Find What You Are Looking For Here
FYI: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!
Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Fear Of New People

by Dan
(Catawissa, Mo)

We found what appears to be an Australian Shepherd. She was scared of us at first and would not come near us except to go outside. After a couple of days she's fine with us. It appears that she was handled rough before by her cowering when I go to pet her.

She is aggressive to other dogs who are hyper. And she is frightened by new people who show up at our house. She doesn't bite at them, but will bark and maybe growl, but never show her teeth. Is this something that could be worked out or will this dog continue to have issues? If it's workable, how do we do it? She is such a nice girl.

Comments for Fear Of New People

Click here to add your own comments

Fear
by: Anonymous

Ummmm so you didn't try to find the owners of the dog?

dog
by: Anonymous

Have any one that comes in give her a treat it works with my dog he learned that its a good when some comes over p

Fear of People
by: Rain

from everything I have read that is a common trait of Australian Shepherds and they need to be socialized. We just adopted one and had the same situation, so we threw a BBQ which helped. Then we started to take him to the dog park. He still barks when someone he has never meet before or even someone who he only met that one time at the BBQ first comes over but he warms up to them soon after. Just get him socialized with as many people as possible.

Tip
by: Aussuskygirl

If you plan to keep her, then have her introduced to a few family members. My dog obedience teacher says to put a fist out for the dog to smell it, then if it doesn't bite you then scratch its chin, slowly put your hand on its head and pat it. Do that with friends and family and she should be just fine.

Found Aussie
by: Anonymous

There is a website where you can search to see if the owners have placed a notification that they lost their dog. WWW.FIDOFINDER.COM You can search lost dogs from your zip code within a 15 mi, 50 mi, or 150 mi radius. You can also place a notice that you found a dog.

This website has reunited 250 dogs and owners in the past year.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Australian Shepherd Q & A.

Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com icon

Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Have Dog Training Questions?

Check out these introductory dog training videos...

I want my dog to stop being aggressive.

I want some help training my new puppy.

I want my dog to stop barking at everything.

I want my dog to walk nicely and calmly on the leash.

I want my dog to listen and come every time I call!