Fearful Or Shy Husky Dog
Usually huskies aren’t born shy or fearful, instead it’s “learned behavior” that can be be unlearned with proper Husky Training. In most cases they develop this behavior while they are young puppies and if nothing is done to help them overcome their fears they stay shy and/or fearful all the way through their adulthood.
There can be several causes to your husky’s fearfulness or shyness and determining what the most likely culprit is will make it easier for you to help your dog overcome his fears.
What Causes Fearfulness or Shyness in Huskies?
The most common cause for shyness or fear in huskies is lack of socialization when they were young puppies. If the puppy wasn’t introduced to a lot of new people then as he gets older encounters with strangers will seem more frightening to him because he isn’t used to them.
Another reason for a fearful husky puppy is lack of regular long walks. Taking your husky on walks not only helps him relieve his bladder but also shows him your surroundings, new people, strange places, noisy cars and other things which might seem very common to us humans, but no so common for dogs.
Sometimes the fear or shyness is not caused by lack of socializing but by traumatic event that happened while he was young little puppy leaving him anxious. This could have happened for many reasons but it’s possible for the puppy to outgrow his fear with time.
What To Do With A Shy And/Or Fearful Husky Puppy?
If your husky is still a puppy then you will have a much easier time getting him used to strange objects and new people. An older husky will need some extra time getting used to new things, but with time it can be achieved as well.
If your husky is shy around strangers, the best thing to do is take him to the park which you know will have a lot of people. Chances are many people will approach you and your husky pup and will try to pet him. This will give your husky a chance to interact with strangers and get him more used to meeting new people.
Even though it’s not uncommon for dogs to be afraid of noisy cars and loud trucks and is completely normal, you can still get him more used to them driving on the street by taking out on daily walks. With enough walks, your husky will realize that the cars that drive by won’t cause him any harm and will stop fearing vehicles that drive by.
What you SHOULDN’T do however is force your husky to interact with the things he fears or is shy of. Forcing him to approach something he is scared of will only make him more nervous and more stressed. Let him approach his fears at his own pace. When he feels ready he will approach them on his own.
Your ultimate goal is to make the experience as positive as you so you’re husky realize there is no reason to be scared or shy of the person or object. Give time to your husky to get used to new, and often frightening, things and he will soon enough learn that there is no reason to feel shy or be scared of the unknown.