Breaking down the fear factor of an object.

This is about getting your dog used to the object that is causing the fear by slowly getting him to face the object at a rate that he is happy with. Keeping your dogs stress levels under control is the key. He will slowly become less afraid of the fear object the more he faces it because he will come to understand that it isn't going to hurt him.

If he has a fear of a uniform, you could maybe start by leaving it hanging over a chair so that he will see it whenever he walks past the chair. Give him all the time that he needs to get used to it and smell it. Play with him around it. Bring it into everyday life whenever you can.

Counter-conditioning

Once he has grown quite used to the object of fear and he is relaxed around it, counter-conditioning can be started. This is the process of getting him to connect the fear object with things that he likes. Any hikes in his fear limits can be praised and rewarded excessively.

Dos and Dont's

Do:

Be your dogs role model. He will follow your lead and pick up on any emotional triggers.
Be strong and resolute in your attitude and don't waiver.

If you can see that he is anxious, talk to him in a calm manner that will help him relax, and also in a positive, confident fashion.

Take him out as often as you can. This should be done throughout his life and not just in the formative years. He will get used to the outside world quicker the more that he is in contact with it and realise its not such a bad place.

Slow and easy. Never try to push your dog into predicaments that he is nervous of or make him meet people or confront objects. You want to detach his fear from these situations.

His body language should be considered constantly. If you see any signs of fear such as heavy panting, urination or the whites of the eyes showing, take him away to calm him down. You don't want him to fear bite.

Don't:

Crowd him. If a dog is frightened, give him some room and avoid going into his personal space. Wait for him to approach you. If you can see that he is trying his hardest to avoid you by hiding or not facing you, it means that he is ill at ease and not ready to carry on. If you put him outside of his zone of comfort, he may be forced to fear bite.

Praise him or make a fuss over him for his behaving fearfully. If he makes progress overcoming his fear, by all means, give him some reward and praise, but not for being negative. Keep praise for when he has accomplished something and you want that behavior repeated.