My dog growls and pees when petted. How to reduce his travel anxiety?

Question

So recently my dog has suddenly gotten into a habit of growling at me and my family when we pet him. He leaks urine while during this, but sometimes even when he’s not leaking he still gorlws at us when we pet him. Even more recently we have returned from a trip and he’s been really stressed , sleeping more, being more aggressive, etc. How can I help him relieve this and potentially stop the growling problem? My siblings are young and my parents re fraid tht he’ll potentially bite us. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 2 months old | 12 lbs

Makenzie Kurth, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This sounds like fear anxiety. Spend a lot of time counter-conditioning. This means basically re-training him to associate you all with positive things. Treats are the easiest. Sit on the floor and slowly feed him tiny treats. Then reach out to him (palm up, under the chin OR the side/back). Then give treats. Keep slowly doing more and more, giving tiny treats all the while. Eventually he learns “hey, when this person pets me, I get food!”. Also a dog brain that is eating food is much less capable of anxiety and fear. When Curry is completely comfortable with you doing this, start having the younger kids calmly join you and have them offer treats slowly too. Obviously safety is priority so if you need to hold or leash Curry while you do this, please do so. If you’d like this process to go faster and easier, talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medication which can lower the fear threshold and promote this learning. Best of luck to you and Curry!

My dog growls and pees when petted. How to reduce his travel anxiety?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

Why is my new pet biting? Is she stressed or scared in her new home?

My robo hamster is limp, bleeding, and collapsed. Is it wet tail?

Is my pet's occasional sneezing and eye crust a URI symptom?

How to keep a pet mom and her newborn babies warm and calm?

My hamster is suddenly bloated, angry, and biting. What should I do?

Share