Why is my usually friendly dog suddenly terrified of a new person?

Question

My dog recently came in from outside to discover my male cousin, Jonathan, sitting on the couch. Conan usually greets everyone excitedly, but for some reason he was TERRIFIED of Jon. Jon has never met him before, but he was extremely friendly and did nothing that would have triggered fear. Conan cowered whenever Jon stood up or went near him. He wouldn’t let Jon touch him either. Conan has met multiple people who are exactly like Jon, and loves them. He doesn’t dislike ANYONE. Why is he scared? Pet's info: Dog | Irish Setter | Male | neutered | 9 months and 14 days old | 53 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

Poor Conan! It could just have been that he wasn't expecting someone to be in the house and it startled him. Sometimes, dogs can also be fearful of people who may be "different" IE wearing hats, glasses, a different color shirt than normal, etc. Working on socialization can help with this. The next time Jon comes by, having Jon simply toss treats in Conan's direction, without interacting, can help the two of them get used to each other. If Conan approaches or permits attention, extra treas and praise can help teach him this is a good thing! This socialization technique can be used with anyone new in the house, or even out and about as well.

Why is my usually friendly dog suddenly terrified of a new person?

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