Gain a Dog's Trust

Dog socialization is different than human socialization. When dogs meet, they say “hello” and shake hands in a different way than humans. If you are meeting a dog for the first time, you will need to gain his trust by using dog language, rather than human language. If you are trying to gain the trust of a new puppy or dog, you will also need to use certain techniques to allow the dog to see you as a friend and owner, rather than a threat.

Steps

Getting a Dog to Start to Trust You

  1. Remain calm when you first meet the dog. If you are interacting with your new dog for the first time or if you are interacting with a dog you have never met before, avoid the temptation to approach the dog in an excited state. Instead, project calm and relaxed energy when you meet the dog. Act calmly and greet the dog softly.[1]
    • Acting excited can make the dog excited and lead to an aggressive greeting, like jumping up on you or barking at you. This can also trigger the dog’s fight or flight instinct, as a stranger approaching the dog with high energy can feel like a threat to the dog.
  2. Keep your distance. Respect the dog’s space by addressing the human or owner of the dog first. Ignore the dog and avoid standing too close to the dog. You should allow at least four feet between you and the dog. This will give the owner time to give you permission to interact with the dog.[1]
  3. Get down to the dog’s level. Ask the owner if you can interact with the dog. If they say yes, approach the dog from the side, never from the front. Kneel down next to the dog, facing the same direction as the dog is facing. This will show the dog you are occupying his personal space, but you are not being confrontational.[1]
    • Do not make eye contact with the dog, as this is seen as an act of aggression. Instead, watch from the corner of your eye with your head slightly turned away
    • Hold your hand down in a fist.
  4. Allow the dog to approach you. Rather than put your hand out to the dog, let him respond to you by sniffing your hand. If he remains calm, you can pet the front of his chest. Do not touch an unfamiliar dog from above or pat his head.[1]
    • If the dog licks your hand, he has accepted you. But if he turns his head away or does not pay attention to you, he is not interested in interacting. Avoid taking this personally. Instead, interact again with the owner and try again when you next meet the dog.
  5. Use a treat. If you are trying to get a dog to trust you as his new owner, you can integrate treats into this process by allowing the dog to approach you and take a treat from your hand. When the dog takes the treat, say “Good dog.” After a few sessions of taking the treat from your hand, the dog may touch your hand before taking the treat. Once he starts to do this, you can try to pet the front of his chest and under his chin.[2]
    • It can take time to gain the dog’s trust, and the more you meet or interact calmly with the dog, the more likely he is to trust you. Progress slowly from using the treat to petting the dog to avoid scaring him. Once he allows you to pet him, you have started to build trust between you and the dog.

Using Obedience Training

  1. Identify anyone the dog fears and have the dog interact with that person. Often, dogs can be shy or show fear around certain individuals, such as the males in the home or a specific person in the home. If your dog shows fear and distrust around a specific person, consider why this might be. Maybe the person is displaying threatening behavior, like making a lot of noise, using a loud voice when talking to the dog, or being aggressive when playing with the dog.[2]
    • The dog may also have a preferred person, or “safe” person he prefers in the household. He may go to the safe person when the feared person comes into the room. It’s important that the dog learns to trust and interact safely with the feared person. Get him to learn to do this by having the feared person feed the dog, walk the dog, and do obedience training with the dog. This will help the dog associate positive things with the feared person and grow to trust the person over time.
    • If you are the safe person for the dog, try to ignore him when he clings to you or goes to you. Encourage him to interact with the feared person so the dog understands he needs to learn to trust the feared person. This will in turn help the dog trust other people besides his safe person.
    • The feared person should follow the technique for first meeting the dog and building trust with the dog. This means acting calmly, not making eye contact, letting the dog smell him, and using a treat to get the dog to interact with him.
  2. Teach the dog basic commands. Start your dog off easy in his obedience training by teaching him basic commands like “sit”, “stay”, and “come.” Adjust your posture and body cues so your dog can learn to read your body language and will respond to your commands.[3]
    • If there is a person the dog fears in the home, have the feared person do obedience training with the dog.
    • Always stand up when you give your dog a command. Don’t get in the habit of sitting or squatting on the floor when giving commands, as your dog will learn to respond only when you’re in that position.
    • Get your dog to recognize the command as the cue, not the treat as the cue. If you are keeping his treats in your pockets, you should keep your hands out of your pockets when you say a command. Similarly, do not hold treats in your hand or a bag of treats in hand while training. This will teach your dog to respond to your command, not the sight of the treats.
    • Train your dog in basic commands in different rooms in your home, and when you go on walks. This will teach your dog he needs to follow commands in all areas, not just one room or area of the house.
    • Continue to move to other rooms of your home and in the yard when teaching your dog commands. Maintain a constant training routine and give your dog commands during your daily walks so he learns to follow the commands in many different environments and situations.
  3. Reward good behavior but do not use treats a bribe. Do not overuse rewards, or treats, as they can start to become bribes. Avoid letting treats become bribes by not using treats to motivate your dog once he understands what you are asking him to do.[3]
    • For example, instruct your dog to “sit” and then wait two to three seconds for him to comply. Keep the treat in your pocket and keep your hands out of your pocket so your dog does not see that you are going for a treat before he sits. Once he sits, reach in your pocket and give him a treat. This will teach him to follow the verbal command alone and not be motivated solely by treats.
  4. Avoid forceful punishment. Though there is debate surrounding the use of force to train dogs, behavioral experts argue that using forceful punishment can frighten and traumatize your dog. This could then lead to more distrust and aggression from your dog. A better long term solution is to use positive, reward-based training, with a focus on gentle methods to gain your dog’s trust.[2]
    • Start by gaining your dog’s trust through gentle interaction and positive reinforcement during basic obedience training. You can then start to build confidence in your dog by encouraging good behavior with verbal praise.
    • If the dog does something wrong or does not follow a command, issue a clear but gentle “no” or “ah-ah-ah.” You can also ignore the dog and try the command again at a later time. Avoid hitting, yelling or scolding your dog, or pulling the leash to correct your dog.
    • For example, rather than tug on the leash when your dog starts barking due to nervousness on a walk, ignore the barking. Then, use a command to redirect the dog’s attention to you. Once the dog stops barking, praise him and give him a reward for his quiet behavior. This will teach the dog to realize that nervous barking is not an effective response to feelings of fear. Instead, he will learn to look to you to quell his fear.
  5. Enroll your dog in an obedience and training course. Once your dog appears comfortable with basic obedience commands, he may be ready for a formal obedience and training course. It’s important that you establish trust between you and your dog before you enroll him in any professional training, as this will allow him to interact with other trainers and other dogs confidently and without fear.[2]

