Many fearful pets are not born nervous. They are conditioned to it, usually without anybody noticing.
A puppy which hides behind the sofa when the guests enter. A dog that freezes when it is being approached. A pet that barks too loudly at strangers or refuses to step outside. These behaviours are often labelled as “temperament issues” or brushed off as personality traits. But in many cases, the roots lie in how their early experiences were handled.
