How To Know If My Dog Has Anxiety

How To Help A Dog With Anxiety

Anxious dogs are truly suffering, so if you suspect your pet is stressed, its important to seek help immediately. The benefits of early treatment cant be overstated, because anxiety symptoms tend to get worse over time, and dogs may become fearful under an increasing number of circumstances. For these reasons, knowing how to calm dogs with anxiety is extremely important.

The first step is to avoid situations that cause your dog to become anxious. You dont want them to suffer more than they already are, and each time their anxiety is triggered, it reinforces their behavioral response. In layman’s terms, its a chance for them to practice those stress-driven behaviors youre trying to reduce. So, for example, if your dog has separation anxiety, figure out a way to avoid leaving them alone while they begin treatment. Be sure to give your dog lots of attention, praise and treats when they are calm, too.

Next, make an appointment with your veterinarian. They can determine whether your dog truly does suffer from anxiety and if so, what type is involved. Your vet will then discuss treatment options, which may include:

Do Cbd Dog Treats Help With Anxiety

A lot of pet owners use CBD supplements to calm down their dogs. However, since every dog is different, the results may vary depending on your dogs weight and size. Results may last up to 8 hours depending on your pets energy levels, for example and while some dogs might only need one serving a day, others might need more than that. You can also rest easy knowing that these treats will not have psychoactive effects on your pets since they do not have any THC in them.

SYZYGY offers various CBD products for you and your furry pals. With an emphasis on science, they promise that all of their customers canine or human will feel a difference and enjoy life to the fullest. Their benefits are consistent and apparent, so you and your dog can look forward to an anxiety-free life.

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Other Behavior Problems To Rule Out

Sometimes its difficult to determine whether a dog has separation anxiety or not. Some common behavior problems can cause similar symptoms. Before concluding that your dog has separation anxiety, its important to rule out the following behavior problems:

Submissive or Excitement UrinationSome dogs may urinate during greetings, play, physical contact or when being reprimanded or punished. Such dogs tend to display submissive postures during interactions, such as holding the tail low, flattening the ears back against the head, crouching or rolling over and exposing the belly.

Incomplete House TrainingA dog who occasionally urinates in the house might not be completely house trained. His house training might have been inconsistent or it might have involved punishment that made him afraid to eliminate while his owner is watching or nearby.

Urine MarkingSome dogs urinate in the house because theyre scent marking. A dog scent marks by urinating small amounts on vertical surfaces. Most male dogs and some female dogs who scent mark raise a leg to urinate.

Juvenile DestructionMany young dogs engage in destructive chewing or digging while their guardians are home as well as when theyre away. Please see our articles, Destructive Chewing, for more information about these problems.

BoredomDogs need mental stimulation, and some dogs can be disruptive when left alone because theyre bored and looking for something to do. These dogs usually dont appear anxious.

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Dealing With Separation Anxiety In Dogs

Sometimes referred to as separation anxiety, some dogs can find being left on their own an overwhelming and stressful experience.

Check out our video for to see our tips on how to help keep your dog relaxed when youre not at home.

For some dogs, separation-related behaviours are simply a product of boredom due to lack of appropriate physical and mental stimulation. Whereas for other dogs, separation-related behaviours and anxiety are much deeper rooted. When a dog is emotionally attached to someone and that person goes away, it can cause fear, frustration, and anxiety. Over time, your dog might even start to anticipate the behaviour and the changes to their environment that lead up to that person leaving and may start showing their anxious behaviours before it happens.

Understanding the root cause of the problem and why your dog is reacting in this way will allow you to implement the right kind of training that will improve their behaviour in the long term and not just straight away.

Its important to remember that each dog is an individual and will progress through training at different rates. Always aim to ensure you are working within your dogs limits and that you are keeping a close eye on their stress levels. Recognising signs of stress and knowing how to manage stress levels is key in making sure that your dog is happy.

