Category: Top Dog

Yesterday we brought home a 3 month old Anatolian/Pyrenees (He's already knee high!) from a rural farm to the middle of a smallish town. He was mostly outdoors with livestock, but otherwise well socialized and friendly. The 2.5 hour drive home was his first car ride. He was anxious, but calm. He's been pretty anxious since leaving his old home- completely different environment here.

Since we got him home last night I've had to literally carry him through the door inside and out every time. He refuses to do it on his own. Normally I'd think take it slow, let him figure it out on his own, but he's had a couple accidents inside because of it, and has found his way through the fence a couple times too. So can't leave him inside or out unsupervised at all. We do have a cat who's still unhappy about the new family member, and it likes to stand around hissing at him.

As soon as I can figure out where he's getting through I'll mend the fence (supplies on hand already). Accidents, we spot him, and just drag him out the backdoor- kicking and whimpering the whole time- and clean up the mess. This makes him more anxious, and he takes a while to calm down enough to finish.

I'll be feeding him outside morning and afternoon- at least for now- so he learns there's good things about going in and out. We've tried coaxing him with training treats, but he's not interested in them.

I know it takes time- not our first dog- but this is a new problem for me. I'd love to hear what other suggestions folks have. I'm a disabled veteran with PTSD, and was hoping to join a program this summer that'll help me train him as a service dog. He did great when I went to meet him, but now I'm wondering if he's actually a good candidate.

Thanks for any help or support!

Hi! So my dog is a pocket American bulldog that is 5 years old. He is neutered, and has also been a ESA animal for 2 years. I’ve done tons of training with him including 1:1, group classes and in home visits. He is wonderful in the home, doesn’t bark, sleeps all day, and just walks around. I’ve never had a problem with him barking or lunging at dogs until a few months ago.

I had my friend move in to my apartment with her golden retriever who is 1 year old. I took them both to the dog park, which normally is fine. But my dog started growling and scaring the other dog. I thought it was maybe a 1 time situation. But now whenever there’s a fence in between him and another dog or a dog is to close to him he begins to growl and 1 time he has lunged.

I’ve never seen him do this and so I worked on training, and having him go on more frequent walks where he just sits and waits watching the other dogs pass. He normally is great but even without the golden retriever around he is still growling and pulling on my leash which never has been an issue before.

My vet said he is cleared medically and nothing is wrong with him.

So can someone give me tips of how to train him so I can stop this behavior before it gets worse?

He is 3.5 years old, we’ve had him for 2.5 years. He’s very well behaved, and generally a very clean dog. He has been to my parents house at least a dozen times, but two out of the last three times he intentionally rolled around in his own poop! Yuck!

Any ideas why he might be doing this, and how to stop him? He gets lots of love and attention when he is over there, as well as at home. Gets daily walks, lots of food and love.

He will sometimes be there while I’m at the Parents just visiting, and he’ll sometimes be there if we’re going to be out for a long day and didn’t want him to be alone. It has happened once on each of those two types of visits.

I moved across the country a few months ago and my dog has since been a different dog entirely. She used to be the biggest sweetheart, got along with everyone, no matter what kind of creature it was. Ever since we got here, she grows at everything for no discernable reason. My other pets can't get near her and she is even growly with people.

I have taken her to the vet, nothing is wrong. I have increased her exercise and bought her a bunch of mentally stimulating toys. I don't think it's resource guarding because it isn't consistent at all. There was nothing traumatic about the move at all, and she has had a few months to settle in, so I'm not sure why that would be an issue.

I'm so lost and scared–I don't know what to do.

Me and my girfriend moved in to a new apartment few months back and she owns the terrier who is 5 yrs old now. I've never lived with a dog, I've owned a cat for 15 years so lots of stuff were pretty new to me. I had to learn many things which I applied with great success, there's still lot to learn but there is steady progress every few days.

The main issue we have at this point is that at night, and only at night, it's as if he's only waiting for an opportunity to bite me. We had few situations like this already like I would sit calmly on my chair, maybe on my laptop or phone and the dog would be either asleep or just laying down. As soon as I would make even the slightest noise or movement, for example closing the laptop or getting up, there he is lunging at me.

During daytime he's pretty good, playful, submissive if told, quite normal behaviour.

Any idea what could be causing this behaviour?

We have an 11 month, newly-rescued pup (3 weeks at home). She’s potty trained and knows how to communicate when she wants to go outside and is able to sleep through the night without any accidents or needing to go out.

She keeps peeing in 2 spots in the house: in our bedroom and at the top of the stairs, outside the guest bedroom. Both areas are carpeted. She hasn’t spent any significant time in the guest room, but has been inside to sniff around. She sleeps in our bedroom at night, in bed with us. We keep the doors to both rooms closed during day so she doesn’t go in unsupervised and risk peeing and we try to call her back downstairs if it seems like she is sniffing around too much and take her outside. It’s mostly pee, although she has pooped a couple of times in our bedroom.

It doesn’t seem accidental as she is on a regular walk schedule and spends plenty of time outside. We’ve also taken her to the vet and there are no health concerns. I always clean up the spots with enzymatic cleaner.

What’s making her do this and how can we help her stop?

I have a pretty cool dog and a lot of times when he is walked people will ask to pet him. The issue is I don’t think he would bite someone ever. He’s 5 and never bites or is aggressive, just barks when scared. However, if some random person wants to pet him, he will walk up kind of near them, but if they reach out to pet him, he just barks. Of course, a random dog barking at people in the park isn’t a good look.

I’m wondering how we can train him to be less afraid and more comfortable with new people. He does this when people enter our house too, where he will bark and back up, but once he gets used to them he really likes people. I think him being able to socialize more would really help him and us.