Fear problems can be complicated and serious. A dog that is showing fear may also be struggling to cope in other parts of his life, or may have had bad experiences in the past.
If a dog is scared of something and we make him face his fears, this can lead to aggressive behaviour as the dog attempts to protect himself. Unfortunately dogs who are experiencing fear, anxiety or phobia find it incredibly difficult to learn something new about what is scaring them whilst being exposed to it. This is because of the chemicals that are released in the body and brain as a result of feeling fear.
Because fears, phobias and anxieties can be difficult to fix, you really need to ask your vet to refer you to a good behaviourist to assist you in helping your dog feel better, and in the meantime, try to avoid the things that scare your dog.
To find out more about general behaviour issues, please visit the behaviour problems section.