Why is my dog suddenly avoiding my husband in the living room?

It sounds like Hayley is missing your husband. If she is hiding a lot, and also is not eating and drinking much at all, it would be best to have her evaluated by your vet to make sure there's no medical explanation for her change in behavior that needs to be addressed. If her physical exam and any tests (blood tests, etc) that your vet recommends are all normal, then we would say that, yes--this is a behavioral problem. If that is the case, it may help to consult with a behaviorist and trainer; however here's a few things you can try at home. -if she's more bonded to him than you, work on forging that bond with you more. Keep treats that she likes in your pocket. Take her for walks. Give her one on one attention away from the other dogs. This might help. -Do all the dogs get along? If so, try to help engage play between to the dogs to help keep her engaged. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It sounds as though Lacey has become anxious / stressed by something. If your husband was wearing a hat or clothes that scared Lacey, this could prompt her to develop a fear of him. If she is adopted, maybe she had a previous experience that was recently triggered by something your husband did (loud noise, etc.). I would recommend having your husband walk her regularly, give her lots of treats and make her do tricks for them, etc. Have him spend more time with her and if the behavior does not correct itself, I would maybe have her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions / concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Any abrupt change in behavior is a good reason to go to the vet. It could be there is some underlying medical condition causing his change. Your vet will do an exam, possibly some lab work and based on these results, should be better able to give you an idea of what is going on with your dog and how best to treat it.

I recommend thinking about what changes have happened in the last couple of days. Have you moved any furniture, replaced lightbulbs, or plugged in any new appliances? Some electronics can have sounds that we can't hear, but can trigger anxiety in our pets. There are a couple things you can try for anxiety; Composure chews and Adaptil diffusers. Adaptil is a pheromone that can help with anxiety. It is available as a plug-in room diffuser for large areas, and as a spray for small areas like a mat or bed. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids/comfort-zone-diffuser-with-dap-for-dogs Thanks for using PetCoach.

Something must have scared her and it will take some time to get her to relax again. I would ignore her, go sit in the room with her and have very tasty treats ready. Hopefully Merida will investigate the smell of the treats and you can offer them to her. I would only reach for her if she's relaxed and not hold her if she wants to get away. Gradually she'll learn you always have good treats and she will relax and start to come to you again and then you can start petting and playing with her. Please be calm and speak softly and even play with her toys without looking at her. She should become curious and want to join in. Again this may take some time and if you are too loud or forceful it may make her more fearful. Be patient and things should gradually get back to normal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Merida.

It is possible that Coco just doesn't like the new puppy, but there could be other causes for her distancing herself from the rest of the family, including pain from arthritis, cognitive dysfunction, and internal medical illness, among others. I would recommend that Coco have a good checkup with a vet to rule out the easier possibilities. If there are no obvious causes found on examination and lab work, then the vet may recommend treating anxiety or supplements for cognitive dysfunction.

It could be Loxely isn't feeling well or may be in pain. You can see behavior changes in dogs when they are sick or painful. I would keep an eye on him for the next 24-48 hours. If this behavior continues over this time, then I would have him seen by a vet. Should he develop other symptoms such as limping, severe lethargy, vomiting, or a loss of appetite, I would take him into a vet right away. I hope this helps!