My dog is scared of other dogs. How can I help her socialize safely?

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.

Maisy may not have been properly socialized around other dogs, and if she isn't a confident dog, she will react with fear around other dogs. Unfortunately, fear in dogs can come out as aggression, so it would be a good idea to start socializing her now to prevent this from happening. You can speak to your vet about getting her enrolled with a behavioral expert to work on this behavior. The expert can introduce her to other dogs in a safe situation, working on socialization skills, and teaching her that she does not have to be afraid of them.

Introduce her, gradually, to one dog then another and another. Do this in a neutral area, such as a dog park or field. Correct negative behavior/responses immediately and praise/reward good behavior. Use a pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar, to help decrease any anxiety.Given her age, get her enrolled in an obedience class and puppy socialization classes.

I'm sorry to hear that Coco is so frightened of being outside! Unfortunately, what you are describing is very common in dogs that did not receive adequate socialization as young puppies - all pups need to get "out and about" to see the world and have lots of different experiences during their socialization period, which is from 6 to 16 weeks of age. It sounds like Coco didn't get much socialization during this period, which is likely why she is so fearful now. It will be difficult to get her comfortable with the world at this age, but not impossible. You will need to take things very slowly and make sure that being outside is always a fun and positive experience for her - this may mean simply sitting on the porch with her feeding treats or playing with a toy for a few minutes, then taking her back in. You can work up from there as long as she is comfortable. Ideally, it would be best to work with a veterinary behaviorist on this - he/she can evaluate Coco in person and help you put together a detailed plan to help work on her anxiety. Prescription medication is also helpful for some dogs with severe anxiety like this, so you could discuss this option with your veterinarian as well.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Some dogs just do not like other dogs no matter what you do. you can try training and anti-anxiety medications like Prozac from your vet to help any anxiety cause. Then it’s slow desensitization. With the dugs you do short sessions with people touching her. But also realize her walking away from them is better than her biting them. Consider spaying her to help with the dog issues. You can also try a calming collar and treats first. But no drug is going to work without training and effort on your part. Good luck! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37239 https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20934

Hello, poor Fiddle! He seems to be very scared by other dogs. I think the best way to approach this is by introducing him to dogs that are not overtly playful and pushy in a neutral environment. That is, you may meet with a dog you know is calm and low energy in a park just to have the other dog be around Fiddle to see if he tolerates this. Obviously, avoid any situation which makes Fiddle scared or nervous and don't encourage his fearful behavior with any rewards such as talking to him, carrying him, or petting him as this may equivocally teach him that it is ok to be afraid of other pets. Ultimately, if you're having a really hard time with Fiddle, you may need to have him evaluated by a behaviorist as it is never too late to work with them on improving a behavior. Hope this helps.

It depends a bit on how severe the problem is. If he just doesn't like interacting with other dogs, but is able to ignore them when they're around as long as he's left alone, this is perfectly normal - some dogs don't have much interest in meeting or playing with strange dogs, just like some humans don't want to strike up a conversation with everyone they meet. If you mean that he barks, lunges, or tries to attack other dogs when he sees them, this is a much more serious problem. In that case, it would be best to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person to help determine the problem, and help you put together a training plan to work on it. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org