My dog gets upset when we argue. Is it bad for his well-being?

Hi, thank you for contacting us through the forum. I understand this is a rough time for everyone involved. I hope things will settle again soon for you and Jack. With regards to what you can do for him, is there a place that is just Jack’s resting place or that he could become so ? A room where he can go and not be affected by the noises around him ? Ideally this would be where he chooses to go when you are arguing. There are some natural remedies that can be tried to reduce anxiety and stress in dogs, and one that does not have any consequences is Zylkene. Also a DAP adaptor plugged in the room where he sleeps might be an idea. The big difficulty in this, is that arguments are unpredictable and therefore there is not much that can be done to prevent this as such. However by administering Zylkene and using DAP the general level of stress for him can be reduced. I hope that this helps Jack, and that you both find deserved peace and harmony in 2018.

Dogs are very good at picking up on the emotions of their people. If you or someone in your family is very emotionally distressed from a fight, then it is likely causing Smoky to also be stressed out. Trying to solve the underlying problem (the fighting) by speaking with a human counselor may be helpful in both reducing your own stress, and Smoky's. If you must fight, moving Smoky to another room, or attempting to calm him down with a favorite treat or some quiet time together may help reduce stress, but taking care of the overarching problem is best for the long-term.

If Bruno is healthy and in good shape, it should not impact his lifespan. If he is sedentary AND overweight or tires easily, then he should be examined by your veterinarian to diagnose any medical causes.

Generally we recommend dogs be walked regularly for all the reasons you described. Regular exercise is good for their mental and physical well being. Dogs that are exercised regularly are generally better behaved at home. I would not say that walking increases their life span, as there can be lots of factors that influence the life span of a dog. However, we do know that overweight dogs on average have a shorter lifespan as they tend to have more health issues as they age. I would try to get Bruno on a walking schedule if possible. It depends on his energy level as to whether or not he needs to go for a walk every day, or only needs to go a few times a week. He definitely needs to go outside regularly to urinate and defecate.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Don't beat yourself up! You can only do what you can do and most dogs do not have shortened life spans from decreased exercise, stress and mildly cold temperatures. Exercise is a very good thing to provide, maybe you can increase the walks and play time. The biggest health risk for inactivity is obesity and it has been proven that leaner dogs live longer. I would also provide comfortable enclosures and do not keep Joshie out in very cold weather or very hot weather. Any changes you can make, no matter how small, will benefit Joshie. I hope this helps and I wish you both the best!

That's a frustration habit for Bruno to pick up. There are many many possibilities here. Bruno could be experiencing anxiety, territorial aggression, physical pain, resource guarding, or another behavior problem. I would recommend a behavior consolation with your veterinarian first so they can determine if this is a medical issue or primary behavior problem and get you connected with the best person to help Bruno feel better. In the meantime, don't punish Bruno for barking - instead try to distract him with treats. Ultimately, i expect you're going to need some hands on professional help. Good luck!

Stress can definitely make cerebellar issues worse, or accentuate the in-coordination (excitement can have the same effect!). Making sure to give Bruno a chance to rest and recover is best to help avoid accidental injury or running into something when he is startled. If you're noticing anything long term beyond his usual symptoms, or his symptoms do become progressively worse, a further workup from your vet or a neurologist to make sure there isn't anything else ongoing beyond the cerebellar disease is best. VIN has a nice article about how stress affects pets, and while it isn't specific to cerebellar cases, you can see how stress affects many of the same systems that would be affected in this disease: https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?id=7054740&pid=12886