Why is my dog suddenly jumpy, anxious, and refusing walks?

Poor Littlebit! Is there a scary or traumatic even that could have happened a few months ago that could have changed his behavior? Or a change in the household (new people, kids now crawling/walking, new pets, construction, etc) or household routines (you're home more or less than normal, change in work schedule, etc)? All of these things could cause a little anxiety or neediness. You could try to give her some Benadryl to see if this calms her. You could also do a pheromone calming collar like adaptil. If this does not help, I would talk to your vet about looking at her to ensure nothing else is going on and possbily starting her on an anti-anxiety medicine. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon.!

Oh no! It sure sounds like Lou Lou is really upset, likely about the new situation. Stress can trigger behavior issues quite easily, and if she feels pressured, afraid, or like she has to compete with your other dog at all in this new environment, she could become aggressive. If she's eating and drinking fine, and has no diarrhea or vomiting or other physical issues, it's likely stress. You need to somehow get some anti-anxiety medication for her like Lorazepam from a veterinarian and try to keep them separated. Good luck!

She might be feeling a bit anxious if she hasn't stayed at your house or location before. Spending a little more time cuddling or exploring the neighborhood together may help her feel more comfortable on walks and when at home. If she seems itchy at all on her face or ears, it is the time for seasonal allergies which could be at play. Checking for any redness, irritation or discharge from the ears can help alert you to any problems, and if anything new arises or is very bothersome, having your vet take a look is best.

Thats tough! It's hard when dogs become anxious or begin lashing out because they can't just talk and tell us what is bothering them. Many times these situations are best handled with both behavior modification and medications. Getting in contact with a behaviorist would be the surest and the fasted way to fix this situation. They observe the behaviors and then teach you how to react to modify Piper's behavior. What I recommend to clients is to focus on daily hard exercise, a tired dog is less likely to exhibit anxiety. Get on a routine and stick with it. Play classical music while you are away as this is calm. Read about dog anxiety and how to react correctly. Lastly, there's a prescription diet made by Royal Canin called Calm which may help. I recommend to discuss medication options with Piper's doctor as they may also benefit her. Be patient, this can take a while. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It may be time to speak with a local trainer or animal behaviorist in your area to see if they can observe what is going on in person. This can help them to formulate a plan that may help Peanut regain her confidence outside. Usually, this involves taking small steps by exposing her to being outside for longer periods, and offering treats and praise when she is calm and successful. If she becomes too nervous, taking a break and letting her calm down before trying again can help. If the anxiety continues, it is also a good idea to rule out any health issues with your veterinarian, as some illnesses can cause sudden behavioral changes or anxiety, especially if there is pain. Your vet can also prescribe an anti-anxiety medication if needed during your training plan to help make things a little easier on Peanut.

If he is truly 17 years old then this could be due to cognitive disorder which is similar to dementia. There isn't much you can do about this but you could try to put him on anipryl which can sometimes help but the meds are expensive. If he is younger like it looks in the pictures, this could be from several things like a new anxiety (construction workers, storms, change in his owner(s) routine, etc), pain somewhere, and more. I would have your vet do a thorough exam on him. If everything looks normal, I would talk to him about anti-anxiety meds if needed. Some natural things to try is a calming collar like adaptil and calming chews like vetriscience composure or the stronger prescription version composure pro. I hope this helps!

Ruling out an underlying health issue such as pain or illness is always a good first step when your pet experiences a sudden behavior change. As seven is the start of the senior years, it is possible there is some pain from laying in the bed, or arthritis causing problems. if Milou checks out health, trying to find if there is a pattern to the "attacks" may be helpful- does it happen the same time every night? Same spot? Same triggers? Is the neighbor arriving home in a noisy car at that time, etc? This may help you figure out what is triggering it so you can make some adjustments- IE moving the bed somewhere quieter, making sure your dog is fast asleep prior to that time, getting out excess energy before bed, feeding a treat to keep the stomach from becoming too empty and causing growling/discomfort, etc. If you can't seem to find any pattern at all, taking a video of the even to bring to your vet or a local trainer may be helpful in better identifying what is going on, and finding a solution.