All Anxiety Solutions for Dogs

According to experts, the three most common causes of canine anxiety are fear, separation and aging. Let’s explore the signs and symptoms and how owners can help their pets. Fear related anxieties can be caused by:

Loud noises
Strangers
Distractions like umbrellas and hats
New environments
Certain things like the vet’s office, car rides and shiny floors

These situations may seem insignificant to us but can cause great anxiety in our dogs. Fourteen percent of dogs are estimated to suffer from separation anxiety. This occurs when they are left alone or separated from their family resulting in unwanted behaviors like destruction of furniture, constant barking or urinating and defecating in the house or their crate.

Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) can be associated to anxiety in aging dogs. Similar to the early stages of Alzheimer’s in humans, there will be a decline in the memory, learning, perception and awareness leading to anxiety in senior dogs.

A loud thunderstorm or a ride in a can have an unexpected reaction on your pet. To some dogs, loud noises represent danger and their reactions will be exactly the same each and every time. Just like us, dogs have anxieties and fears and they all deal with them differently. They may not be the same as our own anxieties, but they can cause stress and physical reactions just the same.

My dog Oscar suffers from anxiety. I know when he’s becoming anxious just by certain behaviors that he displays to relieve his stress. He’ll pace and groom himself repeatedly, and sometimes even become aggressive to our other dogs and other people. Dog anxiety can result in damage to property, self-harm to the dog itself or even behavior that you may think is unacceptable. Examples of this may include:

Non-stop barking
Chewing up furniture, walls, shoes, garbage and other property
Defecating and urinating in the house, crate or other confinement areas
Eating his own poop
Aggression toward people, dogs or other animals

First and foremost, the best treatment for your dog’s anxiety is to discuss you concerns with your vet. He will want to eliminate conditions such as brain or thyroid disease that could be the cause of anxious behavior. These conditions may be because of a response to a toxic substance, such as lead which can be confirmed by blood tests.

If your vet detects a phobia such as anxiety or fear, he may prescribe medication. But he will more than likely make a recommendation based on what triggers the fear and provide advice on methods to implement to lessen you dogs anxieties and fears.

Some common dog anxiety problems include:

Separation anxiety: you dog gets anxious when left on its own.
Noise anxiety: loud or unusual noises like thunder make your dog fearful.
Travel anxiety: cars were never designed with dogs in mind. They’re not used to the constant movement. Planning ahead will make travel more relaxing for you and your dog, whether it’s a quick trip to the vet or going on vacation.
Confinement anxiety: when you confine your dog, it’s to keep them out of trouble. If your dog is not happy being confined, confinement anxiety may be the result.

Doggy treats, praise or rewards (i.e. games, car rides) can be used effectively as positive reinforcement to train your dog and are great methods for preventing separation anxiety in puppies.

Getting rid of extra doggy energy every day with long walks, runs, a game of fetch, or some other favorite activity can help to reduce separation anxiety or nervous tension. There’s a saying ‘a good dog is a tired dog’.

Punishment or positive punishment techniques to treat separation anxiety will not benefit your dog. It doesn’t tackle the source of the problem, which is anxiety. Infact, pain and dominance will make the problem worse, because pain and uncertainty will increase stress in dogs.

Nonetheless, some dogs are simply anxious and they may need help quietening down before beginning dog training. For these dogs, there are a handful of natural anxiety solutions for dogs that may be beneficial. Dogs still need training too, there is no magic remedy to cure fearfulness and anxiety permanently. However, natural solutions can help a dog cope while desensitization, conditioning and long-term therapy dog training takes place.

Desensitization is the process of subjecting the animal to a stimulus starting at a very low intensity. To be effective, counter-conditioning and desensitization need to be applied together. Both are often used to change fearful and aggressive behavior in dogs and cats.

Dogs are excellent at picking up on the energy of people around them and will be sensitive to what you are feeling. If you get stressed or anxious, your dog will pick up on that energy immediately and become anxious himself. However, their anxiety will be amplified a hundred times more! Therefore, it is important for us to stay calm and in control. Desensitization exercises and a fixed calm routine work best. Creating a calm and regulated environment to combat the anxiety in your dog is important.

It’s important to know the source of the anxiety when considering the treatment. Does you dog get anxious when they are left alone? Does your pet get anxious when confined? Do loud noises, travel or unexpected changes in routine or environment cause anxiety?

Some dogs have phobias about people (men particularly), specific situations (bath time) or certain objects (vacuum cleaner). The cause of the phobia determines the management of the treatment. For example, calming music might comfort a dog with separation anxiety, but it won’t be much benefit for a dog that gets anxiety being in crowded places.

For extreme cases there are treatments available, but before medicating your dog, try some of the options below.

If you dog is nervous in certain situations such as fireworks or thunderstorms, a distraction can work wonders. By engaging your dogs brain on work, it will help him focus on you and things he knows, rather than on the unfamiliar that’s scary for him.

It’s a great time to practice tricks your dog knows and can earn rewards for. Reward you dog with treats for simple commands like sit, stand roll over, sit up, lie down, shake and other tricks he enjoys. Distracting your pet with puzzle toys like a frozen Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter or a Treat Ball or Tug Jug is particularly good for dogs that are highly food motivated. By associating things that arouse fear with highly valued rewards, will make the event much less scary.