Why is my dog barking and pooping near my boyfriend on the couch?

Hi and thank you for your question. I am sorry you are having some behavior issues with Luna. Moving can be stressful for both pets and pet parents! Moving to a new area, new home, and the addition of changing to being an only dog is a lot of new changes all at once. Sometimes it just takes time for dogs to acclimate to their new life and new home. She is likely feeling a little insecure in her new place, but that is not unusual. Keep her busy with exercise. Lots of walks, lots of play time with you and gradually introduce her to new people making the experience positive with rewarding her for good behavior with a treat she really really loves. Lavander oil with an essential oil diffuser in your home can aide in calming the mood. Calming chews with L-Theanine in them can also help as well as a number of Rx medications that can help smooth the transition if you are finding yourself and Luna in a road block with progress. Also, working with a trainer around your area can be a very helpful to keep Luna on track and moving in the right direction. Please consult with Luna's veterinarian regarding all supplements and Rx medications. Best of luck!

This could be due to some type of anxiety. if anything has changed in the house - new routine, new pets/people, loss of pets/people, new construction, less exercise, etc, this could be the cause. Sometimes they will also develop separation anxiety from you which can cause these behaviors. If he is friendly with other dogs and social, you may try taking him to a doggy daycare to see if this will help get some of his energy out. You can also try to add a calming collar like adaptil. If this doesn't help, you can talk to your vet about starting him on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or something similar to see if this helps to calm him down. I hope this helps!

Any sudden change in behavior from the normal can be a sign of a medical illness, and I would have Luna seen by a vet today. Eating feces can be a sign of intestinal parasites in dogs, and if she had a heavy burden of them, that would cause her to feel very unwell. A health check by the vet can diagnose if there is a medical cause behind her behavior, and can treat her for it.

Luna may be stressed at your partner's house and that is why she is going to the bathroom. I would recommend leaving her home when you go there to give her the space she needs and see if this helps. If she continues to vomit I would recommend bringing her to a veterinarian just to make sure it is not medically related and only stress related. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Peeing in the house, barking excessively, soft stool and drinking a lot could all be caused by stress/anxiety, for which non -prescription VetriScience daily Composure chews (available on chewy.com) may help, however a consult with your veterinarian re: Prozac (which takes 3 weeks to take effect) or an alternate anti-depressant /anti-anxiety medication or the help of a trainer may be needed. It would be safest however to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian for an exam, full screening bloodwork, a urinalysis and fecal exam to rule out parasites as the cause of the soft stool or renal disease/diabetes as the cause of the increased drinking. Your vet can also prescribe/send home metronidale which is an anti-inflammatory antibiotic to resolve the diarrhea +/- probiotics to help with the soft stool. Good luck!

It’s possible that the foster dog’s barking is causing your own pet some stress or anxiety. Make sure to give both dogs a lot of vigorous exercise every day as this helps to decrease stress and anxiety. When your own dog exhibits stress, try to divert her attention with a game or a short training session. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I am very sorry to hear that Lakota is having a difficult time. There are few possible causes for these behaviour such as coming into season, psuedopregnancy, pregnancy, an internal infection as well as hormonal imbalances. It could also be simply that Lakota experienced an event or a change in her life which is making her feel unsettled. I would advise taking her to see her veterinarian to have her examined, potentially have blood work taken and analysed to help diagnose the issue. In the meantime, you can try some of the following techniques at home to help her feel more settled; Dog appeasing pheromone collar and/ or diffuser Thunder coat White noise machine Increased interaction with you including games, petting and walks Positive refinforcement when she does go out or leave her panda toy alone I hope this was helpful and that Lakota feels herself again soon. Please post any further questions you may have on the forum. We are always here to help at Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.