Creature Feature

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette fearful dog illustration.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette fearful dog illustration.

My mom and dad have a sweet dog that they got from a shelter. Kelly is a mixed breed. He gets along well with everyone, but he ducks his head and kind of moves away when we try to pet him on the head. My parents were told to just keep trying and he'd get used to it. I'm not so sure. Why does Kelly shy away from having his head touched? Is there anything that can be done or should we let it go?

When a dog pulls away or ducks its head to avoid being touched, that's called being "hand shy." Sometimes the behavior's roots lie in learned fear or inherent reticence, but some breeds of dogs -- border collies and German shepherds come to mind -- are more sensitive to motion and have a tendency to back away when a person approaches with an outstretched hand.

You didn't mention Kelly's size, but it may be helpful to know that many small dogs often aren't receptive to petting when hands descend upon them. My Chihuahua, Ashley, who has never had cause to fear any kind of touch, often backs away from people when first approached. Weighing a mere 6 pounds, her initial hesitance is basically self-preservation; after all, she lives in a world of giants. But if a person simply holds out his hand and lets Ashley approach, then her shyness quickly turns to curiosity.

No matter the reason behind a dog's hand shyness, the dog can be taught to enjoy rather than dislike being petted, says dog trainer Sarah Wilson, co-author of My Smart Puppy and Good Owners, Great Dogs. She recommends using food treats to help a dog develop a positive association with hands.

In Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance for a First Class Life, dog behavior consultant Pat Miller also recommends desensitization and counter-conditioning to help change a dog's emotions about an object or experience. Change the emotion and you'll change the behavior, she says. Like Wilson, she recommends offering extra-yummy food treats -- bites of cooked chicken instead of the usual store-bought treats, for example -- when turning a negative association into a positive one. Give these treats only during training sessions.

Here are a few tips on training a hand-shy dog to accept petting, based on information from Miller and Wilson as well as my personal experience.

• Respect the dog's space. When working with a treat, simply sit near the dog and raise the treat. When your dog appears relaxed or perhaps curious, hold the treat in front of his nose -- near, but not touching. If he accepts this, give him the treat. Don't pet him at this point, but praise him verbally so he knows you're happy with his behavior.

• Another tactic is to approach the dog at nose level with your palm facing upward instead of downward. For some reason, dogs respond differently to this. When you approach, make sure there's a treat in that palm and hold your hand steady while the dog eats it. When he's comfortable with that, hold the treat in one hand while you reach to the side of his head and touch him with the other.

• Pet from the side instead of from above him. Touch or stroke the side of the dog's head or neck for a few seconds, then gradually work up to longer petting sessions. Be sure to give the dog a treat and praise him.

• Don't make sudden movements or talk in a loud voice. Move slowly and speak with a steady, confident tone while you're making your approach.

• Remain calm. If you approach your dog when you're feeling anxious, nervous or frustrated about his apparent fearfulness, he'll pick up on it. Adopt a happy, enthusiastic attitude for each encounter and it'll go a long way to easing tension. That's not to say that he'll respond instantly and offer his head for petting, but he will have one less element of anxiety to deal with.

• Step back a step or two after your dog takes the treat. Sometimes that helps build confidence.

• Don't expect instant results. The process could take weeks, but if you're patient and have fun with the training session, the dog should respond. If he doesn't, then the next step is to seek the help of a professional dog trainer.

Family on 01/25/2017

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