02/18/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CAdEYoHMH/?mibextid=wwXIfr
"They trust me, they took the food"!
Food really must be used carefully and respectfully or it can cause big problems.
For a dog it can create a desire to be closer without being emotionally ready to be that close.
This is often seen with dogs in a new home or when meeting new people.
It isn't a "they've taken food, now they're good" sign.
It means they are torn between two emotions.
They can be drawn to, but fearful at the exact same time.
Can food help?
Yes, of course, but with an anxious dog it needs to be introduced with thought and care.
Feeling safe needs to come first or we can prolong a dogs worry and discomfort.
Conflicted dogs are sometimes difficult to spot.
They may appear confident.
They may approach and then back off (with or without food).
They may want to be near or close to a human but we can miss the low head and those "slicked" back ears that tell us they're uncomfortable.
These dogs are well and truly torn between a want and a worry.
Their safety and comfort needs to be the priority here.
Not food.
