Dogs are amazing aren’t they? Each one so unique in their own way – with big eyes, big ears and floppy waggy tails as well as a big grin. What is truly unique about each dog though, is their personality. Humans, ourselves are pretty unique, but we seem to follow patterns of personality – it seems that every dog is a dog unto itself. But still, there are certain things we can pick up on. Some dogs are hyper, some are protective, some are timid, others nervous. Sometimes, many dogs can have an underlying problem which sees them react in different ways – this problem can be anxiety.
Humans suffer from anxiety as well – that bubbling feeling in their stomach, but we have many ways of dealing this – dogs don’t, and they need your help. Dogs suffer from anxiety and fear just like us – and they cause stress and problems just like those conditions do in us.
What types of anxiety can a dog suffer? One of the most common types of doggy anxiety is separation anxiety. This is the fear a dog gets when it is left alone for any range of time. There can also be confinement anxiety when a dog is trapped or confined up. A dog can get anxious when it travels and a dog can get scared when there are loud noises – like other dogs, thunderstorms and especially fireworks. Identifying the root cause of your dog’s anxiety is the first step to helping your dog cope with anxiety.
How do we know when our dogs are anxious – well, from their behavior. Clear patterns can be noticed – especially with repetitive behaviors. This goes for us as well – how do we know someone is anxious? Through their actions – staring at the floor or being fidgety for example.
A clear sign of canine anxiety is pacing. Dogs with issues will walk around the home and showcase clear signs of being uneasy. In other cases, dogs will groom themselves more often. In most cases, dogs will show destructive behaviors – which in a sense is good as it shows clear signs of distress, but at the cost of your shoes, or other property. Non-stop noise is another; your dog won’t bark without reason. If it is, though – as some dogs do, you can find a collar to stop barking. Other signs like chewing up furniture are clear, and constant messing in the house through urination are another – as well as overbearing aggression.
Trying to limit these behaviors might upset the dog further – so instead of dealing with the behavior, try to work out the circumstances of the anxiety. Why is your dog acting this way? Find out why and then work to help the dog cope.
The best way to help the dog cope is to help desensitize the dog to the problem. Identify the cause, then work on the desensitization. Start it off by exposing the dog to whatever is setting it off – but a weaker version of it so the dog can mostly remain calm. If this is separation anxiety, it can be harder but still possible. With other things, work with small exposure and reward the dog if it can follow commands while exposed to whatever is causing the anxiety. Complete this multiple times and increase the exposure to the problem. Make it short and rewarding for your dog. This helps the dog learn how to cope, as it becomes more familiar with the stimulus and also associates the thing that used to cause anxiety with both yourself and treats. This will help it calm down.
Other sources of anxiety are not so easy to deal with, though – but you can still help the dog cope. Firstly, ensure the home is a calm and predictable environment. Stick to routine with your pooch and feed it, play with it and walk it at the same time each day. Discipline and train your dog as best as you can and only treat it when a reward is deserved. Creating a good environment for your dog can reduce its levels of fear and anxiety. It’s also good to do this anyway, for a good home environment.
Another thing that you can do is to help relax your dog. Pet and groom the dog to calm them down. There are even some doggy playlists out there to help calm your pet down. There’s no point in relaxing your dog if you can’t stay calm though – dogs replicate their owners well and will be on edge if you yourself are anxious. If you want a calm dog, stay calm yourself. It won’t do your dog any good to be on edge constantly and it will pick up these behaviors from yourself – so keep calm and level headed to help your dog do just the same.
In some extreme circumstances, a dog might need to be medicated to treat its anxiety. Plenty of vets can offer your dog a specialized prescription based on its weight to help it calm down. Don’t do this yourself and certainly do not give your dog human medication – Valium, Zoloft and other drugs are not there for canine consumption and could be fatal. There are some areas of crossover though, as some human drugs are used on animals – Prozac (Fluoxetine) is used to treat dogs, and there are special versions available. Always consult with a vet before giving your dog anything though. Never, ever give it something you’d use to treat yourself, this cannot be stressed enough – because there are some people who do it! Don’t! With medication it is a rather short-term solution and if you do truly want to help your dog conquer its issues, try to focus on improving its coping mechanisms and behaviors.
We want every member of our family to be well, healthy and happy – that goes for our dog as well. A happy dog is a healthy dog and at the very least, all of this will ensure that your dog doesn’t tear up the home when you are not around.
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