Just like the shy little kid who hides behind her mother’s legs rather than talk to anyone, Aristotle is wary and skittish around people. And other dogs. And cars. And bags. And, well, everything.
Aristotle, or Ari for short, is a 10 month old spaniel mix recently rescued from a shelter in Tennessee. Ari is a flight risk, not because he smells freedom on the other side of the door, but because running away is his only solution to his many fears.
We will never know if Ari was born this way or was abused or what exactly caused his rampant fearfulness. No matter, he is what he is. It takes time and patience to bring him out of the anxiety jacket he has zipped himself into. Thankfully, his owner is up to the task.
Here is what we did:
Made Ari a comfortable bed in a corner of the kitchen. He needs walls behind him to feel safe, in a small, confined space. A crate, however, terrifies him so kenneling him is not an option.
Let him learn to trust in his own time. No coddling, no cajoling, no plying him with toys or treats. He cannot be overwhelmed with interaction. The presence of his owner, calm and matter-of-fact, is all he really needs.
Maintained normal household activities and noises. Ari has to learn to live in a home with people and dishwashers, garbage disposals and TV shows. Keeping things quiet and uneventful is unrealistic, and would not help him to adjust to his environment.
Insist on normal eating and eliminating routines. Sure he would prefer eating out of hand and having his owner by his side in the scary yard. But that would set up expectations and lifelong bad habits that are hard to break once established.
Slowly acclimate him to challenging situations. Keep him on a leash when meeting new people so he can’t turn and dive under the nearest coffee table. Walk him past that intimidating mailbox until he understands its not going to reach out and clobber him.
A fearful dog like Ari will never be a party animal, and his owner knows and accepts this. Progress will be slow, but he will gradually gain confidence, and trust, that the world isn’t as scary as he originally thought.