My dog is scared of other dogs and a new puppy after an attack?

Question

I have a small shih tzu who unfortunately was attacked by our neighbors dog. The wounds have healed and he’s up and happy again. The only problem now is that he’s afraid of other dogs. I’ve tried taking him to dog parks to resocialize him but he panics and wants to avoid the situation. This has led me to not go out with my dog as much. My sister in law also just got a 8 week old puppy who my dog is also scared of. I’m not really sure what to do? Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Male | unneutered | 9 lbs

Jessica Desrosiers · Accepted Answer

Dog parks are pretty awful places to practice socialization as many dogs there can have "bad" manners or all crowd a scared or nervous dog which can make things worse. I highly recommend working one on one with socialization with friends who have calm, relaxed dogs in a quiet, neutral environment that may be easier and less scary for Teddy. I also recommend speaking with a trainer or behaviorist in person that can work on desensitization training techniques to help him feel more comfortable. As for with the new puppy, slow, monitored introductions with plenty of time outs if anyone gets too nervous or agitated, and plenty of time may help ease the transition.

My dog is scared of other dogs and a new puppy after an attack?

Most Helpful Answer

Share