5 Ways To Build Your Dog's Confidence

Is your dog anxious and jittery? Here’s how to build their confidence.

Begin With Simple Obedience

Basic obedience training and cues during walks is a great way to build confidence. Go out on the walk with treats in hand. When something or someone may make your dog anxious, give them a simple command and reward them with a treat. A sit and stay can be all they need – or even a “watch me” command!

Progress Slowly

Start with the least scary location, such as in front of your house, then slowly but surely move to new and more frightening places. Your dog will need to learn that the things around them mean them no harm. Keep your treats with you and continue giving the same commands to distract them.

Know Your Dog’s Threshold

If your dog is scared of something, figure out how far away you need to be before they can reliably respond to cues again. Start there, rewarding your dog for any non-negative glance or movement towards the frightening item, then slowly work your way closer and closer.

Use Lots Of Positive Reinforcement

Teach your dog that training – and trying new things – comes with rewards like praise, treats, and even games. Do not use negative reinforcement or punishment; this will just scare your dog and confuse them.

Keep At It

Keep training every day in new situations! Don’t give up, no matter how long it takes.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay