My dog bites strangers/vet. How to fix aggression & get Petco shots?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Male | neutered | 1 year and 3 months old | 79 lbs
Last year I took my dog to petco vaccination clinic to get his shots but a couple months ago he had to go to vet and they put a muzzle on him for the first time he didn't like it since then when ever outside a stranger goes to pet him he tries to bit without warning same with if the vet gets to close to him how do I go about fixing this problem and will petco still give him his shots or how do I at least go about getting his rabies cause I can give him his vaccines he lets me do whatever!
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 4th, 2019
It’s pretty common for dogs to start to show signs of fear towards strangers and at the vets office around 6-12 months of age, and I doubt the muzzle had anything to do with it. Biting without giving warning signs is scary behavior and it would be best to see a behaviorist to try to work on this. He absolutely should wear a muzzle at the vets and it may be a good idea to train him to wear a basket muzzle out in public to keep strangers safe. You can purchase a muzzle and put it on at home or in the car before arriving at the vets to reduce stress, and you may want to ask your vet about a sedative before the visit. Some dogs need heavy sedation for vaccines and exams to help prevent them from becoming even more fearful at the vets office. While a Petco vaccine clinic might be an option they would also need to use a muzzle and would not be able to prescribe sedation if necessary. https://bestfriends.org/resources/muzzles-tool-keep-everyone-safe
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on December 8th, 2017
Ouch! I'm sorry Ceaser is biting! Usually yelling or physically pushing a dog away will often make the behavior worse so yelling at him or physically moving him should be stopped. The biggest thing to address is ensuring safety for you and your guests. Ceaser should not be allowed to interact with strangers as they may miss his cues and be bitten. You should never bother him when he is sleeping or eating as this is almost guaranteed to cause a bite. I'd suggest using a basket muzzle to train Ceaser to wear a muzzle at all times for everyone's safety. This website may be helpful: https://muzzleupproject.com/muzzle-training/ If you are unable to seek a veterinary behaviorist's help then I would recommend seeing your regular veterinarian for a discussion on medication to help with aggression. Your veterinarian can also take a detailed history to diagnose the root cause of the biting issue. An Adaptil collar may also be somewhat helpful. This is an article that may also be of interest to you: https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-common-myths-about-dog-aggression/ Thanks for using PetCoach and good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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