6 Tips for Winning Over Shy Dogs

The first thing most people want to do when they see a shy dog is march straight into the kennel and give her lots of pets and cuddles. However, it’s usually easier to win over a shy dog by playing hard to get rather than by smothering her with affection.
Here are six tips for helping these canines come out of their shells:
- Squat down with your body sideways to the dog.
- Look down or away, and keep your body language quiet and calm.
- Scatter treats on the floor around you, so that the dog can self-reward without any social pressure from you.
- Do not pet the dog until she is begging for attention.
- Sometimes just sitting in a corner of the kennel reading a book will allow the dog to approach at her own speed.

- Avoid looming over, reaching a hand down from above, approaching quickly and frontally—even making direct eye contact can be frightening for shy dogs.
It may take a number of repetitions of the above techniques before you see results, but the rewards are worth it.
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Topics:
Enrichment & Behavior
,
Canine Enrichment
Type:
Tips