectiveness and for the latter is that approached differently?
Toréa Rodriguez thank you! No that sounds like the dog being a Brat!
I live in a small town with one store dogs are allowed in, I may have to get him a vest that says “please ignore me, I’m in training”, bc I totally fear folks getting too close or going for a pet and freaking him out. Last night he met a friend he has met before, she was very excited to finally meet him out of his kennel. We discussed the ignoring part before and how he would smell her and come for pets in his time. I let him out after I thought all the excitement had diffused and He peed in the house in front of me, after he was just outside and I watched him do his duty. Is that why? He still caught on to excitement and felt nervous? I did have to remind her to do her thing and let him do his, like her dogs in her home. I realize we humans often want to snuggle and scrunch up dogs. He has never peed in house before like that, in the 4 weeks he’s has lived with us (two times when it first began hitting -15 he may have possibly wondered if pooing in the basement was ok, hadn’t don’t it since).
Upstate Canine Academy Okay cool. So we can work on that when we get to that level. I’ll be checking in with you in a few weeks. We still have enough basics to work on in the meantime.
Thank you for this video, I’m loving all the information! I have a fear aggressive dog that we adopted over a year ago. She is STILL fearful, but we are working with her and are seeing some progress. Over New Years, she got so excited that she bit my child! We tried the cbd treats, but recently found out they are illegal here, and our county DA is prosecuting heavily, so we stopped ordering them. We have now switched to a pheromone collar, and that seems to be working well so far. It’s A LOT of work, but I believe every dog deserves a chance!
S S Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
Where do you live? CBD MD is legal in all 50 states? DO what works!
This is EXACTLY what I needed thank you! ❤️
Very helpful thank you so much.
Such a good video. Made me see my dog from a different perspective.
Thank you so much Lisa!
Thank you!
my dog has been obedient since she was little but has drastically changed since after New Year, the motor bikes loud sounds definitely scared her and it seems we are back to square one. thanks for your videos, you make it look so easy hope i can do it with my dog, thanks for making us see from the dog's perspective
My pitbull is scared of her own shadow. She's scared of anyone who comes over and she Barks and growls like she wants to eat them. We put her now when anyone comes over because we don't want anyone getting bit not that she has but just in case. We've tried so many things but still just freaks out. Funny thing is we she had to be boared for a weekend and they said she was an Angel didn't bark or growl at anyone. We've had her since she was a puppy she was perfectly fine till about 1 1/2 and just completely changed. We've done a lot of what you mentioned. My next thing to try is muzzling her when my sons friends come over so we can work on getting her around people and not have to worry about anyone getting bit.
I have 2 pitbull breeds and can't speak to everything you are experiencing but wanted to give you support. I learned with our girl she is very protective over me. I didn't understand it until months after we adopted her but I had already given my girl months of my uneasy energy when she was around others outside of our home. So I know what has helped me in my confidence level is following a lot of what Thomas teaches and understanding she thinks it's her job to alert bark and look aggressive to outsiders because my energy was telling her I was afraid of outsiders when really I was afraid of what she could do. Once I realized she is trying to protect me I got direct with her in my energy like "no, just ignore them, I dont care about that stranger" and it made her calm down a lot. This is outside of our home so it could be your dog is protecting territory. But for your confidence level if you feel like the mussel will help build your confidence with them around strangers then definitely look into it.
Thank you
Another great video of Upstate Canine Academy. Thank you very much Thomas Davis, with your advices and the changeing behavior of my two fearful female dog breed I learned a lot. Lots of mistakes and ignorance from me. Thanks again ! 👍
Wow - this was so helpful! THANK YOU. I'm at a loss on how to walk my 7 month old puppy in public and bringing him in the airport for the first time was a nightmare. We moved to busy LA area and was thinking professional help was the only way to help him get used to this area and the loud sounds. Going to give him more time and apply these 3 steps!
