My dog is anxious/aggressive on walks. Do Thundershirts or meds help?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Firstly, this is almost always fear-based. Talk to your vet about getting him some anti-anxiety medication to calm him down enough to get the muzzle on. And frankly, even after he is neutered he’ll probably need something like that for daily use while you can do some counter-conditionung training. My favorite is trazodone as it is very safe, can be used long or short term, can be started and stopped, and can be given with certain other sedatives and anti-anxiety medications. Best wishes to you and Max!

This is a very tough situation. If you're serious about Max getting better, I would recommend scheduling an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist to get to the bottom of the problem. This is a good place to look: https://avsab.org/directory/ While you're waiting for your appointment, make sure you aren't punishing him for this behavior (because punishments can make it worse), avoid all situations in which it occurs, when you are on walks take really great treats with you and use them to keep his attention on you if you have to walk pasted another dog (but avoiding all together would still be better). Your dog will likely need a combination of behavior modifications, training, and medication and he may never be a totally normal dog. Wishing you the best of luck. Thanks for using PetCoach

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is commonly known as noise phobia. Actually one of my own dogs suffers from this so I will also tell you based on my experience. These types of behaviors can be modified with the help of dog behaviorists who specialize in these types of conditions. These specialists are hard to find as there are not many in the country. In my case, the thunder shirt helped my dog to the point that she acts pretty much normal with it on. There are medications like Trazodone that can help reduce anxiety. This is something that you can obtain from your veterinarian and is likely going to help reduce the anxiety caused by the thunder. Good luck and have a great day!

This is a difficult question, as the recommendation for which medications or therapies to start for anxiety are very individualized to the patient and the specific things that are triggering their episodes. If you haven't tried some over-the-counter therapies such as a Thundershirt ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/thundershirt-heather-gray-dog-anxiety-solution ) or a pheromone diffuser ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/thunderease-calming-diffuser-kit-for-dogs ) those are often good places to start. If these aren't helping you will need to consider consulting with a vet, who can prescribe Prozac or another anxiety medication, along with behavior modification therapy.

Congratulations on your new addition! I suspect training will be the key to gaining more confidence for Chester. When a dog is unsure of themselves, giving them commands can be very helpful in decreasing their anxiety because now they have a concrete thing that they are supposed to do. I would recommend a basic training class to teach Chester the basics of sit, down, watch, heel, etc. and use these commands on walks. I think a Thundershirt is a great idea. You can also try some of the herbal calming options such as Composure. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids Finally, you can discuss short term anti-anxiety medications with your veterinarian if needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

You can always try over the counter remedies for anxiety before resorting to drugs. That being said, I have rarely seen these "natural" products work on dogs especially ones that have severe anxieties. Here are some things you can try: 1. Thundershirt: http://www.thundershirt.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzuHJ_Y2j1QIVFo1-Ch00fwx0EAAYASAAEgKaavD_BwE 2. Rescue Remedy for Pets: http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ 3. DAP (dog appeasing pheromone): http://dapdiffuser.com/ If those do not help, I would suggest you speak to your vet about a prescription of Trazodone. I think it is the best anti-anxiety medication without many side effects and it doesn't make them too groggy or "out of it". Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Poor King! If he is fearful about being handled and bites you when you try to put on the Thundershirt, this probably isn't a good option for him right now - trying to get it on him is likely causing a lot of stress, and is also dangerous for you due to the risk of being bitten. Instead, you might want to try a DAP pheromone diffuser, or a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure for situations that tend to make him anxious - these can be helpful for some fearful dogs. If these things don't help much, you could talk to your veterinarian about whether prescription medication might be a good option for him, or make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist for a more complete evaluation and treatment plan to help address the problem. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org