All tired out from training!
If you have a scared dog, it is probably because he wasn't treated well before from previous owners, or perhaps he was in a shelter before you were able to adopt him. Just like any dog, a scared dog has to be trained with patience, consistency and praise. Punishment can be used, but it should come in the form of noise; and it should only be used if your dog is caught doing something bad, not when training him. If you remember that your dog wants to please you and just needs a little help to learn commands, he will be trained in no time.
Instructions
1. Give your dog the first, easy command such as, "sit." (Make sure everyone in your family uses the same commands, or your dog can become confused.) Since your dog will not know what sit means, you may have to help him sit by gently pushing his hind end down. Once he "sits," immediately give him a treat. It should be a small treat that he can chew easily and that he likes.
2. Practice this first command with your scared dog when you are training him several times a day. Once he learns that "sit" means to put his hind quarters down, then you are well on your way to training your dog. He may not "sit" all the way down at first. Give him the treat anyway. This is called "shaping." You are shaping the desired behavior by accepting behavior that is close and then working toward the exact behavior you want.
3. Give fewer and fewer treats as your dog learns to sit, or another command you are teaching him. Once he has the command down, you can give him a treat every other time he does it. Then you can gradually give fewer and fewer treats until he does not need a treat to sit. Remember, if you are training a scared dog, it may take several days or weeks for him to trust you and learn to do simple commands. He has to feel safe.
4. Continue teaching your dog commands such as "stay" or "heel." Always be patient, use a regular voice and be consistent. Give your dog the treat immediately after he completes the command.
5. Use a noisemaker (like a tin can with pencils in it) as soon as you catch your dog doing an undesirable behavior, such as getting in the trash or chewing your shoes. It is best to put the noisemaker up in the air where your dog can't see that you are shaking it. Then your scared dog will not associate you with the noise; he will think it is coming from his environment. This helps him trust you more and behave well even if you are not around.
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