My dog nips people. Is it anxiety? How do I stop this behavior?

This type of behavior is often due to anxiety (about men in this case). I would strongly recommend talking to your vet about anti-anxiety/ behavior modification medication which can make a huge difference! Often times, training is also needed in conjunction to medication.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There are many behavioural things you can try to help with anxiety. The best recommendation is increased exercise and training so that when people come over Ruka has other commands to distract her. You can also try DAP (Dog appeasing pheramone) diffusers and sprays around the house. Thunder shirts are also helpful for anxiety. If these strategies fail, talk to your vet about other behavioural changes you can try, and if none of these work you can discuss anti-anxiety medications with your vet. Anti-anxiety medications typically only work well if they are used in conjunction with behavioural modification. Best of luck with Ruka!

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this! This type of behavior is often due to anxiety. I would strongly recommend talking to your vet (or having the owner talk to his vet) about anti-anxiety/ behavior modificatiion medication which can make a huge difference in making Nugget AND you more relaxed and comfortable. Best of luck to you and Nugget!

It certainly sounds like anxiety to me - it sounds like your dog is fearful around new people and dogs. I'd recommend talking to a behaviorist or trusted trainer about working on some behavior modification that could help your dog feel more confident in new situations. Ask your vet who they would recommend in your area.

I am sorry to hear about Kaijah! This type of behavior is often due to anxiety. I would strongly recommend talking to your vet about anti-anxiety/ behavior modificatiion medication which can make a huge difference! Training will be so much more effective once this type of medication is started. While you’re at the vet, have him/her look at the feet. I see many cracked pads that are not concerning and do not need treatment at all. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Kaijah!

I am sorry to hear about Bongo! A basket muzzle does allow for drinking but they cannot eat with it on. Try feeding him in a closed room to prevent anyone bothering him (and getting hurt). I would recommend a plastic basket muzzle instead of metal to prevent injury. Much more important, is to get Bongo on some anti-anxiety medication. This can be LIFE-CHANGING and I have so many great success stories. There are many great medications available with little side effects that are safe for daily use. My personal favorite is Trazadone but there are several great choices. Do yourself (and Bongo) a huge favor and talk to your vet about your options. Training is often needed with medication, but training alone will not work for these types of cases. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Bongo!

Kurama is a very handsome guy! Some dogs aren't very comfortable in crowded places with lots of other people and dogs, just like some people who don't really like social situations. You can try using a DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to help reduce his anxiety in these situations. You can also help by allowing him to keep his distance from people and other animals when he isn't comfortable - never force him to greet people or be in crowded places if he doesn't enjoy this. You can help him with his fear by standing at a distance, and giving him praise and treats for calm behavior. If his fear is severe enough to interfere with his daily life, then I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a more detailed plan to help him. This may include specific training exercises to work on, as well as possibly prescription anti-anxiety medication to help reduce his stress and make it easier for him to learn. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org