Why is my adopted dog so scared of my husband when he comes home?

You are doing a good job. Some dogs take years to relax with other people. I recommend taking Mindy, with both you and your husband, to a group obedience class. She will gain confidence when she learns commands and it will help her to be around other dogs and people. You can also try the natural supplement Solliquin. It helps reduce anxiety during training and I’ve found with rescue dogs it helps them with adjusting to a new environment. Continue to be patient and don’t force the issue as that may make it worse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mindy.

I recommend he take over the walking and give her treats so she looks forward to being with him. Don’t have him be too pushy, have him sit with a treat and let her come to him. You may also want to try an anti anxiety supplement like Solliquin. It helped my rescue dog relax in the new household. This may take several months to improve, give them time and as they both grow and mature this behavior should improve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kona.

Consider a pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar, to help decrease any anxiety. Next, expose her to a "new" person forever increasing periods of time. Praise and reward her as she progresses. It will take time and consistency, so keep at it but don't force her to move on if she gets too worked up.

Congratulations on adopting Lady! Earning trust will take a lot of patience and time. Remember that she has had a lot of sudden changes with her new home and a new person in her life. Start by giving her space in her new home and try putting a bed in her favorite space in the house to make this her "safe spot". Try to avoid approaching her if she is in this safe spot. If Lady is food motivated, you can start by offering a few high value treats when she lets you gently pet her. Some dogs are threatened when you reach over the top of the head and respond more favorably to scratches on the chest or under the chin. Once you figure out what she enjoys (food, walks, chasing a ball, etc.), you will be able to build upon that activity and spend most of your interaction doing her favorite things. One other thing to try is a calming pheromone collar or diffuser (Adaptil is one example) to see if this helps to calm her a bit. I hope this helps!

I'm sorry you're having this challenge with Koyah. It is common that small young dogs will often be nervous around men. The key to their relationship will likely be to have your husband do some training with her. She needs to see him as a positive person who delivers lots of treats while training. I would also recommend putting him in charge of feeding her for a while, so she really associates him with food. Make sure that all training is positive reinforcement, so she only has positive associations with you husband for now. Hopefully doing training together will help them form a good bond. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It sounds as though Lacey has become anxious / stressed by something. If your husband was wearing a hat or clothes that scared Lacey, this could prompt her to develop a fear of him. If she is adopted, maybe she had a previous experience that was recently triggered by something your husband did (loud noise, etc.). I would recommend having your husband walk her regularly, give her lots of treats and make her do tricks for them, etc. Have him spend more time with her and if the behavior does not correct itself, I would maybe have her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It will probably take her some time to adjust to her new situation. Continue to socialize her as much as possible to get her used to being around other people and in different situations. You could also try an Adaptil collar and/or Solliquin chews to see if that helps her adjust. Good Luck!