How to safely introduce an anxious dog to a new child at home?

Question

I have a 10 year old neurotic, neutered GSD x wolf, with little exposure to children, and is a very spoilt boy. I have a 7 year old human boy coming to live with me and Nero becomes agitated and restless with anyone new but particularly children. Is there some permanent medication I can put him on to keep him in a calm state so he can deal with this? I have been told to euthenase to be safe, but he is my baby, has been loyal to me for nearly 11 years. It would break my heart. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 10 years and 6 months old | 130 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Nero is a very handsome guy! I'm sorry that you are in this situation - it sounds very difficult. Unfortunately, there is no medication that can be used to make Nero safe around this child. Medication can be a useful part of an overall behavioral treatment plan for dogs with aggression or anxiety issues, but it will not make any significant difference in his behavior if you're using it on its own without making any other changes. If you want to see if it might be possible to keep Nero safely in your home, I would strongly recommend a consultation with a board-certified veterinary behaviorist. He/she will evaluate Nero in person and get a detailed history from you regarding his behavior and temperament. The behaviorist can help you decide if keeping Nero is a realistic goal, and will also help you put together a detailed plan to manage the situation in your home to keep everyone safe if you decide to give this a try. You can ask your veterinarian for a referral to a behaviorist - he/she should be able to direct you to your nearest one for an appointment.

How to safely introduce an anxious dog to a new child at home?

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