Just take that one step and then it is easier. Think of all the people that didn't want to use a computer or facebook or the internet and now they have no fear. Why would we think a dog would be different? Now on the other hand my Belle the rescue pup needs some serious help after our visit to the vet this week. Another year and 25 more pounds makes her a bit to handle and she LOVES everyone! So your tune up will be used everyday!! thank you!!
Thanks a lot for your advices. Cheers from Portugal !
Oh I wish people would leave my Service dog alone. Being a Border Collie eye contact is such a trigger for her. Trick training really helps build confidence. My Zed had some fear based issues but I worked with her. Great video and subject Tom. Zed now thinks she is bomb proof lol : ) Thank you Tom for all you do.
Thank YOU!!
Awesome Tom from the land down under.
Is there a book you recommend so I can have a better understanding of dog psychology or just general dog training ideas, philosophy?
These videos are so underrated!
On an unrelated note, you could add another light source on the side so there's a better separation between you and the background.
John Henkam Gangte Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
Thanks! I don't read many books my man, sorry.
I'm reading "The Other End of the Leash" - it's interesting, I am learning a lot on canine vs monkey (us) communication.
Love your videos !! Thank you
Thanks for watching Josue!
I found it very interesting, thank you 😊
Yeah, we got some bad advice regarding the treat route and figured out the hard way to keep our male puppy away from strangers. Still a work in progress. The MOST difficult part is finding people who will be understanding, able to follow directions and that we can trust.
Tom, when you take a vacation to San Diego, let us know!
Great video and to the point!
Thank you for this video! It helps me know I’m doing things the right way for my dog. I just need to learn to be a bit more forward in really telling people to ignore her. Even though I say if you don’t look or talk to her she will be fine-they don’t listen
Thanks Jessica! You could try a vest!
Great vid. Thx
Thank you!
Firstly I'll say that you are great. Love watching and always learning new things.
What is your advice on a dog that has fear based agression toward people. Shes even turned on me a couple of times during petting. The outburst are getting less and less but are still a conern to me as she is 115lb cane corso. We go to class every saturday and she excels at that. Even worked with a dog psychologist.
I would love to hear what you think.
Thank you so much, Monique! I appreciate the feedback very much! I would continue to work on everything you have been doing!
This was great info! Thank you.
My puppy was afraid of the back stairs. There's only four but he would sit at the top and pace. I put a treat on each step and he slowly climbed down to get them and I slowly used less and less treats until he does it on his own. I have to train myself to have more patience.
Love the video Tom!! I’ve been waiting for one on fearful dogs as my pit bull rescue was never properly socialized. My dog is very fearful outside and doesn’t bark so we are just working on exposure, but inside the house is a different story. She will bark and lunge at strangers, should I use her prong to correct that behavior and then put her in a place? She gets so amped up though that she won’t listen at times
Sam Oliver Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
Hey, Sam, it sounds like it's a typical case of I'm inside your outside so I feel comfortable barking, I would be working on leaving it and a place command to redirect.
Upstate Canine Academy this is super helpful! Thank you :)
I have this issue with my dog and have always been trying to get people to give her treats like you said. Now I wish I seen this earlier. I try and take her for walks but when she sees the harness she goes straight to the kennel. We still go for a walk and she's been getting better at it while we're out but it's always that initial fear that gets her.
Hello, and thank you for this video! My problem with my Spitz is slightly different : He is scared of other dogs, but then pretends to be aggressive and doesn't stop barking when we cross some dogs. You said that you were talking about dogs that are hiding. What if my dog is scared of dogs in the street and dominant at the same time? Do you have advice for this situation please?
Thank you in advance!
Thank you for yet another helpful video! We have a fearful GSD/husky mix that we rescued and have been working a lot with her to build confidence. We really want to get another dog but don't know at what point in her training is the best time to introduce another dog. She loves playing with other dogs and grew up with a lab who we lost in October so she's used to living with another dog. My main question is: have you found that fearful/shy dogs can gain confidence when they are with another dog who has great confidence with new people and new places? I'm wondering if she sees her future brother/sister getting positive attention from strangers if she will be more likely to welcome those new situations?
halley362 Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
Thanks so much! The short answer is, try it anytime and yes a less confident dog could gain confidence from a more confident dog! That is very likely!
