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My dog has severe anxiety around new people/places. How can I help?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 1 year and 4 months old

One of my dogs (Pit/Boxer mix) has pretty severe anxiety around new people/places. It's sort of hit or miss, because some times she is fine but there are certain days her responses are with fear and occasional aggression. I try to reassure her that the new environment/person present is safe for her (and us) through my touch and voice, but I still can't generally get her to trust the space outside of our home including our well-known friends that only want to be able to comfortably play with her.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Davis

Answered By Dr. Davis

Veterinarian

Published on September 10th, 2017

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.
Vote Icon2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 1st, 2018

    This type of behavior is often due to anxiety. I would strongly recommend talking to your vet about anti-anxiety/ behavior modification medication which can make a huge difference! You’ll have to do some training/practicing in conjunction to medication but I have had a lot of success with this type of case!

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 18th, 2018

    Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend enrolling Zero into an obedience class or have her privately trained for the best results. At this age and with this problem, you may have difficulty training her by yourself. There are training videos online that you can pay for and you do the course with her if you would prefer to do the training at home. You can try things like the Adaptil collar and NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews, which can both be found online quite easily. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

  • Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on February 4th, 2017

    I'm not sure exactly what the behavior is that you're concerned about (acting timid, not wanting to go places, barking or growling at other people or dogs, etc.) so it's hard to give any specific suggestions without more information. I can tell you that anxiety and/or aggression or reactivity to other dogs or people outside the house are very common problems in dogs, and are best treated by a veterinary behaviorist rather than a trainer - most trainers do not have the knowledge and expertise to effectively treat behavior problems like this. Your dog needs to be evaluated in person by a professional, who will then help you put together a detailed training plan to work on the problem and may also discuss medication if needed to help with her anxiety. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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