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My adopted dog lunges and barks at other dogs. What can I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year old | 45 lbs

My boyfriend and i adopted our dog frankie a couple weeks ago and told he does well with other dogs. We try to take him with us when we can but have noticed he lunges barks and growls at other dogs. It is almost so bad he does all he can to get at the other dogs. Is there anything we can do to help him? When adopted we noticed he had scaring but were not told how he got it. I fear he was attacked and now tries to be the big dog to not be hurt again. No agression towards people and is very sweet.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist, Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner

Published on January 15th, 2018

Frankie is adorable! Thank you for posting pictures. Unfortunately, dogs can act differently in different situations. He may have been good with other dogs in a shelter or rescue situation, but doesn't do well on a leash or in a car for example. Since it sounds like the behavior is not showing any signs of improvement, I think it's time for a trainer to help you. If Frankie was adopted from a shelter or rescue, I would contact them to ask for a recommendation for a trainer. They may even have a trainer that has worked with Frankie. If they do not have a recommendation for you, I would recommend asking your vet for a recommendation for a trainer. It will be important for a trainer to see how Frankie reacts to other dogs in order to help you change that behavior. Behavioral problems can take a while to resolve, but Frankie is young, and it will certainly be worth it to resolve this problem before it gets any worse. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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