A Pet Sitter's Guide to Increasing a Nervous Dog's Confidence

Pet sitters work with a wide variety of client's pets, all with different temperaments, and moods. While a nervous dog may refrain from biting you or someone else, the animal is likely to suffer from anxiety and other issues during walks and social interaction. What can you do as a pet sitter to increase a nervous dog's confidence?

Work with the Pet Owners to Devise an Effective Plan

Pet sitters should always do their best to work with pet owners so that they can provide the best possible care for pets in their care. If you are caring for a nervous dog, start off by consulting the dog's owners for tips and advice on how to handle the dog.

Even if the dog owners have in part contributed to their dog's nervousness, they can still offer useful ideas and possible solutions that can be implemented. For example, if their dog is particularly afraid of the sound of lawnmowers, you can work on a plan together that is tailored to overcoming that particular fear.

Exposure to Different Experiences During Walks

A dog that has not been well socialised as a puppy may grow into a nervous dog that is startled at the slightest sound while out walking, and shy away from children, other dogs, or even an approaching car. If you are caring for a nervous dog, this can be a particularly trying challenge.

Rather than give up on the dog, it is important to work patiently with the animal by exposing him to different sights and sounds while out walking so that he will gradually get used to the presence of others, and of loud noises and sounds that he encounters. A patient pet sitter that takes the time to help a nervous dog overcome his issues can do much to increase the dog's confidence.

Increase the Length of Walks

Some nervous dogs are literally afraid of their own shadow, so much so that they will urinate when afraid or run away and hide until the perceived danger has passed. While it can be tempting to cut walks short and take the dog back home again when he becomes afraid, it is worth increasing, rather than decreasing, the length of walks. Doing so will allow the dog to get used to the fact that running away is not always an option when he is afraid, especially if you are out walking him when he becomes afraid.

Nervous dogs are often gentle and mild-tempered around their owners and pet sitters. But if you are caring for a dog that is extremely nervous to the point of interfering with his enjoyment of life, you should work patiently with the dog to help him overcome his nervousness and any other fears that are holding him back.