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.

Learn more on this topic:

• Dog Enrichment Resources
• Building Resilience in Dogs