Five Things Fido Fears

Does your dog jump every time it thunders? Does he head under your bed to hide? If so, Fido may have pet phobias. A phobia is of course a fear that is grounded in untrue facts. With an animal, it has to do with the unknown. Poor Fido hears the thunder, but doesn't know if it will hurt him or not. What are his main phobias or fears and what can a pet owner do to hep him?

1) Dogs have a fear of noise. I once had a dog who was afraid of firecrackers and the local Fourth of July fireworks. A dog can be afraid of almost any sudden loud noise. Some of the noises they are afraid of includes noises like fireworks, thunder or a BB gun. The best thing to do for your dog is to separate him from the noise. You can take your dog to another room or even use a fan or noise machine to drown out the ruckus.

2) Some dogs have a fear of house guests, mailmen, and anyone strange in your home . If Fido heads for the corner or his bed every time you have a guest, he may have a fear of strangers. Some breeds of dogs are more friendly than others while other breeds like to stay to themselves. So consider the breed before deciding if your pet has a stranger phobias. If he does, there are a few things to help your dog not be so afraid of strangers. The first thing to do is let your dog see you talk and smile with the guest . Dogs look to you for how to respond to a new event. Also, don't force your dog to like the guest. If you know before hand he doesn't like strangers, simply place your pet in another room till your guest leaves.

3) Dogs often have a fear of the vet. We are all familiar with the many trips to a vet office that an animal requires for routine checks and illnesses. Their fear of the vet may actually be of the animals there or of the vet himself. You can make your dog feel more at ease if you put him in a pet holder, as he will feel secure in a pet holder. I also have heard of people who buy blinders for there dogs or create some way to hide the dog's side vision. They claim this is an effective method. If your dog's fear is of the vet himself, there probably isn't a lot you can do. Be sure and take your dog to the same vet, so he can become familiar with him. Also, make sure your pet's owner is with him rather than some other member of the family. Fido will feel more secure with the person he trusts by his side.

4) Dogs sometimes show a fear of new toys. Our last dog backed away and ran from any new toy we bought him, especially anything with a new texture. It is important to learn your puppy. If they show a fear of a particular toy, or type of texture, shy away from it. We quit buying our dog the bumpy textured toys, as he ran away from them. Also, when buying your dog a new toy, give him plenty of time to become acquainted with the toy. Many people try to force their dog to play with it, but this is useless, and might make your dog even more afraid. Another friend of mine said she actually plays with the toy to let her puppy see it is fine to play with. Not sure this would work for our dog, but you might want to give it a try. She states once she has played with it, her dog seems less afraid with his new plaything.

5) As all good dog owners know, many dogs often are afraid of riding in cars. Experts say this has more to do with what happens after the car ride. For example, if Fido only rides in the car to the vet, he will be afraid of the car. It is a good idea to take your dog for a ride to fun places like parks or the beach. This way, he will remember that sometimes car rides end up in fun places.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility, but especially if your dog has phobias. Knowing how to ease his fears will make for a happier pet and a more satisfied dog owner!.