Answer:
People mistakenly think they are calming and comforting the dog with stroking and reassuring murmurs. This is normal human behavior toward another stressed human, but not appropriate toward a canine. This human response may be misinterpreted as praise, resulting in escalation of the fearful behavior. A few past episodes of consoling are not harmful; it is the repeated habit that causes problems.

Fear and aggression are complicated behaviors with many causes. So, if a pattern of this behavior can be identified, the appropriate step is to seek the help of a qualified behaviorist. Initial treatments for fear or aggression that help most stressed pets are, 1) ruling out any sub-clinical health problem, 2) increasing regular exercise and routine, and 3) daily reward based training.

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