A blog for people who treat their dogs better than family
August 23rd, 2017
Ways to Help Your Anxious Dog
Anxiety in their dogs is a common problem many dog owners face. This time of year is particularly bad for dogs who have noise phobias. We also deal with it regularly, especially in a boarding situation. In fact, we just had an older dog stay with us who was so anxious during her entire stay that we basically held her for a week. This sweet dog had just been adopted and I’m sure she thought she was being dumped again. We truly felt sorry for her and did whatever we could to help her.
What is anxiety?
By definition, anxiety is the anticipation of a future danger, either real or imagined, that results in the body’s normal reaction to fear. The normal reaction to fear is carried out by the autonomic nervous system, and prepares the body for flight, fight or freeze. The symptoms of anxiety and fear are similar and include:
trembling
tail tucking
hiding
trying to escape
diarrhea
continual barking
destroying parts of your home
snapping or biting
self harming behaviors such as biting parts of the body
What causes anxiety?
There are many reasons why dogs develop or have anxieties. Some of these are
illness, pain, or other medical conditions
frightening experiences
loud noises
certain objects or people
changes in environment or routine
being left alone (separation anxiety)
improper or not enough socialization at the critical period from birth to 14 weeks of age
removing the “flight” response, for example, by keeping a dog in a crate against his will
normal aging
the nature of a specific breed
abandonment, neglect, or multiple homes.
If your dog develops anxieties, the first thing to do is take him to your veterinarian for a thorough checkup, so you can rule out any medical reason for the anxiety. When you’re looking for possible treatments, it’s important to understand what’s causing the anxiety. Treatments for separation anxiety will likely not work for a dog with thunderstorm anxiety.
How can you help your dog?
For severe cases, medication prescribed by your veterinarian is often the only solution. In milder cases, there are a number of options that may help with anxiety. Here are some suggestions.
Exercise. Just as with humans, exercise is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise helps with the production of serotonin, the chemical that makes us feel so good after we work out. It’s the “runner’s high” we experience. It also gets rid of pent up energy and tension.
Massage. A calming massage using long, slow strokes soothes dogs, helping them to relax, thereby relieving their anxiety.
Calming music. Many dogs become calmer when music is playing or the TV is on. Take it one step further and buy “Through a Dog’s Ear”, a CD that was made specifically for anxious dogs. We use it often to help anxious boarding dogs and it seems to work!
Supplements. There are natural herbal supplements like Rescue Remedy and other essential oil blends that may help with certain anxieties.
The Thundershirt. This is a tightly fitting garment that looks like a t-shirt, and wraps around your dog. The idea behind a pressure wrap is that continuous pressure helps to calm nerves. This works great for some dogs, and not so well with others.
Distracting activities. This is most appropriate for dogs with noise anxiety. When there’s a thunderstorm or fireworks, simply play with your dog, work on some training, practice some tricks, or give your dog a puzzle toy (if he’s food motivated). This will take his mind off what’s frightening him, and can help him associate something fun and positive with the frightening event, helping to ease his fear.
Behavior modification and desensitization. This is a process, and is best done with the help of a professional, positive reinforcement trainer or animal behaviorist who has experience working with anxious dogs.
Of course, medication is an option but in my opinion should be a last resort. Find a qualified trainer or behaviorist to help you help your dog overcome his anxieties. Your dog may never completely be anxiety-free but the right solution can go a long way. If one idea doesn’t work, try another, until you find something that does. Your dog is worth it!
