Why is my dog suddenly aggressive and barking after a life change?

I’m sorry to hear about Mia! 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! Sometimes, training is also needed in conjunction to medication. Best of luck to you and Mia!

Poor Mia! If she is too upset to take treats, this means that you need to be further away from the things that are scaring her. Some dogs need a lot of distance at first! When you are far enough away for her to be comfortable, you can praise and reward her for calm behavior, then gradually work on moving closer as long as she's doing well. It can be challenging to do this on your own at first, so I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist or a good reward-based trainer who can work with you in person. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here (www.dacvb.org) or a qualified trainer here (www.ccpdt.org).

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Dallas is suffering from anxiety. Dogs can become anxious when separated from their owner (even if it's a quick trip to the store!) or when moving into a new place. I would recommend encouraging independent play by offering Dallas a kong filled with frozen peanut butter or another toy/treat that encourages him to play by himself. I would also look into a pheromone collar and thundershirt to see if that can help him as well. If these suggestions are not enough or you have further concerns, I would recommend either setting up a consult or reaching out to your regular veterinarian for further advice. Good luck!

Many dogs bark at sounds or unfamiliar objects or people, especially when they are first getting used to a new environment. If she is barking all the time, I suspect that she is somewhat anxious and "on-edge" about lots of different things - she may have been poorly socialized as a puppy, which often leads to excessive anxiety about new things and lots of barking as a result. If you think this might be the case, there are a few things you can do to help. A DAP pheromone collar along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure can help to relieve some of her anxiety - these can be purchased online with out a prescription, and are helpful for many dogs with this issue. Inside the house, you can also use a white noise machine or some other type of background noise to help block out sounds from outside that may trigger the barking. Outside, I would carry treats with you when you take Mitsu for walks. Anytime she sees something and starts to bark, call her back to you and give her a treat. Over time, she will learn to look at you for her treat when she sees something that startles her, rather than barking and lunging. If you need help with this, I would suggest getting in touch with a good reward-based trainer who can work with you in person. You can search for a qualified trainer in your area here: www.ccpdt.org

I'm sorry to hear that Seraph lost her friend last year. It's certainly possible that she's experiencing some loneliness, but I would have expected the behavior changes to start right after your other dog's passing. Given her age, the other thing to bear in mind is that she may be starting to develop some cognitive dysfunction, vision loss, or hearing loss. Any of these changes can manifest with some degree of separation anxiety and barking changes. If you're planning to get another dog, I doubt that it will make matters worse for Seraph, but there's certainly no guarantee that it will help her barking and anxiety either. These articles have a lot more information for you to consider: https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-signs-of-cognitive-dysfunction-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/aging-gracefully-6-things-to-know-about-canine-cognitive-dysfunct/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/is-my-dog-experiencing-hearing-loss/ https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/acquired-deafness-and-hearing-loss/ I hope this helps a bit and that everything goes well for Seraph!

I am so sorry that Chata is barking so much. Some dogs feel the need to communicate all the time. If she is barking excessively at kids, it could be that she is experiencing a high level of anxiety when they approach her. I would recommend to contact your veterinarian to discuss possible anti-anxiety medicines to help take the edge off. These medications are NOT suppose to sedate them, but I have seen some good success with barking and similar anxious behaviors. Also, make sure the Chata is getting enough activity as some dogs will be excessive barkers if they have pent up energy. Finally, consider working with a dog trainer or a veterinary behaviorist. You can find one in your area on www.acvb.org. Here are some additional resources for you below: peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=153 pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/understanding-why-dogs-bark#1 humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/how_to_stop_barking.html

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the problem is truly behavioral and she has no other issues going on (I know you say she had a biopsy recently) you can explain this to your doctor and likely they will prescribe you something for anxiety-especially if she is calmed by hugging tight, etc. thunder shirts are available and many animals find them calming as well (the "shirt" fits snugly over the animal and sort of mimics a hug). Anxiolytics like trazadone often help-but so can natural medications like melatonin in my experience. Your doctor will decide which is right for your pet based on her current history and health status. I hope this helps!