My dog is terrified of loud noises and won't go outside. What to do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes dogs can get scared even when there does not appear to be anything scary in sight. Remember that they can hear and sense much better than us so he may be perceiving something that is near which you may not. This can improve but it can certainly become a bit difficult at times. I recommend that you start taking him out for longer periods but very slowly over the next several weeks. Encourage him to stay out with treats and positive words. Also, in the beginning just take him out without walking initially just to get him used to his surroundings. Eventually little by little he will learn that going outside equals getting treats and attention and will improve with time but it does require time and patience. You can consider using the Thunder shirt for him which you may find online and can help a lot in these cases. Good luck and have a great day!

Is she food motivated? Using treats to entice and reward her maybe helpful. Also, seeking the advice from your veterinarian about using antianxiety pheromones and possibly medications may be helpful as she is adjusting. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some dogs just do not enjoy going outside too much and it takes some encouragement to get them to go outside. Most of the time this is something that happens when they are scared or nervous about their surroundings. This is certainly not uncommon. A few things that you can try are going very slowly and reward progress. As your dog makes progress going outside, go ahead and reward Petrus with praise and also treats. Try to find fun things to do outside that your dog may like such as playing ball so that he associates going outside with something good. Before you know it he will get used to being outside. Good luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Jax! This is a serious phobia now if he won't go outside after dark. I highly recommend taking Jax to your Vet for medications. I would recommend starting a long acting anti-anxiety medication like Prozac. You will need to be proactive for fireworks and thunder storms for the future. You should have a short acting sedative to give before fireworks and thunderstorms. During these events he should be in a safe room with the TV AND a radio on. Do not force him outdoors during these times. You need to start desensitizing him towards firework noise now. That means playing a recording on a low volume while feeding him delicious treats and gradually increasing the volume. The goal being that he will associate GOOD things with the firework noise instead of fear. You will need to do something similar to get him back outside at night in combination with drugs. Good luck!

Oh dear, poor Axel! Some dogs have innately anxious and nervous personalities, and German Shepherds (it appears that Axel has a fair amount of Shepherd in him from the pictures!) are known for anxiety issues. Continue gently trying to socialize Axel with new people and surroundings, and offer small treats and gentle encouragement as he is introduced to a new situation. Some dogs also benefit from thunder shirts ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24037 ) for anxiety, as well as calming pheromone collars or diffusers ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=33000 ). If all else fails, consider consulting a veterinary behaviorist to discuss behavioral modifications to try at home, and possible anti-anxiety medication. I hope that all goes well!

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.

Is it possile to go out another door, or to a different part of the yard? If not, you need to teach her, in very small doses, that it is okay to go out. Do not baby her ("Oh, poor puppy! It's going to be all right.), or she will pick up on your tone of voice and be even more scared. Instead, speak to her with confidence (Come on, Lola, let's go out!). If she gets through the door, stop, rward her with a treat, and stop the exercise. Next time, try to get a very little bit farther out the door. Keep inching out in increments until she is comfortable going outside again.