My new dog is stressed, scared, and won't walk. How can I help?

Patience and time and lots of loving and treats will help him grow to trust you. Since he's worried on walks, I would keep them short for now, carry treats or a favorite toy with you and when he follows you or comes when you call, even just one step, reward him and give him lots of praise. Find out what he likes to play with, teach him tricks or little tasks, take him for rides with you, whatever he seems to like, do that. As an adult dog in a new situation, it can be overwhelming. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise, play fetch or get him involved in dog agility of some other social activity to help boost his confidence when he's ready.

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.

A lot of puppies striggle with the concept of walking beside people at first, especially when a lead is introduced. If you have him on a lead this is likely the issue. What I usually find helps is getting him to follow you round a safe environment first such as your garden or home. You can do this on/off lead. Never ever pull him if he isnt walking as you will make him fear the lead. If yiu have a favourite toy or treats you can coax him to walk alongside you and praise him when he does. I would focus on this for a while befire trying to get him out into the world. When he is walking well in the garden try him on the street. He will likely take a bit if a back step so be prepared to work with him again. If he continues to plant his bum when you go outside he is likely scared of all the new things going on. Try not to force him, keep coaxing him and making it look fun outside and he will eventually realise it is ok. A friendly older dog can be a great help in guiding a young pup so you could borroe a family member or friend's dog to try and show him tbat outside is fine. It can be very frustrating with a pup, but persevere and eventually it will just click with him. Good luck!

If your new addition is otherwise feeling well (eating well, interacting and playing with you) she may be a shy puppy and/or adjusting to her new home. Some puppies are more confident than others and it can take some time for them to figure out their place in the new house. If you got her from a breeder you could certainly contact the breeder to ask about her personality previously with her littermates. The breeder will likely know if she was one of the more timid puppies. As most dogs are food motivated using treats can be really helpful. Or if she has particular toys she loves these can be used as well. Basically it's important to make her home a positive and not scary environment for her right now. For example if you get her to leave the house on her own show her praise and give her treats so that she knows this was a good behavior. It can take some time for some puppies to develop confidence. The other really important thing for puppies is a consistent routine as far as when they are fed, when they go outside, etc. Dogs are very smart and will learn a routine quickly and gain confidence in it. The other option is that she may not be feeling very well and that may be why she's reluctant to do some activities. It would not be normal for a puppy to just want to sleep all the time as they should have more energy then an adult dog. This would be even more concerning if you feel like she is not eating well. If any of these seem to be the issue, or just to ease your mind that what you're seeing at home is normal, then having her checked out by your family veterinarian would be a good idea. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Remember that, while you thought about this dog and bringing her into your home, all she knows is that one day she was Here, and the next day she was THERE, with no warning or explanation. She is confused and frightened. Try letting her come to you when she's ready, instead of approaching her. Don't pet her for the time being. Just be a calm and stable presence i her life. Understand, too, that dogs have no idea what a "name" is, other than a familiar word that usually has something to do with her. Yes, there are things you can do to help her adjust to her new surroundings, but this is not a "one or two sentence" answer. If you would like me to work with you on it, just click on the prompt ot initiate a consult.

Congratulations on your new addition! I suspect training will be the key to gaining more confidence for Chester. When a dog is unsure of themselves, giving them commands can be very helpful in decreasing their anxiety because now they have a concrete thing that they are supposed to do. I would recommend a basic training class to teach Chester the basics of sit, down, watch, heel, etc. and use these commands on walks. I think a Thundershirt is a great idea. You can also try some of the herbal calming options such as Composure. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids Finally, you can discuss short term anti-anxiety medications with your veterinarian if needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello. The best thing to do is start slow & put the harness on for a few minutes 2-3 times a day. Reward her with many treats & lots of petting to calm her. Then attach a leash & just let her drag it around for a few days. Once she seems comfortable, ask her to follow or approach you while gently pulling on the leash. I always have a tasty treat in my hand to encourage her. With just a little time & patience, all dogs will get used to being on a leash & harness. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.