My dog really doesn't like my new neighbor.

[Frankie Flowers]

I have a new neighbor, and my dog has developed a very strong dislike for them. We have only had a few interactions, but every time we come in contact, my pup growls and gets very agitated. He will sit and growl at the window whenever he sees them walk outside. I really am not sure why he feels this way, but I would like to be able to go for a walk or even simply sit in the living room without him getting so growly every single time the neighbor is in sight. Any advice?

 

[Danielle DeGroot]

Hi Frankie. This is a great question. I've recently had some similar issues with my dog and new people moving in next door. One thing I did was to take the time to introduce myself and my dog to the new neighbors and explain that she was a little nervous. They have spent a few minutes at a time speaking to her and even giving her a treat, which has helped a little. It's hard to tell why your pup may not like someone or feel like he needs his guard up. It could be a certain smell, pheromone, or simply that they are a new person and your pup feels scared. Dogs are also able to easily tell if someone is feeling nervous or scared around them and may react in the same way. My suggestion would be to set up a few short meet-and-greets with your neighbor and your dog to get your pup acclimated to this new person. If the neighbor is unwilling, and your pup keeps it up, you may need to look into some training or behavior modification classes to stop it.