Handling a fearful Chiweenie

Category: Dogs

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Handling a fearful Chiweenie

Updated Dec 8, 2024

Dear Cathy,

We have a four-year-old Chiweenie who likes only four people and one other dog. He is afraid of everyone else. We want to go on vacation in the RV and leave him at home because otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to do anything or go anywhere. My sons are not able to take care of him sufficiently since they work all day. What can I do? I feel guilty boarding him in a kennel for seven to ten days since he’s afraid of people and dogs he doesn’t know. My other dog, a husky/Aussie mix, is very friendly and will stay with a friend of mine. I don’t want to put her in a kennel too just to provide company for the Chiweenie. We could take the Chiweenie with us, but then we would have to find daycare while we went sightseeing. Do you have any other ideas?

– Sue B., via email

Dear Sue,

If your dog is afraid of everyone, then going to a kennel or a daycare while on the road would be stressful for your dog. Any chance one of your sons can sleep over at your house at night with a pet sitter coming by during the day to let him out?

If you find a pet sitter who can come by during the day or who can sleepover while you are gone, there are ways you can get your dog acclimated to this new person. Get Adaptil, a dog pheromone, and have them spray it on their shoes, pant legs and up to the waist before coming in to meet your dog. These pheromones mimic a momma dog’s scent and will allow your Chiweenie to relax more around them. The pet sitter should not touch or pick up your dog in any way. It could take a few visits before he lets the pet sitter approach him. The pet sitter can toss a few treats onto the floor for your Chiweenie to eat. Your dog may not eat the treats at first, but when he does, you will know he is relaxing around the new person.

You also can ask your veterinarian for a mild sedative for your dog during a first-time meeting with a potential pet sitter. If your Chiweenie is chill and the pet sitter smells like a momma dog’s pheromones, chances are they will like each other well enough for them to come by (or sleep over) while you are gone.

Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to moc.tidnuptepobfsctd-515b4d@yhtac. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal

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Cathy Rosenthal (aka The Pet Pundit), CHES, CFE

Animal Welfare Communications Strategist, Writer & Educator

Cathy M. Rosenthal is an award-winning humane educator and author, animal welfare strategist, pet columnist, and speaker who has spent more than 38 years working in animal welfare with local and national humane organizations. She helps people better understand and care for animals through her nationally syndicated My Pet World column and has been the longtime pet columnist for the San Antonio Express-News since 2003.

In addition to her writing, Cathy develops humane education, leadership, customer service, and compassion fatigue training programs for animal welfare organizations nationwide, and has helped raise millions of dollars through grant writing, strategic communications, and program development.

Cathy is the editor and curator of Humane Perspectives: Leadership in Animal Welfare and is the author of several books, including Grant Writing Boot Camp for Animal Advocates, The Lucky Tale of Two Dogs, and The Happy Tale of Two Cats, which was the 2026 winner of the Association of Professional Humane Educators’ (APHE) "Educator’s Choice Award" for Best Humane Education Book for Young Children. She also received the 2026 APHE Nathania Gartman Heroes Award for Impact in Humane Education. Her humane education programs in Texas have reached more than 45,000 elementary school children since 2019.

She resides in Texas with her husband, their cat Sterling, and a former community cat, Maddie, who successfully negotiated an indoor living arrangement but still considers human affection highly negotiable.