10/21/2026
Supporting our scared pets 🐶 🐱
⭐ Understand that fear is not a response your pet can control. However, we can help them with it.
💙 Don't flood pets with scary situations - it will not improve or change how they feel.
⭐ Desensitization and counter-conditioning must happen at a level that isn't overwhelming for the pet.
💙 Behavioral medications can help pets with fears and phobias. Talk with your vet or veterinary behaviorist to see if it's a good option.
⭐ Punishing or yelling at a pet for being scared won't help and, in some cases, can worsen their fear.
💙 Fear can trigger aggression (fight), flight (escape), freezing, or fawning (appeasement).
When our pets are feeling scared, the first step is reducing their fear by removing the source of it. If hiding makes them feel more secure, let them hide. If they need to get away from the scary thing, help them move away from it. If you can remove the scary thing for them, remove it. It doesn’t matter if YOU don’t think the thing is scary- show your pet you can help them feel safer!
From there, work with your vet and/or a veterinary behaviorist and a qualified positive reinforcement-based trainer to put together a plan that addresses these fears and builds their confidence. Don’t know where to begin? Please reach out to us!
