Building Positive Associations

Strangers should become treat dispensers in your dog's eyes. Give visitors a handful of treats and one instruction: toss them on the ground near the dog without reaching toward it. The dog approaches the treats at its own pace, eats, and begins linking new people with good things.

Next, progress from treat-tossing to hand-feeding. The visitor holds a treat in a flat palm, arm extended to the side rather than reaching forward, and lets the dog come take it. This puts the dog in control, which builds confidence. After several hand-feeding sessions with different people, most dogs begin approaching new visitors willingly.