If your dog is cowering, it’s important to try to determine the cause so that you can help your dog feel more comfortable.
The cowering response is one of several different responses dogs display when they’re feeling stressed or anxious.
The most common form of this behavior is when a dog crouches down and hides its head under a blanket or in another part of the house.
It’s instinctual for a dog to seek protection from potential danger, but sometimes this type of behavior can be caused by something other than fear.
Here are some examples of what might make a dog cower:
A dog that has been abused or mistreated often displays a cowering response. This could be because he’s never known kindness from humans, or because he was used as a guard dog against an abusive owner who wouldn’t let him out of his sight.
A dog might cower if he senses that there’s a threat of thunderstorms or strong winds, since these types of weather conditions can bring lightning strikes.
Some breeds of dogs have inherited traits that cause them to cower when they hear loud noises such as fireworks or gunshots. These dogs’ ancestors were bred to be hunters, and their instincts tell them to hide before dangerous prey comes into view.
If you’ve ever seen a dog that has been hit by a car, it will likely cower after being startled by the sudden noise of the accident. Since the dog was probably frightened by the possibility of being hit again, it will naturally want to protect itself by hiding away.
Puppies learn how to cower at an early age, which is why this behavior is often displayed during playtime with other dogs. They’ll usually do this when they see another dog approaching, since they associate this with a frightening experience.
It’s not always easy to determine whether your dog is suffering from an illness or injury, or whether he’s just displaying a normal part of his behavioral repertoire.
But keep in mind that sometimes a dog that seems to be in pain may actually be experiencing pleasure.
For example, a dog that’s suffering from arthritis may curl up on a bed of soft cushions and look like he’s enjoying himself while he’s trying to avoid any discomfort.
So if you think your dog is exhibiting a cowering response, don’t assume it’s due to a physical problem.
When dogs are frightened, they often have a characteristic reaction called the “cowering response.”
This may be accompanied by panting, drooling, urinating, shaking, and trembling.
The cowering response is one of the most common signs of fear in dogs.
Many people mistakenly assume that this behavior means that their dog is aggressive.
In fact, however, the opposite is true — dogs who cower are usually much more fearful than those who do not.
Although some dogs will exhibit the cowering response when faced with a strange object or person, most dogs show it only when they feel threatened.
For example, if a stranger approaches them while they’re walking down a busy street, they may freeze up and become very quiet.
However, if a friend or family member comes over unexpectedly and tries to pet them, they may begin to tremble as they slowly approach the person.
Dogs who live in an environment where they are exposed to dangerous situations such as hunting, fighting, or chasing prey may also develop the cowering response.
This is due to the fact that these types of dogs have been trained to respond to danger by freezing and crouching down until the threat has passed.
In addition, dogs who have had traumatic experiences (such as being hit by a car) will sometimes display the cowering response as well.
Since they’ve never experienced the situation before, they don’t know how to react.
In order to help dogs overcome their fears, we must first understand what causes them to act this way.
Read on to learn about the factors that contribute to the cowering response.
Dispelling Myths About Cowering
There are some myths about what causes dogs to cower that need dispelling.
Some of these myths are based on old scientific theories and others are based on common misconceptions about how dogs think.
Let’s take a look at some of them.
Myth #1: The Cowering Dog Is Shy
This myth is perpetuated by people who believe that shy dogs should be handled with care.
In reality, there is no correlation between shyness in dogs and their tendency to cower when approached.
A shy dog may still become anxious when confronted with an unfamiliar person, but this reaction isn’t caused by the dog being afraid to approach someone else.
It’s simply because they’re not used to people approaching them.
Myth #2: The Cowering Dog Is Afraid of People
Dogs don’t have the same “fight or flight” response as humans.
They don’t get the same adrenaline rush from running away as we do.
However, if a dog does run away or hide under a table when a stranger approaches him, he might be trying to escape something that scares him.
This could be anything from a loud noise to a strange smell.
So while a dog might cower when approached by a stranger, he doesn’t necessarily fear strangers.
Myth #3: The Cowering Dog Has Been Hurt Before
If your dog is cowering because of a traumatic past experience, then you’ll want to find out why.
You can use your own experiences as a guide to help figure out what happened, and then work to change the situation so that your dog won’t have to be frightened again.
For example, if your dog was hurt by a neighbor’s pet, you can talk to them to make sure that nothing like that happens again.
Or if your dog has been hurt by another animal, you may want to consider getting him neutered.
Neutering will reduce his chances of being attacked by other animals because he will be less likely to growl or bite at them.
Myth #4: The Cowering Dog Needs to Be Taken Outside
Many people think that cowering dogs need to be taken outside, but this isn’t true.
Dogs usually don’t need to be taken outside to relieve themselves or to stretch their legs.
Their instinctual urge to go outside is different than our urge to go outside.
We have an urge to go outside because we’re tired, hungry, or cold.
But dogs have an instinctual urge to go outside because they have to go outside to mark their territory.
When a dog cowers, it means that he wants to be left alone.
He’s not asking to be left outside.
When Cowering is a Problem
Cowering is often mistaken for being scared, but there are big differences between the two.
When your dog cowers, they seem fearful and anxious, but they aren’t necessarily in danger.
In fact, they might be hiding from something that isn’t threatening at all — like another dog or a cat.
This is why dogs are so good at reading other animals’ body language.
They’re also very sensitive to their environment, which makes them pick up on the slightest changes in their surroundings.
So how do you know if your dog is cowering?
It’s simple!
Just watch them closely when they’re around other animals.
Do they have trouble walking past a large animal, such as a horse or goat?
If so, then you’ve got an anxious dog who needs some extra attention.
Are they constantly looking over their shoulder when they pass by other dogs?
That’s a sign of fearfulness.
And what about when they see a cat?
Is your dog cowering when they spot one?
You bet!
Helping Your Dog Overcome Their Fear
It’s not always easy to know what’s causing your dog to cower.
Sometimes it could be an instinctual behavior that has no specific reason.
Other times, there could be a physical problem, like pain from an injury or illness, or it could be something as simple as an environmental change.
Hi, my name is Megan Turner and I have worked in a dog’s shelter for four years now. It is truly my dream job, and I see hundreds of dogs every month being united with new owners to give them a loving forever home.
Unfortunately, handicapped dogs are much more likely to be ignored when a family is picking out their new pet. Handicapped pets need more care than non-handicapped pets, so it is understandable why they are often harder to rehome.