There are a number of signs that may show that your dog is stressed, which include:

• Excessive panting

Common Anxiety Treatments & Relief

If you think your furry friend leans on the more anxious end of the mood spectrum, its more than OK to seek dog anxiety treatments to help them cope. Wondering how to help a dog with anxiety? Try one of these over-the-counter treatments:

Calming Supplements for Dogs

Some dogs could benefit from a daily dose of calmbut what if theyre picky eaters? The best calming supplement for dogs might help ease their nerves, while perking up their mood with delicious flavor. As with any dog supplement, make sure to administer the correct dose for your dogs weight to avoid drowsiness or other side effects.

CBD Oil for Dogs

Cannibidiol is a plant-derived compound with a slew of purported benefits, one of them being natural anxiety relief for dogs. CBD responds to the endocannabinoid system, a group of receptors present in dogs central nervous system. For this reason, studies suggest that CBD might be able to calm the effects of anxiety in dogs. You can try ingestible drops or CBD dog treats for anxiety.

Dog Calming Spray

If your dog is on a restricted diet or isnt trusting of new treats, trying a calming spray for dogs might be more their speed. Just spritz the aromatic spray onto their fur, brush it through , and repeat daily or as needed. In addition to dog calming supplements that you can buy, there are also plenty of care and lifestyle tips that can improve your anxious dogs well-being.

Calming Shampoo for Dogs

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How To Treat It

First, talk to your vet to rule out any medical problems. Sometimes dogs have accidents in the house because of infections or hormone problems or other health conditions. It also could be due to incomplete housebreaking. And some medications can cause accidents. If your dog takes any drugs, ask your vet if they are to blame.

What Can I Give My Dog For Car Rides

Dramamine, Bonine, and Antivert are over-the-counter human antihistamines that can be purchased in many stores, and even some gas stations. Not only will they stop motion sickness, but they can also sedate your pup to help ease their anxiety while in the car. Benadryl is another human antihistamine that does it all!

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What To Watch Out For

Heather Mishefske, a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant, notes, Anxiety in dogs can present a number of different ways and can be related to contexts such as being separated from their people, fear, and age.

Common symptoms of all categories of anxiety include: Excessive panting, drooling, pacing, barking or vocalizing excessively, extreme restlessness, destructiveness, self-harming behaviors, or even behaviors that look like obsessive compulsive behaviors, Mishefske says.

Anxious dogs pace and are generally overexcited by normal stimuli such as people coming into the room, a doorbell, and cars or people going by outside, explains Dr. Ross Taylor of the NorthStar VETS Emergency and Critical Care team. Other signs to watch for are dogs who are overly vigilant and concerned about the environment around them.

San Francisco-based dog trainer Alisha Ardiana says she watches for dogs who are unable to engage in training or do normal calming behaviors, like smelling. If the dog is unable to smell the ground, is looking around, or looking over his shoulder, the dog is concerned that something is going to go wrong, she explains.

How Can I Help Treat My Dog’s Depression Or Anxiety

The good news is that dogs can often overcome depression and/or anxiety on their own. Depending on the dog and the situation, it can take days to months. No matter what, the love and care of their owners, and sometimes some guidance from your veterinarian, can help them overcome the blues.

Pet owners can try the following techniques:

• Offer your dog more attention. But wait until you see some signs of happiness, like a wagging tail, and reward them for that behavior.
• Keep your dog active with regular walks, playtimes, and other activities you know they enjoy.
• If your dog’s symptoms are related to the loss of an animal companion, consider getting another pet or start socializing them with other pets.

Depending on the severity of their symptoms your veterinarian may also prescribe anti-anxiety medication as well as recommend behavior management techniques.

In some cases, depression and/or anxiety may be a symptom of an underlying medical condition in a dog. If your pet has not recently experienced a major life change or distressing event, talk to your veterinarian about what else could be troubling them.

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Talk With Your Veterinarian About Your Dogs Anxiety

Once you learn how to detect when your dog is anxious, you can begin to identify the triggers that are causing the anxiety. Write down the signs that you see and describe the situations and circumstances when your dog showed these signs. Then schedule an appointment with your vet so they can rule out underlying medical issues,and help you get the right treatment for your dog.

