Now that I have an aging senior dog, all of his behaviors seem to be magnified. With every change, I ask myself, is this the end? It’s also hard to identify whether ailments are related to behavior or physical challenges. While I wouldn’t describe Sanchez as a fearful dog, he’s also never been an easy going dog. My last dog, Byron, was a very laid-back Golden who lived to almost 14 years of age. Sanchez has always been a more worrisome dog, and even more so since he was attacked at age seven. I’ve often wondered if he wouldn’t live as long because of his demeanor.
Recent research by Nancy Dreschel published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science stated: “There is evidence to suggest that the stress of living with a fear or anxiety disorder can have negative effects on health and lifespan in the domestic dog.”
In Dreschel’s research study, owners of 721 deceased dogs completed a 99 question survey. They answered questions about the demographics, training, behavioral characteristics, health history, age at and cause of death in their pets. While there are a countless variety of fear issues for dogs—sound, environments, men in hats, etc—fear of strangers seemed to have the highest correlation to a shortened lifespan. Also, research results showed that how well-behaved a person described their dog was positively linked to longevity.
Fortunately, Sanchez is very well-mannered, due to an extensive amount of positive reinforcement training. And he isn’t afraid of 2-legged strangers, but since he was attacked, he has shown fearful behavior around unknown dogs, until he determines that they are safe. Finally, I think I can start relaxing about his life expectancy and just remember that every day is a gift.
What to do if you have a dog afraid of strangers?
Canine behavioral specialist Nicole Wilde suggests the following tips for helping fearful dogs:
1. Take it slowly. Let your dog learn at his own pace. Expose him to the stimuli from a distance and then gradually bring it closer as he’s showing signs of relaxation.
2. Use classical conditioning by pairing the scary thing with something your dog really likes.
3. Read and understand your dog’s body language. It will help you avoid pushing him over the threshold.
4. Habituation can help some fearful dogs.
5. Educate strangers to use body language that will help your dog relax.
Have you noticed stress in your dog? How do you make them feel more at ease? Share your thoughts in the comments!