If your dog gets scared of your husband, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why is my dog scared of my husband? Likely reasons why your dog is afraid of your husband are that your dog is intimidated by his behavior, past experiences, your dog is not yet familiar with him or that your dog has learned that the behavior is encouraged.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your dog is scared of your husband and it might be due to a combination of them. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Why is my dog scared of my husband?
Below are likely reasons why your dog is scared of your husband and what would make each of them more likely.
Intimidation
It might be the case that your dog finds him to be intimidating. This would be more likely if he can be loud around the dog, he interacts with the dog boldly, and if your dog also gets scared around other people who act similarly.
Past experiences
It might also be the case that your dog had bad experiences in the past with other men and it has now caused your dog to be cautious around him. This would be more likely if your dog was adopted from a shelter. It might also be the case that your dog is afraid of him due to something that happened with him in the past which would be more likely if he hurt the dog in some way.
In both of these cases, the dog should become more comfortable around him as they get used to being around him, provided that he is also calm with the dog.
Unfamiliarity
If you have not owned the dog for long, it could also be the case that your dog is not yet comfortable around him. In this case, it would be likely that your dog will gradually get less and less afraid of him.
Encouraging the behavior
It might also be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior is rewarded. If you tend to give your dog things such as toys, treats or extra attention, when they are afraid, they will likely have learned that the behavior is appropriate.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your dog has been doing it.
If your dog has always been scared of him
If your dog was not always afraid of him, it would help to consider what else happened when your dog first started being afraid. If the behavior started suddenly, it could be due to him hurting the dog in some way or a change in his behavior around the dog.
If your dog is not always scared of him
If your dog only seems to be afraid of him at certain times, it would also help to consider what is different when your dog is not afraid of him. For example, if your dog only seems to be afraid when he is playing with them, it might be the case that he has been playing to aggressively with them.
How to get my dog to be less afraid of my husband?
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.
Training
As mentioned above, it might be the case that your dog has learned that the behavior is appropriate. It would help to try to avoid rewarding your dog when they are scared and to try to reward them when they are not scared or when they show signs of not being scared.
Get him to be calm with the dog
If your husband can be loud or aggressive around the dog, it would also help to encourage him to be calmer with the dog.
Wait
If you have not owned your dog for long, it could also just be a case of waiting for your dog to get used to being around him.