How can you help alleviate your dog’s anxiety, whether it be separation anxiety, travel anxiety, or sound anxiety?
Like humans, dogs can experience anxiety for a number of different reasons, it can happen when they’ve been left alone, when they are around other dogs, when they need to get in the car or when there is a storm outside.
Your dog might be among the millions of others that suffer from anxiety, and you may find it difficult to treat them and calm them down. You have to remember that it is normal for your dog to experience a bit of fear, however, if it truly escalates to full – blown panic and destructive behavior, then you need to fix the problem ASAP.
Don’t fret as there are a lot of different ways that you can help your pet feel better, and we have 7 of them listed down below!
As a dog owner, you may experience separation anxiety on both sides, don’t worry because you can work it out in the end.
Some of the typical causes of anxiety in dogs may be:
- Separation anxiety is the fear of being separated from their owner, and can appear as your dog drooling, biting, pacing, or generally being destructive to itself and its surroundings when you’re gone.
- Travel anxiety is the fear of traveling in a moving vehicle, or a fear of some intimidating places such as your vet’s clinic or a boarding kennel.
- Sound anxiety is the fear of loud noises such as fireworks, a vacuum cleaner or thunderstorm.
How you can treat anxiety in your dog or at least alleviate it:
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Try using CBD oil for your dog’s anxiety
Recently, a lot of people have been using this method when treating their dog’s anxiety. Even though the results may vary, around 67% of dog owners claim that CBD was ‘extremely effective’ or even ‘somewhat effective’ when used to treat dog anxiety in their furry friend.
At the very least, it will help to calm your dog enough so that they can respond positively to other training methods you are using to treat their anxiety.
When choosing the right CBD oil, always look for a certificate of analysis that shows a pure and safe product. It is also recommended to use a strictly canine CBD oil that doesn’t contain any THC.
If oils aren’t your speed, then there are plenty of CBD treat options that you can try.
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Try desensitizing your dog to the cause of their anxiety
One popular strategy for treating canine anxiety is desensitization to the cause of their fear. Take for an example, a dog’s separation anxiety is triggered once you step out the front door, or some other dog’s trigger can be their owner grabbing their keys or putting on their coat.
You can start by doing the triggering activity, but then you immediately reverse it. Try grabbing your keys and start walking out the door, return after a few seconds or so.
Do this repeatedly over a period of a week, and eventually, your dog will get bored and desensitized to the behavior.
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If they have sound anxiety, try isolating your dog and playing loud music
Most dogs that fear the sound of fireworks or thunder may find comfort and relief in a smaller and more isolated room in the house where music can be played at a louder volume
Be careful though, if your dog experiences separation anxiety as well this method can be counterproductive in the end.
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Use a compression wrap for comfort
Compression wraps are available in many sizes that will definitely fit your dog, they are also readily available both in stores and online. Dogs are comforted by the feeling of compression across their body.
These wraps apply a gentle and calming pressure that is quite reassuring to pups, and they can be used to ultimately calm your dog down during loud thunderstorms, fireworks, traveling, separation, or frequent vet visits with absolutely no training and additional medication needed. They are proven to be effective in about 80% of dogs.
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Try out some pheromone diffusers for dogs
Mimicking the calming pheromone that a mother dog emits during the nursing period, these canine pheromone diffusers can help a lot when dealing with your dog’s anxiety by making them feel calmer and much more comfortable in a stressful situation.
These products can be ordered online with ease.
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Try out some anti-anxiety supplements that contain L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine, or Melatonin
Some other popular ingredients in anti – anxiety supplements include amino acids such as L-Tryptophan and L-Theanine, which both have calming properties that also increase the release of serotonin in your dog’s body.
Additionally, some calming anti-anxiety products for dogs also include a small amount of melatonin, which can help to regulate and improve their sleep. All of these above-mentioned ingredients are available in some chews as well.
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Try using your own scent and sound in hopes of calming down your dog
This strategy of using your own scent and sound to treat your dog with anxiety, has proven itself to be quite powerful and effective in beating anxiety, you may even be doing this on accident.
If your dog has separation anxiety, they will panic the moment you step foot out of the front door. So next time when you leave you can either talk to your dog through the door where they can hear you and smell your presence. On the other hand, you can try to mimic this tactic even when you are not at home.
Try recording your voice on a device and then put it on loop. Place a used shirt on the inside of the door so your dog can smell your scent, and monitor your dog’s behavior. Slowly start increasing the length of time which you leave them home alone and you will find your dog calmly waiting for you behind the door!
There are many stories available online that can help you to combat anxiety by using the tactics that they have described, so don’t fret.
In conclusion, yes, it is possible to beat your dog’s anxiety, whether it be separation, travel or even sound anxiety, but it does take a modicum of work, and nobody said it’s going to be easy.
Remember that everyone’s journey in this is different, and comparing yours to someone else’s is not the best strategy. We hope that the strategies and tools we listed above will help you in this battle with anxiety and you will end up victorious in the end!
