How to stop my dog barking at my elderly dad and his walker?

Hi, if your dog hates men it may be a dominance issues. Buddy may feel like men are trying to be the leader of his pack and he wants to challenge them. Or he may just be afraid of them and showing fear. I would socialize him with many men by walking her on a leash and having the man calmly drop a treat in front of him. The more different men who do this, the better. Praise him when he is not barking. Then have them come closer and get down on his level and hand him a treat. Go slow with this and don't have them reach to pet his unless he approaches them. If you're walking Buddy and he starts to bark, get his attention back to you by carrying some treats with you. Stop and have him sit then reward him. Ask the man going by if he would toss a treat to him. Sometimes strangers or neighbors, friends and family are willing to help with this. Good luck, i hope this helps!

Outside is neutral territory; inside is your previous dog's territory. There isn't much other than allowing him time to get used to having a new roommate. Try to keep things as normal as possible. Continue the walks outside so they can bond. You can also use Adaptil diffusers or DAP collars to provide calming pheromones.

For the barking you can use a Sonic Egg which is a portable anti bark device. I would discipline him with a deep no when growling so you don't encourage this behavior. He's at a protective stage in his development so I recommend obedience training in a group setting to improve his confidence and his bonding and listening to you. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Teddy.

Hi there. I'm so sorry to read about Scarlet's troubles. There are a lot of reasons dogs can bark. They can be nervous or scared, protective of their families, excited in general, curious, etc. Lack of structure and exercise can make them more nervous as well. Some dogs respond to you teaching them a "bark" or "speak" command in a very quiet setting when there isn't anything making them bark. This shows them that you will tell them when it's time to be vocal. You can also try crating her in a kennel when people come over. Once everyone arrives you can let her out to socialize. The kennel isn't for punishment, but just her private, comfortable area where he can feel secure when the stressful situation occurs. Placing her in the kennel in a separate room can also help break her of the barking if you just let him "bark it out" without yelling or responding to her until she is quiet. Desensitizing to the stimulus can be helpful too. I am including a link that I think has some good information about how to help with the barking behavior. However, please keep in mind that any aggression like growling, snarling, biting, or lunging at other dogs or people, should be taken seriously, and I would not continue to try training without a professional. And that being said, the best way to get this behavior under control is to contact a reputable trainer in your area who can work with you. I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

I certainly sympathize with your situation. Since Digby is 7 years old and this is a new behavior, I would start by having your veterinarian examine Digby to make sure there isn't a medical condition that is contributing to the change in his behavior. Your veterinarian may recommend trying medication depending on Digby's situation and behavior. If everything is normal on examination, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation for a behaviorist or trainer. You will need to commit to a training regimen to change Digby's behavior when he sees another dog. This can be a long process, but will be worth it. Good luck! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Puppies can sometimes be A LOT for senior dogs and it can take some time for them to get use to one another. If there were any food, treats, toys or special people near by Buddy could have just been acting protective over these. Also, with Buddy being older, if they puppy is always playing, jumping on him, or nipping at him, he may have been just trying to tell the puppy to leave him alone or trying to set some boundaries. Also, if he is arthritic and he knows the puppy jumping on him hurts, he could have reacted to prevent this. I would continue to keep them separate until you know they can be left alone together. I would definitely feed them separately as well. I would be sure you are still spending plenty of alone time with Buddy as he may be feeling frustrated that his home life has changed with the new addition. I would continue to have short but frequent times of them being together. You could also start Buddy on an anti-anxiety chew like composure or composure pro and get him a calming collar like sentry or adaptil. If these don't help, talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. I hope this helps!