.jpg)
The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
Practical dog training advice in under 5 minutes. 5 New episodes uploaded every Monday.
WIth over 20 years of Family Dog training experience, our podcast includes tips, tricks, and explanations, so you can better understand why your dog does what he does. We also provide dog training scenarios to help you curb any unwanted behaviors.
Training is easy. It really is. Let us show you how easy!
The 5 Minute Dog by Personable Pets Dog Training
#120 Fear vs Anxiety
Fear and Anxiety are similar - but not the same.
Do you have a topic that you would like us to cover in an upcoming episode? If so, visit our website and submit the contact form. https://fiveminutedog.com
Join our online dog training platform - Click here or use this link https://courses.personablepets.com/
One on One training with a Family Dog expert - Click here or use this link https://personablepets.com/virtual-sessions
Follow us on TikTok
Check us out of Facebook
FInd us on Instagram
Welcome to the 5-Minute Dog, the mini-podcast that delivers practical training advice in less than 5 minutes. You know the one thing that is really important when it comes to understanding our dogs? It is understanding the difference between fear and anxiety. These two emotions often look similar, but they are very different, and if we want to help our reactive dogs, we need to address both properly.
Speaker 1:Fear is a response to a specific, identifiable threat. Think about when your dog sees the vacuum cleaner or hears fireworks or encounters a strange person. Too quickly Fear has a clear trigger it's I'm afraid of that thing right now. Anxiety, on the other hand, is more about anticipation of something bad happening, even if there is no immediate threat. Dogs with anxiety are often on edge when there is nothing going on. It's just that their bodies and their brains are constantly braced for something to go wrong.
Speaker 1:When we talk about reactivity, many reactive dogs are not just fearful, they're also dealing with anxiety. That means they're not only reacting to what's in front of them, but they're living in a heightened state of anxiety all of the time. When we talk about reactivity, many reactive dogs are not just fearful, they're also dealing with anxiety. That means they're not only reacting to what's in front of them, but they're living in a heightened state of anxiety all of the time. They aren't just scared of one thing. They feel unsafe in general, and that's why a training plan that only addresses the external triggers, like desensitization to people or other dogs, isn't enough by itself.
Speaker 1:These anxious dogs need confidence building. They need opportunities to succeed, to feel brave and to realize that they can overcome their fears. Confidence building exercises like obedience games, trick training, climbing on new objects, walking on new surfaces or just the opportunity to safely explore new environments can do just that. When a dog feels more confident, their general anxiety level drops. They're no longer just waiting for bad things to happen. They start to expect good things to happen. They start to expect good things to happen. So if you're working with a reactive dog, don't just focus on stopping the barking and the lunging or the growling. Build their emotional resilience. Teach them that the world is full of achievable challenges, not just constant threats. Confidence building isn't a luxury for anxious dogs. It's a core part of helping them heal.