Why is my rescue dog suddenly scared of people on walks?

Give him some time to acclimate. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety. Consider short visits to a dog park or short walks to get him further acclimated. Praise and reward him as he progresses, but correct any negative behavior immediately. If you need help, consider an obedience or socialization program. The local Petco may offer one or both.

Gradually introduce her to one stranger at a time. Begin with very short visits/exposures. Increase the time as she acclimates. Introduce more people as she accepts them. Offer praise and reward after each episode. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar which can be worn when out or the DAP plug in diffuser to be used at home, may decrease any anxiety.

Use a pheromone product such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser. Either may decrease any anxiety. If your daughter is old enough, have her feed Bambi and offer treats and toys to him. She can play or interact with him for very short periods of time initially. This time can be increased as he acclimates. Always use praise and reward as he progresses. Be patient and be consistent. Do not force him to play or interact. If your daughter is an infant, show her to Bambi for ever increasing periods of time. If she is crying or moving, go slow as this could be scary to him, especially if he's never seen a baby.

Gradually introduce her to one person at a time. Do this in a neutral location such as a park. Begin with a short intro from a distance and gradually increase the time while closing the distance. Correct any negative behavior immediately and praise good behavior. End each session with a small reward. As she acclimates to one person, add another then another. Take her to as many public places as possible as well. This will acclimate her further to people and crowds. The use of a pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar, may help decrease any anxiety. This will take time and patience. Do not rush or force her to meet people, especially if she is trying to run away. Give her a break when this happens and try again once she settles down.

It could be a combination of being fearful/anxious and a bit possessive/protective. Try not to overwhelm her with too many people at once. Gradually acclimate her to one person at a time by exposing her for ever increasing periods of time. Correct any negative response immediately and praise good behavior consistently. Add in a new person as she accepts the previous one. Be patient. This will take time. A pheromone product, such as the Adaptil collar or DAP plug in diffuser, may decrease any anxiety she may have.

It will probably take her some time to adjust to her new situation. Continue to socialize her as much as possible to get her used to being around other people and in different situations. You could also try an Adaptil collar and/or Solliquin chews to see if that helps her adjust. Good Luck!

This will take time to overcome. It's best if he ignores her, sits down and doesn't look or talk with her. Over time she will get used to him and hopefully then she will seek him out. I've had success reducing this anxiety with the supplement Solliquin. Taking Evie to an obedience class will expose her to new people and animals and help her gain confidence in different situations. Once she is trained if she enjoys walks you can start walking her on a leash and have your husband come along so she is focused on walking and having fun with him around. I have a dog who is also scared of my husband and it's taken over a year for him to start to relax. He does enjoy waking and will go with my husband willingly when on the leash. Be patient, Evie should relax once she's settled into your household. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Evie.