Why is my dog suddenly anxious, territorial, and not affectionate?

Question

Pipers behavior has changed a lot this year. She has been having awful panic attacks when she is home alone and in her kennel, I don’t think her play fights are for play anymore, she’s very territorial, and does not want to cuddle. Since she was a puppy we’ve moved around, we’ve had lots of roommates with dogs, and she’s always done well with the transitions. And she always travels with me. But lately, she clings to my mom, and my moms dog a lot, even though I’m home more than my mom. Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 2 years and 11 months old | 11 lbs

Dr. Elizabeth · Accepted Answer

Thats tough! It's hard when dogs become anxious or begin lashing out because they can't just talk and tell us what is bothering them. Many times these situations are best handled with both behavior modification and medications. Getting in contact with a behaviorist would be the surest and the fasted way to fix this situation. They observe the behaviors and then teach you how to react to modify Piper's behavior. What I recommend to clients is to focus on daily hard exercise, a tired dog is less likely to exhibit anxiety. Get on a routine and stick with it. Play classical music while you are away as this is calm. Read about dog anxiety and how to react correctly. Lastly, there's a prescription diet made by Royal Canin called Calm which may help. I recommend to discuss medication options with Piper's doctor as they may also benefit her. Be patient, this can take a while. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Why is my dog suddenly anxious, territorial, and not affectionate?

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