According to veterinarian Heather Venkat, “you can actually make your dog think it’s good to be scared if you pet them and say ‘good boy’. You’re actually encouraging fearful behavior through sweet talk and petting” which is not recommended. So, it’s your task to train your dog so that they can be more comfortable around a source of fear.

In other words, your dog will think this is a normal reaction, so when they need to be territorial and protective of their families, they will hide in a small place and wait for the thief to leave. So you don’t want such behavior, do you? That is why it is important to socialize your dog properly.