How to help a rescue dog that is afraid of people

Q: I could use some advice on how to help our sweet, newly adopted 1 1⁄2- year-old rescue dog become less fearful of people. Any advice would be much appreciated.

A: Many rescue dogs have led stressful lives. They might not have had the best home before ending up in the shelter, or maybe they had a great one that they lost. Even in the best shelter, life can be unsettling.

The pets can be fearful until they have time to get comfortable and know they’ve found their forever home, surrounded by love.

Because your dog is afraid of people, safely introducing him (or her) to other people is the best way of socializing him. Unfortunately, other people are hard to find these days, so you may need to become the “other people” by dressing up for your dog.

Put on coats, hats and wigs that somewhat disguise your appearance, then talk to your dog, reveal yourself and reassure him he has nothing to worry about. Give him a treat as a reward. You can also use different props, if you have them, such as walking with a walker or cane, pulling a suitcase or carrying packages.

If you have other people in the house, use them for practice, too. Always speak quietly and reward positive behavior. It can be a slow process, but it will eventually make your dog less fearful.

If your dog is afraid of particular people, such as the males in the household, have them work with the dog by playing, petting and giving treats. Don’t push it. The dog should always take the lead in whether he can be approached and petted, but spending time near any people he is fearful of will eventually break down that barrier. Love really does conquer.

Although we still need to keep our distance from others, practice positive reinforcement when you’re out on a walk with your leashed dog. When your dog sees another person, stop walking, remain calm, get your dog’s attention and give him a reward. Continue walking, stopping, reassuring and giving a treat until the person is out of sight or your dog begins to ignore the person.

Some other things to consider:

If you have a dog that is fearful of noises such as traffic sounds or fireworks, try using sound tracks that include those sounds. Keep the volume low and don’t react to it yourself. Often our dogs take their cue from us. If we tense up at certain noises, our dogs will, too.

If your dog barks at the doorbell, practice by having someone ring the bell. Distract your dog from barking by offering a treat or a toy. Repeat the training until the dog associates the doorbell with treat time.

Many dogs, mine included, become anxious in the car. Try taking short trips with the dog, rewarding him when you reach your destination and slowly increasing the length of the trip. Knowing that not all car trips end at the vet’s office will make him less anxious.

These are all small steps you can take now, and expand on when we’re more free to venture outside. We can’t expect our dogs to just get used to sounds or strange people; they have to form positive associations with the things that frighten them, taking away the bad and replacing it with something good.