My dog has anxiety. Is desensitization effective? What else can I try?

Question

I have been working on desanitation training with my dog beacuse he has pretty bad anxiety around dogs and people. Is this a good strategy. What other techniques can I try? It seems to be working a little bit. Pet's info: Dog | Dachshund | Male | neutered | 6 years and 11 months old | 16 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Hi there. In general, desensitization and counterconditioning (DS/CC) is a common behavior modification technique that can be effective for treating a variety of different issues, providing that it's being done correctly. Without knowing a lot more about your dog's specific situation, I can't really say if it's appropriate for him, or whether any other techniques might be better. I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a detailed plan to work on his anxiety, which may include DS/CC or other techniques depending on the specifics of the case. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

My dog has anxiety. Is desensitization effective? What else can I try?

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