screaming dog

Question
My son and daughter-in-law had a Doxie for about 5 years. After their first child and moving into a new house, they decided that they couldn't keep Mason. He has always had separation anxiety.  The problem we have is that anytime someone comes to the door, Mason just doesn't bark, he screams like he's terrified or like he has been hurt.  He is very slow to respond to any correction.  Our son had used a muzzle on him previously and he will be quiet when he sees it but is still agitated.

We feel very sorry for him as he can be very sweet and we feel like he has been "thrown away".  However, this screaming behavior is really causing problems.

We need any training pointers or help as how we can successfully change this behavior.

Answer

Hi Teresa,

I'm between you and your son, I'm sure you've already tried many things to help your dog get over his fear or anxiety response. Sometimes reading about how to fix a problem isn't the answer. It sounds like it's time to have a dog behaviorist evaluate you and your dog together. This would be the simplest most direct method of getting help, and would offer you the best chance of finally getting some control over your dog.

If your veterinarian or local boarding kennel can't give you a referral to a behaviorist, you may be able to locate one here:

http://www.iaabc.org/suchen/

http://www.apdt.com/petowners/ts/default.aspx

Best of luck,

Patti