What should I do when a dog gets spooked?

Answer by  SashaDarkCloud (5764)

Just leave the dog alone. Do not make any loud noises or make any gestures that might frightening the dog more. If it knows it is in a safe environment it will calm down eventually. Especially if you treat it kindly and with care. Maybe you can try talking to the dog in a sweet and soft voice.

Answer by  guyver3869 (449)

When this happens to my dog, he always wants to hide or at least be under something. I have found that if I hold him, talk to him in a very soothing calm tone, and cover him with a blanket or towel he settles down. But first and foremost identify what caused it and remove it from the environment.

Answer by  lpfirman (403)

Comfort it, talk in a calming voice and use a food treat to employ positive reinforcement whenever the object that spooks him is around.

Answer by  patti (29325)

If your dog is a pet, speak to it in a comforting voice and pet it to assure it. Some dogs have an unexplained fear of storms, fireworks, brooms, etc. so patience is in order. In some dogs, like hunting dogs, being "spooked" by loud noises (gunfire) is a more difficult problem that should be addressed by a professional trainer.