Q

I’m having a problem with my dog, Brownie.  He seems to be scared when my boyfriend is around.  I just don’t know what to do.  Please help me.

From Lupita

A

Hi, Lupita!  Let’s see what we can do about getting Brownie warmed up to your boyfriend.

You should focus on creating positive interactions between Brownie and your boyfriend.  When your boyfriend is over any time near any of Brownie’s regular meal times, have him feed Brownie his meal.  You could also try picking up a new, special toy that only comes out when your boyfriend is over and only have your boyfriend give it to him.  Make sure it a toy that you think Brownie would really like! 

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Also, if your boyfriend doesn’t mind when he is over, have him perform behavior training exercises with Brownie much like ones you would have had with Brownie when he was a puppy.  Have your boyfriend get out a bag of small treats (nothing too high in calories if you can) and do some ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘lie down’, and ‘stay’ type of exercises where Brownie gets rewarded with treats from your boyfriend.  Start as simple as possible where perhaps Brownie simply gets a treat for approaching or even looking at your boyfriend and work your way up to commands.  Hopefully, these positive interactions will lead to Brownie getting excited and happy when your boyfriend is around, and then you can start having him pat and give positive social attention to Brownie as he becomes more amenable to being approached by him. 

Hopefully these suggestions help improve the relationship between Brownie and your boyfriend!

Craig Galbraith, DVM