You grab your keys, head out the door, and before you’ve even arrived at the grocery store, you notice that your neighborhood text group is overrun with messages.
It seems someone’s pooch is howling, screeching, and bawling his head off.
When it dawns on you that it’s your dog unleashing all manner of anxious hell on your neighbors, your heart sinks, and your own anxiety levels rise.
Will you ever be able to leave the house again?
But that’s not all, is it? If only separation anxiety was the only type of anxiety, your dog was reveling in. Instead, he levels it up when you’re on a walk.
Some days he skirts around your ankles looking weak and fearful, and others, he lunges at other dogs and children, trying to savagely rip off anything his little (or large) snappy jaws can get hold of.
Okay, okay, so that’s quite enough, isn’t it? Not really.
If you’re in for a doozie with your pet, he will also do the I’ll-pee-in-the-house thing when you’re just outside putting the trash away or he hears the doorbell ring.
“Anxiety” is the single most terrifying word to the parent of an anxious dog.
Why do dogs experience anxiety, and is there a cure? Let’s find out!
Reasons for Dog Anxiety
Okay, so we can’t point too many fingers at dogs. Humans get anxious, too, and often the reasons are similar, but sometimes they can be worlds apart. The part that makes it trickiest is that your dog cannot tell you what’s causing it. For the most part, common anxiety causes in dogs include:
- Fear of being home alone
- Loud noises
- Traveling
- Strangers (and strange animals)
- Abandonment
- Previous abuse
- Misunderstanding
According to Paws & Pup, one of the best ways to treat dog anxiety is to understand the cause and notice the triggers.
For instance, your dog might not mind it if he sees other people or dogs from a distance, but as soon as they get too close, he loses his mind.
Now you know the cause and the trigger. You can now work on a solution.
And, often a solution requires the external help of a qualified trainer.
Of course, as a pet owner, you want to burn off some of the anxiety your dog is experiencing, and seven simple ways are recommended to do that.
7 Ways to Reduce Anxiety in Your Dog
- Exercise
Good old-fashioned exercise is good for anxiety in people and pets. For those dealing with a pup full of separation anxiety, exercise can help tire out the dog and create a sense of calm. So if you’re planning to be out for a few hours, go for a long walk, jog or play ball with your dog before you go.
- Massage
Yup, massage relaxes you, so it stands to reason that it helps relax dogs too. Massage your dog from the neck down using long strokes and circular motions. You may even feel where your dog is holding the most tension and can work on those areas to relieve it.
- Petting Session
If your dog has been experiencing anxiety overload, spend some time with a good petting session or cuddle up on the couch. Just because the anxiety isn’t convenient, it doesn’t mean that you should punish your pet. Instead, help your pet relax with a petting session.
- Dog TV
Distraction is great. Distracting your pet from the worries he is experiencing is key. For many, a few hours of Dog TV can do it. This is a TV program that shows images and videos in colors and sounds that dogs most recognize and are interested in. You can find Dog TV and experiment with it on YouTube here.
- Exposure Therapy
The best way to overcome a fear is to face it, right? That doesn’t mean you simply leave your dog for hours even though he howls and barks. It also doesn’t mean that you push your dog into social situations with other dogs. It simply means that you very slowly introduce your pet to the scenario that creates anxiety. For a while, go outside and close the door for a few minutes. When going for a walk, stop near other people and animals and watch for a bit until your dog gets comfortable going closer. It’s all about slow and steady work to overcome fear.
- Weighted Therapy Coats
Some coats and jerseys for dogs are designed to exert pressure on the animal, which can help calm anxieties. It’s best to buy a specific coat or shirt that’s designed for this. This works quite well for dogs anxious about new environments or loud noises.
- Alternative Therapies
Now, it’s not suggested that you drug your pet when you want to go out or he is acting skittish. Instead, look into natural rescue supplements to help your pet feel calm. You may find that a plug-in Adaptil home diffuser works for your pet. This exerts pheromones that nursing mothers usually give off to their puppies. It’s odorless to humans but can help to appease dogs.
Final Thoughts
Think of the last time you felt anxious. There was probably an underlying fear at play, and suddenly anxiety spiked when something triggered it.
It’s the same with your dog. You can only overcome the stress and start to feel better in scary situations when you have proven to yourself that those situations are no longer scary and you can handle them.
You need to take the very same approach with your pet.
If someone tried to force you or throw you into the deep end, you’d probably overreact or freak out, so don’t be alarmed if your pet does the same.
The idea is to slowly work through the issues and apply the anxiety-reducing tactics above while you do that!
Good luck!