Saved a 11 month old Malinois. 5 days so far and he is so leery of my husband. Specially if he has a hat on. I would pay to have a zoom lesson or 2..
Love your videos, man!
Did anyone tell you that you look like 70% JT and 30% Woody Harrelson?
P Godaz hahaha yes! Thank you I get JT all the time, I don’t see it but I’ll take it
Upstate Canine Academy I think it’s your voice tone, looks and for sure the sudden moves and turns you do when you switch directions with dogs in your vids. I think you should do a JT parody with a trained dog. That’d be bananas :)
Upstate Canine Academy on a serious note. Your lessons have been invaluable in my first-dog journey and teaching my greyhound to calm down, become more confident, pay attention and walk well on a leash. Thank you!
We have our boxer/mastiff that growls at friends & family if he’s in the house so normally we put all our dogs outside, otherwise we find friends & family always try to engage with them whilst they lie in ‘place’. My mother in law gushes over the big dog so much, since he knows her he doesn’t growl but wee’s all over the place. Outside when she engages and gushes he jumps all over her & is hard to manage. He’s 50 kg & she’s 72yrs. She won’t stop.... how do u handle the growling? As it is scary if u don’t know him? How do I handle the other? Is this excitement? Probably answered my own question but...?? Thanks. Nikki
Nikki Aylen what type of collar are you using to correct and discourage the behavior?
Upstate Canine Academy . I already know you don’t like it but a gentle leader when walking. At home he has a flat collar for his name tags. I do own slip leads. Normally figure 8 them for him (if that makes sense) around his nose like a gentle leader. More control for me on a walk, although he walks slowly with me if we see another dog especially a loose one all hell breaks loose. I m 60kg & he’s too strong. I know u like the prong but we don’t really have that here. It’s like a taboo to even use choke chains. I even had a lady moan at me for the halti. Asked do I know my dog needs to breath!
Having your training tools restricted is certainly less than helpful in this situation. Do you have your basic obedience training in place?
I have a boxer mastiff also. Same problem. Barks and growls at all the visitors to the home except for the in-laws. Looking for the same type of advice as to what to do to discourage the behavior. Major leash puller when she sees dogs on walks and will bark and growl at passersby occasionally. Vet suggested medication and behavioral therapy. Not crazy about the former and the latter is costly and I’ve heard experiences where it didn’t work.
How do you make a dog an aggressive guard dog?
Great
Great information. Question..If my dog got off leash and ran up to someone lunging and barking at them, is that reactivity?
Naomi Powers thank you, yes he dog is reacting to something
Just curious what your interpretation is of dogs that you describe at 1:55. Would you call that more of an insecure type who feels the need to put on a show and act tough in front of new visitors or whoever it is? Mine will sometimes do this, to large men especially, but a quick no + ecollar correction causes him to give up right away and then he is totally fine with and around the person. Zero bite history but when he does this he tends to get quite close to the person. It's like he's alerting "hey guys there's someone new here, hey new person I'm sniffing you out right now letting you know to not mess with my people".
Would you say this is just insecurity/skepticism/suspicion of new people rather than a true crippling "fear" as you described?
electric1609 Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
sounds like it's fear, continue to remain the person in charge and make sure you tell people to ignore your dog.
@@tomdavisofficial thanks! So then what would you call what you were describing as completely different? At 1:55
Why do I do if 7 month Doberman is so gets bullied at the park. I don’t want him to be crazy aggressive but protective and brave to where he tells other dogs stop
Everyday basic training. I had an adult Lab show up at my door and was not very socialized with other dogs. I believe, with his lack of confidence, he was, inadvertently, being rude with other dogs (like an awkward teenager is practically begging to be picked on)... but with everyday training, he learned some ‘manners’ and now he’s SO MUCH better with other dogs. Be the leader, give him limits to respect and physical challenges to figure out and he’ll learn where he fits in.
