My adopted dog gets nervous on walks. How to build his confidence?

Question

Have a newly adopted 2 yr old Pit Bull/Labrador mix. After 40 hours or so, He’s doing very well indoors, but gets extremely nervous when we take him for walks. He shivers/shakes and won’t stay out for more than 5 minutes. Am going to try a thundershirt- but would love some more advice on how to get him to feel more secure and confident. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 1 year and 11 months old | 55 lbs

Dr. Heidi DVM, CVA, CCRT, CVTP, CVSMT, CVCH · Accepted Answer

Congratulations on your new addition! I suspect training will be the key to gaining more confidence for Chester. When a dog is unsure of themselves, giving them commands can be very helpful in decreasing their anxiety because now they have a concrete thing that they are supposed to do. I would recommend a basic training class to teach Chester the basics of sit, down, watch, heel, etc. and use these commands on walks. I think a Thundershirt is a great idea. You can also try some of the herbal calming options such as Composure. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-calming-aids Finally, you can discuss short term anti-anxiety medications with your veterinarian if needed. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

My adopted dog gets nervous on walks. How to build his confidence?

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