Can another dog help my anxious, fearful, or lazy dog improve?

It's hard to say. Some dogs with separation anxiety do better with another dog in the house, while this doesn't make any difference at all for others. So it's possible that getting the puppy was helpful, but it's also possible that this was coincidental and he may have improved anyway due to the other things you were doing. Regardless, I'm glad he's doing better :)

This actually is not particularly unusual - while many dogs enjoy playing with other dogs, some dogs definitely prefer people. The dog park can be overwhelming even for social dogs so I would recommend avoiding it for now - if she continues to feel overwhelmed she could start to become fear aggressive. You may want to start by meeting one on one with a quiet dog friend to get her used to dogs. Make sure it is a good experience by offering treats, and if she starts to become too anxious stop and try again another day. She may never get to the point where she loves other dogs that are not familiar, but hopefully you can find a few dogs that she knows and will play with.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is very dependent on the dogs in terms of how much they enjoy playing with toys. Some dogs just do not enjoy that and will not play with them as much. You can try to get other toys to see if Ginger becomes interested but ultimately she may decide to not use them and that is not necessarily an issue. Have a good night!

This is one of those situations where it could go either way. Some dogs desperately need a playmate and will do infinitely better with one. Others will just end up feeding off the energy of their mate and you'll have two troublemakers on your hands. My opinion is that if you plan to get a second dog, you would be better off obtaining a young adult dog that is already house / obedience trained so that Lirril might imitate some of the behaviors you'd like to see. The behaviors you are describing are overall extremely normal for a 10 month old puppy, and you likely are just going to have to double down on your efforts with training. You also need to make sure that all other members of the household are on board with any training methods you are using. The weakest chain in the link is the only one that matters unfortunately, since repetition and consistency is going to be the key to having a well-trained and obedient dog.

I believe it depends on the types of interactions. If they are normal, friendly interactions between the two it will help socialize your dog and help them recognize what behaviors are acceptable or not within a pack of dogs. Although at the same time, if the interactions are violent or stressful then it could exacerbate the problem. Also, interactions with just one other dog may help it become sociable with that one particular dog and not neccessarily other dogs. But overall, I think it's worth trying to socialize and expose your dog slowly to others to help with any aggression issues. Hope this helps! -Dr. Gordon

Oh dear, poor Axel! Some dogs have innately anxious and nervous personalities, and German Shepherds (it appears that Axel has a fair amount of Shepherd in him from the pictures!) are known for anxiety issues. Continue gently trying to socialize Axel with new people and surroundings, and offer small treats and gentle encouragement as he is introduced to a new situation. Some dogs also benefit from thunder shirts ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24037 ) for anxiety, as well as calming pheromone collars or diffusers ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=33000 ). If all else fails, consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist to discuss behavioral modifications to try at home, and possible anti-anxiety medication. I hope that all goes well!

Taking Mina to a group obedience training class can get her used to going fun places and help her relax around other people and dogs. Being able to redirect her behavior from anxiety to performing sit, down and heeling can give them confidence and reduce anxiety. I also like to use the supplement Solliquin for anxiety especially when I'm working on improving this behavior. Usually if your friends ignore her and don't make eye contact then when they are sitting in your home she may come investigate them on her own. This behavior can get worse if you force her to meet people and do things that increase her anxiety. Be patient, changing this behavior takes time and it's often a result of her insecurity so having her learn new things, go new places and get praise and treats for good behavior will make her a more confident and relaxed dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mina.