09/17/2025
WEDNESDAY WISDOM:
Why Is Self Confidence In Dogs Important?
Many of you who have attended our training sessions know that a confident dog is a happy and well-adjusted dog. But confidence isn’t necessarily something that all dogs are born with. Whether your pup is timid, anxious, reactive, or unsure in new situations, dog training allows dogs and their owners to develop structured and positive ways to help them grow into a more secure version of themselves.
Many owners searching for “dog training near me” are surprised to find that one of the most effective goals of any training program isn’t obedience, it’s building confidence by establishing systems for clarity, structure, and trust between dog and owner.
Why is having a confident dog important? Because just like humans, dogs benefit greatly from self-assurance. A confident dog is far less likely to act out, shut down, or become overwhelmed in unfamiliar situations. They’re more willing to try new things, engage with the world around them, and recover quicker from stressful elements in their environment.
Dogs who lack confidence often display behaviors that signal fear or uncertainty. This can include fear-based reactivity such as barking, lunging, or hiding when faced with unfamiliar situations. Low-confidence dogs may avoid new people, places, or other dogs or animals altogether, and sometimes freeze or shut down when presented with a new challenge. Many dogs may even struggle with basic activities such as leash walking or going out in public, displaying clinginess, anxiety, or overly submissive behaviors. And while it may be highly challenging for owners to manage, it also takes an emotional toll on the dog, which is why confidence-building should be a fundamental part of any well-rounded training plan. So dog training isn't only about obedience, a large part is helping your dog become confident.
What Does Low Confidence Look Like? Below are some things to look for:
-Tucked tail or ears pinned back
-Avoidance behaviors, such as turning away or refusing to move
-Cowering or trembling
-Over-submissiveness, such as constant rolling over to expose their belly or licking
-Sudden barking or lunging, especially when unsure about something
-Overstimulation or freezing in busy areas or new situations
So how does one go about building confidence in their dog? First, it's important to understand that confidence doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built over time through trust, repetition, and success. By adapting to new situations and solidifying training initiatives, owners can play an active role in supporting their dogs’ confidence and happiness. Here are a few ways you can start working with your dog on this:
-Providing Structure: Dogs tend to thrive in environments where they know what to expect. A consistent daily routine with structured meal times and designated rest helps to reduce their anxiety and creates a foundation of trust. When your dog can trust that you can meet their needs by establishing a pattern of what’s coming next, they’re less likely to feel overwhelmed by unpredictability.
-Engaging in Slow and Steady Desensitization Efforts: If your dog is fearful of specific situations, such as other dogs, strangers, or busy environments start slowly exposing them to these situations. This process, called desensitization, involves gradually exposing your dog to its fear trigger in a controlled way while ensuring it remains below its stress threshold. We would recommend that you come to our basic obedience training for this where we can help you slowly expose your dog to new situations.
-Using Confidence-Building Skills: Successfully learning new commands such as a good recall, the down command or maybe the place command can give dogs a sense of accomplishment. As they master commands, they become more confident in their ability to predict outcomes and communicate with you.We tell all of our clients to keep sessions short, clear, and consistent with rewards for small wins. A reward doesn't always have to involve a treat, a "good" response and a pat are plenty. For low-confidence dogs, even holding a “place” for a short period of time in a new environment can be a major victory. Remember to praise or reward your dog for positive behaviors and new achievements. We did this last week during our second week of our basic obedience training.
Rewarding Calm Curiosity: When your dog approaches a new object, person, or environment with curiosity and calmness, reward them! Learning to investigate something without reactivity or overexcitement is a sign of growing confidence in dogs.
Avoid Over-Coddling: As humans we all probably want to comfort our scared dogs. But excessive babying or coddling can actually reinforce their insecurity. If your dog reacts fearfully to something, stay calm, grounded, and confident. Whether you know it or not, your energy in that moment communicates safety more effectively than anxious reassurance. Also, if your dog is scared and you keep saying "it's okay" over and over you are basically telling the dog it's okay to be scared! It's far better for you to stay calm and let your dog react and recover.
Sometimes tools are needed to serve as a bridge between communication and action. Long leashes or even e-collars can provide an added layer of communication and safety, allowing your dog to explore without feeling out of control. When paired with a positive environment, calm leadership, and clear understanding, these tools can help owners build their dogs’ confidence and give them a positive emotional state.
However, sometimes owners may not even know how to use these tools effectively and require guidance from a professional to get started. Supplemental training with the right professional dog trainer can help owners and handlers navigate this journey toward confidence-building with clarity and balance.
At Cotten's Sunset Kennels we specialize in balanced, relationship-based training that helps shy, fearful, or reactive dogs build confidence through structure, trust, and communication. From foundational obedience to the beginning of off-leash work, we helps dogs and owners find the best version of themselves.
If you have a dog that could use some self confidence or even just some basic obedience training call us to hear about our programs at 231-845-0550. And don't forget that we also offer boarding for your cats and dogs while you are away. As always, go and enjoy your dog!
