My dog hates other dogs, is stressed & hard to train. What to do?

Your question is cut off, but if Igor is showing aggression toward other animals, I highly recommend talking to and working with a trainer or behaviorist near you. Usually, training related to nerves/aggression around other animals is worked on with Behavioral Adjustment Training (BAT) or other desensitization techniques to keep your dog from reacting negatively toward other animals (or the object that is causing the trigger.) While this site is mostly US-centric, there are listings for behaviorists world-wide that may be able to help. http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/

It depends a bit on how severe the problem is. If he just doesn't like interacting with other dogs, but is able to ignore them when they're around as long as he's left alone, this is perfectly normal - some dogs don't have much interest in meeting or playing with strange dogs, just like some humans don't want to strike up a conversation with everyone they meet. If you mean that he barks, lunges, or tries to attack other dogs when he sees them, this is a much more serious problem. In that case, it would be best to make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person to help determine the problem, and help you put together a training plan to work on it. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

Poor Rocky! I'm sorry to hear that he has this problem. To get a veterinary check-up, I would recommend calling your vet to discuss your concerns and make a plan for how to have him seen safely. This may involve having you train him to wear a muzzle at home, so that you can put this on before he arrives at the veterinary clinic. The veterinarian may prescribe some anti-anxiety medication for you to give prior to coming in, and he may also need injectable sedation once he arrives at the clinic so that he can be handled safely. For the future, I would strongly recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can help you put together a detailed training plan to work on his aggressive behavior. Most aggression towards strangers is fear-based, so this normally includes using positive reinforcement (food rewards, etc.) to help the dog learn to be more comfortable with the things that scare him. Punishment-based training (prong or choke collars, shock collars, etc.) are NEVER recommended for the treatment of aggression issues, as this does not address the underlying problem and has a high risk of making the aggression worse over time. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org or ask your regular veterinarian where the nearest one is located.

This is a case for a professional trainer. I suggest you work with a professional trainer or join a dog club where you can do obedience training with your dog and work on the aggression issues. You can also have your dog evaluated by a veterinary behaviorist who can help you with behavioral modification tips as well as medication if necessary. Here is where you can find a veterinary behavioral specialist: https://www.dacvb.org/search/custom.asp?id=4709

This behavior can be hard to correct especially since she is an adult. I would talk to your vet about getting her started on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. These will help to calm her nerves, but you will also need to start a training program. This would be best started with an behaviorist or dog trainer. This will be a long road and unfortunately, there is no easy fix. I hope this helps and she starts to improve.

Hi there! Thanks for you question. Oh dear, sounds like a lot is going on! Thank you for the picture- he looked like a sweet guy despite the troubles you mention. From you description, it sound like he may have a little fear aggression as well as anxiety. I would strongly encourage you to seek the council of your full service veterinarian as well as seek advice from a canine behaviorist and dog trainer. Depending on what they diagnosis, he may need behavioral modifications to his and your daily routine, Rx medications if warranted by your veterinarian, and some dedication with training on your part. I hope all goes well and best of luck to you and Ceasar!

I hate to hear you both went through this trauma and unfortunately there is not an easy answer or easy advise to give. Dogs can suffer from PTSD type problems like people and until he has multiple, positive encounters he will not be the same. The other issue as well is that he is a large dog who is barking/growling and strangers are not going to approach him. In Hades brain, he does to want people to approach, so he barks. Of course, people do not approach so in Hades brain, he wins. He is having positive re-enforcement so he keeps doing it. This is a complicated situation that is best dealt with by a professional trainer who understands how dog's brains work. Because there are some aggressive signs already being shown, you need to stop him at this behavior before it escalates. You do not want a dog bite situation. I hope this helps to lead you in the right direction.