Giving Puppy Confidence

Q: We just brought home a new husky-cross puppy. She is now about 4 months old, and she's a wonderful little pup with family. One thing that worries us though is that she seems very shy with strangers, and acts very scared in public. She doesn't have a history of abuse or neglect - so we don't understand why she is so fearful. What can we do to help her be a more confident pup?

A: Jen Cross, of Zen Dog Training, responds: It' s normal for puppies to be cautious when introducing them to new environments for the first time, it's what you do about it that counts. In order to have a happy and sociable adult dog you will need to get your new puppy exposed to as many new things as possible starting now. Take her to the beach, to Granville Island, downtown, or anywhere that there is lots of action, sounds, smells and new surfaces. It is important that you do not pet, coddle or reassure your pup at any point when she is showing fear. This tells her that fear is a justified response.



If you act confident and upbeat, your pup will be more inclined to feel safe and investigate things by herself. You can also reward your pup with pets, praise and/or treats when she takes the initiative to step forward and check things out. If your pup is very nervous about meeting new people, don't allow strangers to rush up and overwhelm her. Instead, have them squat down and offer her a treat, allowing her to approach the stranger on her own terms. The time you invest socializing your puppy now will will have a more profound effect on helping her to become a self-confident adult dog than any other stage of her life.