Can you reinforce fear by petting your pet when they are scared?
Years ago people were told that if they comforted their pets when they were afraid, the pets would be more likely to be afraid next time. I remember hearing this advice and I could not comprehend why it was being used. If I am scared I want a loved one to comfort me and it definitely does not make me more fearful in the future. In some cases, I may be less fearful because I realize that the thing I was afraid of was not a big deal. If you think about this intuitively you can see that it does not make sense. […]