How to Build Confidence in Dogs
- 1). Teach your dog basic obedience. Basic obedience consists of the "sit," "lay" and "stay" commands, although you can teach your dog more if you wish. Basic obedience puts you in charge and takes the pressure off the dog to act as leader.
- 2). Walk your dog consistently. Walking helps keep your dog exercised and also introduces it to new surroundings. It is vital to walk puppies during the 8-week to 16-week age range to allow them to discover their world and understand certain sounds, movements, and new people and dogs. A lack of confidence in adult dogs often stems from a lack of outside interaction as a puppy.
- 3). Introduce your dog to new people and dogs. Let your dog view another person or dog. Ask the person to not pet your dog, because it is in training. If your dog sits quietly and doesn't bark, give it a treat. If it barks, do not reprimand it; take it further away from the person or dog until it stops barking, and then give it a treat. As your dog builds more confidence, it will begin to walk near dogs and people without barking or becoming aggressive.
- 4). Play tug-of-war. Playing with your dog can build your dog's confidence, but only if you implement a set of rules. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals suggests letting your dog play tug only when you say the word and making your dog release the tug toy when you say a command. Doing so further establishes you as leader. The "let's play" and "drop" commands must be different.
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