I have an 8 month old shepherd husky mix. He was attacked by a pit bull recently n has been anxious fearful since how can I help him bc I really need help 7:13
My rescue dog has always been nervous around people but was amazing around dogs and she really relieved stress by playing with other dogs. But we went on a walk in the woods and another dog attacked her, she had to get stitches. Since then she has been fearfull around strange dogs, she is fine with the dogs she already knew. She will avoid strange dogs now and if they go into her space she will growl (rightfully) but even if the other dogs are respectfull towards her she doesnt open up to them after an hour or so. I want to build her confidence so she enjoys playing with them again but I dont quite know how. On lead if we meat another new nice dog she want to sniff their but while she is sitting but she wont let them sniff her but, she will back out or sit down. I cant take her to a dog park because there are always those dogs that "hunt down" a nervous dog. How should I train her to be more confident around other dogs again?
Any tips for stopping barking while In the kennel? My 3 year old German Shepherd will aggressively bark non stop when in the kennel as I let visitors in the house and whenever a visitor walks by his kennel. It’s intimidating for the visitors. But once people have come into my home and then I let him out he is extremely friendly with them and stops the barking.
Whitnee' Turner Boogity Boo thanks so much I’m
Going to answer this when my flight lands later today!
This is a tough one, you are putting your security system in a can and telling it to be mute. I would suggest leaving him out if possible and working on the problem probably at hand which would be his OB and social skills.
What do u do when your boerboel lets people pet him,
But then after a min or so if he doesn't like the person he makes a growl. (People say a growl is a good thing, he is saying i had enough or this)
Thank you for this information. My new rescue backs up every time I go to pet him but also follow me around the house. He hate the leash and pulls back when on it. Unable to walk him on it yet. Any pointers how to let me pet him or not to be fearful of the leash.
Why not just sit on the floor and patiently let him come to you... on his terms... may take several days/sessions... you have no idea what he’s been through. True trust doesn’t happen overnight... takes even longer when you've had a rough life. When he trusts you, he may walk for you, too. Good luck.
Question for you. My dog Koji will run up to people wagging his tail and sniff but after five minutes of conversation he begins to stare them down and growls. What is that all about?
Sounds happy to say hi then he's ready to go! So possibly he doesn't want to stick around he just simply wants to say hey and leave?
How do I train an anxious chihuahua puppy that has neurological deficits? He’s ability to see is impaired. His hearing is also affected. How can I train him to come to me?
Hmm,my dog is 13 and isn't confident at home.He doesn't like any of our other dogs in his personal space,is afraid of loud noises and is an excited Barker.He barks when he is happy,when he's alert,while the other dogs are playing.... he'll do commands and fetch but....waaay away from the other dogs lol And won't go get the ball is our other dogs are near.If they want the toy he has,they just enter his personal space and he drops it and runs.None of our other dogs have ever hurt him.He can sniff them but he won't allow them to sniff him.He also has recently taken to following me everywhere in the house.
He follows commands really well,walks on leash really well,loves people,just not other dogs.He is very confident on his own.How can I get him to interact with our other dogs a little more and stop the excessive barking? I have a leave it command and for 13 years he is the only dog that has ever disregarded that command.lmao
The most frustrating part of trying to socialize my dog and get her comfortable to new environments isnt even my dogs unwilling-ness and fear- its the people IN these places. Its interesting because i only ever take her to pet smart or pet valu to try and get her seeing some new places and people and you’d think that all these people who own dogs would understand or be able to identify a fearful dog when they see one. My dog is very beautiful and I understand that people want to interact with her, but even when i tell them shes very nervous and is not a fan of people or touching or eye-contact, and sometimes, ill even step directly in front of my dog to cover her from peoples eye contact, they still stick their hand out and start to make kissy noises at the dog. I dont know how else to politely tell them to eff off...it makes getting her to walk with me through the store very difficult and she pulls me very hard towards the door. Sigh.
