Dilated pupils can also occur when a dog has its eyes widened and is another sign of fear or arousal. Dilated pupils become bigger and take up almost the whole inside of the eyes, making it harder to see the eye color and giving the eyes a glassy look. If you notice dilated pupils, avoid looking the dog directly in the eyes. The dog may perceive this as aggression from you. Instead, try to look out of the side of your eyes or use your peripheral vision to observe them.
Avoid approaching a dog you don’t know who appears fearful of you.
Frequent yawning and lip licking may also accompany this closed-mouth behavior and are signs of stress. Teeth-baring accompanied by a growl can be a sign of aggression that’s based from fear. There is a difference between smiling and aggressive teeth-baring, however. If a dog is showing teeth, look for other signs to tell whether this is due to happiness or fear-based aggression.
If a dog has its tail tucked between its legs, held against its belly, or held low and wagging stiffly with short, choppy movements, it may be feeling fearful.
A dog who’s experiencing repeated fear and stress may shed a lot. If a dog is shedding more than normal, it is likely upset about something in its daily environment.
If a dog is low to the ground and looking away, scratching, or sniffing, this is avoidance behavior and is a sign that it’s no longer interested in social interaction.
A dog may also have a frequent hiding spot that it runs to, such as to the basement during a thunderstorm.
Watching your dog and the environment closely each time it becomes afraid will help you to determine its triggers, or things that cause stress or fear. For instance, during walks, if your dog repeatedly becomes afraid near a certain house or other location there is probably something there it is afraid of. Write down things you notice that cause your dog to become afraid. You may start to notice a pattern that will make it easier to deal with avoiding these things or training him to no longer be afraid of them.
If your dog suddenly seems afraid of everything or of things that never caused it fear before, this is a sign of a medical issue requiring a visit to the vet. Conditions like arthritis or other pain-related complications may cause this kind of fear.
When you’re out, try to cross the street if you see someone walking toward you who’s wearing a hat if this is your dog’s trigger. It won’t be possible to avoid all triggers in some cases but trying to avoid them as much as possible builds your dog’s trust in you, which will make it easier to eventually train it to cope with the triggers.
The only time to avoid new environments is if you know that strangers and other dogs are some of your dog’s triggers, especially if it becomes fear-aggressive around new people or dogs.
For instance, if you see a bicycle coming and you know your dog is afraid of bicycles, move in front of your dog to block its view a bit and say, “Look at me. Now sit,” then immediately give your dog a treat if it looks at you and sits.
You can find out about trainers through local animal shelters or by searching online for professional dog trainers in your area.
Try to remain calm and get your dog away from its source of fear as soon as possible. Or, if you are training your dog to cope with fears, offer praise and treats immediately if it listens to your commands.