Interacting on a Daily Basis with the Dog

  1. Take your dog with you when you run errands. If your dog appears to be distrustful of other people or acts shy around others, try to get him used to being around other people whenever possible. This could mean taking your dog with you to the store or to run errands on foot. Try to introduce your dog to as many people and dogs as possible. This will ease your dog into socializing and give you a measure of control as he will be on a leash and close to you.[2]
    • Ensure that when your dog interacts with a person, they follow the non aggressive way of meeting the dog. Make sure you have control of each interaction so your dog is not frightened or threatened.
    • You should never force your dog to interact with another person or dog. Let the dog smell the person and never move the dog closer to a person or another dog if he appears uncomfortable or disinterested.
  2. Show restraint and calm during your daily walks. Avoid tensing up or displaying anxiety when you are walking your dog, as this can make him do the same. Stay relaxed during the walk and keep your dog close to you.[2]
    • Use basic obedience training to discourage your dog from barking at others or from acting aggressive towards others. Avoid pulling your dog’s leash or acting tense around your dog. If someone approaches you or your dog too quickly or too closely during the walk, warn the person to move back. Politely say: “please step away, thanks; I’m working on some issues with my dog.”
    • Always reward your dog if he displays good behavior on a walk and use a calm tone to give your dog commands or to address your dog. If your dog displays any fear or distrust around others, do not coddle him or comfort him. Simply command him to move on and walk away from the source of fear. Coddling or comforting him will show him he can get attention from you when he acts scared or upset, and this could reinforce his fearful behavior.
  3. Groom your dog regularly. Give your dog one on one attention and care by having a consistent grooming schedule. You could brush your dog for half an hour every night before bed, or give him a long belly rub in the morning before work. Show affection for your dog by grooming him and petting him and he will come to see you as a source of positivity and acknowledgement.[4]
  4. Play non confrontational games. Use play to build trust with your dog by using games that are non threatening and not aggressive. This could be a game of tag where you start by crawling around on the floor and rolling over to get your dog interested in the same. Then, encourage your dog to follow you around the room. This is a form of light play that will also teach your dog to follow you and look to you for guidance.[2]
    • You can then shift this game to hide and seek, where you tell your dog to “sit” and then you hide yourself in a partially visible spot in the room. You can then tell your dog to “come” and he should come and find you in the spot.[5]
  5. Join a dog play group. Once you have fun through a few games with your dog and he seems to be comfortable with basic obedience commands, socialize him by joining a dog play group or taking him out for play dates with other dogs. Look for dog meetup groups in your area or talk to other owners at the dog park to see if you can arrange a playdate, especially if your dog seems comfortable around a particular dog.[2]
    • Socializing your dog will teach him to act calm around other people and other dogs, and show him how to build trust among strangers.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://cesarsway.com/dog-psychology/pack-leader/how-to-get-a-dog-to-trust-you
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_Shy.php
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/teaching_basic_commands.html
  4. ↑ http://www.animalplanet.com/pets/bonding-with-your-new-dog/
  5. ↑ http://moderndogmagazine.com/articles/how-improve-your-bond-your-dog/69308
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