Please help someone ! I have a 2 yr Chihuahua i got from a shelter a month ago.she is so scary she don’t take treats from your hand , don’t play , don’t like walks , run if you get close idk what to do .i took her to the vet and no health issues.How can i make her more comfortable 😫
hey great video , i need your help to tell me what to do with my dog he has already bit my friend and i dont know what to do , he doesnt like humans , like im in pet store and someone wants to pet him he wants to bit him with no sign
I have a weird situation with my dog. Hes a 5 months olds Norwegian elkhound and he isn't scared of people but isnt sure of other dogs. I take him to pet stores and he will sniff noses with the other dogs but one of two things will happen. He will either get excited and want to play or he will run even if the other dog shows no aggression. What am i doing wrong?
Still very young give it some time!
Can an anxious dog even with proper training become a non anxious dog?
Hellcarver T.V it’s possible!!!
@@tomdavisofficial Thanks for the reply!
What should I do if my dog is so afraid that she starts to pull back home right after taking a pee outside. We live in the city, she's afraid of sounds and people. I can't give her tasks because she completely zones out.
We just took on a Red Heeler/ whippet Mix Foster who is supposedly great with other dogs but fearful of people. She will be 2 in April. She was found as a puppy in the woods abandoned with her 4 siblings. In less than 2 years, she has been with at least 2 fosters and two adopters which returned her in less than 48 hours!! She is currently in decompression. It is day 3 and my husband has managed to gain her trust enough to handle her, pet her just a little and get her in and out of the crate. She wants nothing to do with me. We are trying to gradually increase her exposure to me as I am away from home at work all day and she spends most of her time with Joel, my husband. Should I just continue to ignore her and not make eye contact or talk to her? I extended my hand for her to smell.... she sniffed and ducked away. I am treating this as she has to approach me if she wants to engage... I don’t want to overwhelm her... she is very nervous and easily frightened... she knows a few basic commands. They also had her on a bunch of meds for anxiety.... she is not taking them now. Suggestions??
Hello, I’m writing here hoping for a small hint on how to train my dog. She’s a female 6 months old and she’s really scared. I feel like it’s my fault due to the fact that I haven’t walked her enough. Outside she pulls the leash, barks at people/other dogs:( I don’t know what to do because I get frustrated before my dog, I think
Love watching your videos ...my girl screams at other dogs literally screams ..she doesn't hear me , treats don't work she doesn't want them ...I'm at my wits end ! Any tips please would be so greatly appreciated
Omg yes me too! Ive never heard a dog scream till i brought my rescue lab home. Soooo vocal! It scares people. He does it when he sees other dogs, squirrels or vehicles driving by. But lots of other situations too. Hes soo fearful but also excited hes able to be out in the world and that combined with his hifh energy and its like his little brain just explodes lol. Hes super friendly with dogs and new people thankfully but he otherwise doesn't handle life. He bolts and jumps the fence in some of these situations when in the yard.
Hey recently after we slaughtered goats at our eid my cane. Corso became fearful in streets before he was the most confident dog like the king of the jungle in street so any solution now he is too much fearful of cow and goats
He is 1.2 year old
So please tell me a solution
It’s so great to see you not wearing a baseball (Dad) hat. You have a nice face, compelling eyes, good forehead and great hair •
My dogs have alot of bragging rights ..One used to be a very fearful dog, Submissive pee problem and everything in between ,She is a bad a** now Dogs need training their whole life.
One of your best videos!! 👍 Very well explained! I'm always best buds with fearful dogs. Never knew why these insecure snowflakes came crawling towards me, but now I know haha. Thanks!
AHAH Thanks Lizzy!
I always hear give him a job I dont understand what job do I give him. He is so scared to do command while in public.
My dog love people but he scared of cars
*dog