Anytime a behavior change is noted in a pet, medical problems in other areas of the body could be at play. Your veterinarian can perform diagnostic tests to confirm that your pet is otherwise healthy.

In all cases, its best to seek the help of your veterinarian to make sure you are doing everything you can for your dog. When no other cause is found, your veterinarian can prescribe anxiety medication if needed, and/or recommend a veterinary behaviorist.

Signs Of Stress And Anxiety In Dogs

It is important to be able to distinguish between normal and anxious dog behaviors, which requires familiarity with your dogs normal behavior.

Most of the time, relaxed dogs will have round, open eyes weight on all four legs a raised tail and raised, forward-facing ears. They will breathe normally unless they are panting from play or exercise.

Here are some dog anxiety symptoms to watch for.

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Common Symptoms Of Separation Anxiety

The following is a list of symptoms that may indicate separation anxiety:

Urinating and DefecatingSome dogs urinate or defecate when left alone or separated from their guardians. If a dog urinates or defecates in the presence of his guardian, his house soiling probably isnt caused by separation anxiety.

Barking and HowlingA dog who has separation anxiety might bark or howl when left alone or when separated from his guardian. This kind of barking or howling is persistent and doesnt seem to be triggered by anything except being left alone.

Chewing, Digging and DestructionSome dogs with separation anxiety chew on objects, door frames or window sills, dig at doors and doorways, or destroy household objects when left alone or separated from their guardians. These behaviors can result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped paws and damaged nails. If a dogs chewing, digging and destruction are caused by separation anxiety, they dont usually occur in his guardians presence.

EscapingA dog with separation anxiety might try to escape from an area where hes confined when hes left alone or separated from his guardian. The dog might attempt to dig and chew through doors or windows, which could result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped front paws and damaged nails. If the dogs escape behavior is caused by separation anxiety, it doesnt occur when his guardian is present.

Where To Rub A Dog To Calm Them Down

Do a full-body rub if theyre feeling extra anxious

Lightly place one hand at the base of your dogs neck and leave it there to provide security and stability. With your other hand, make long sweeping strokes down your dogs spine and over the tail. Continue making this motion as your dog calms down.

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Common Sources Of Stress In Dogs

To treat your dogs stress and anxiety, youll need to first identify the cause. Many things can trigger your pups stress, including:

• Loud Noises A thunderstorm, fireworks, or construction can wreak havoc on your dogs nerves. Thankfully, you can implement a few at-home changes to help your pooch remain calm when surrounded by excessive noise.
• Living Situation Changes Moving can understandably be hard on your four-legged friend, but so can smaller changes like rearranging your home or buying new furniture.
• Change in Family Composition A new baby, pet, or spouse can throw off your households rhythm and make your dog feel uncertain in his role in the pack.

What Causes Separation Anxiety In Puppies And Dogs

Its unclear why some puppies are more prone to separation anxiety than others. McConnell theorizes there may be several reasons, including never previously being left alone and traumatic separation, such as would be seen in some abandoned shelter dogs. Even a single traumatic event in the owners absence, like the house being robbed, can lead to SA. Finally, she suggests that personality can play a role, with clingy dogs perhaps being more at risk than independent ones.

Other triggers to watch for involve life changes like a sudden switch in schedule, a move to a new house, or the sudden absence of a family member, whether its a divorce, a death in the family, or a child leaving for college. Recent research has even pointed to a lack of daily exercise as a possible cause. Because there are so many potential triggers for SA, its essential to work on prevention and start treatment at the first sign.

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What Are The Signs Of Separation Anxiety In Dogs

Dogs can exhibit stress in many ways, so there is no one defining sign of SA. Instead, there are a variety of symptoms. One or two of them, especially if they only happen occasionally, may not be a sign of puppy separation anxiety. But if your puppy shows multiple symptoms on a regular basis, he may be suffering from SA. Here are some behaviors your dog may exhibit:

• Anxious behaviors like pacing, whining, or trembling while youre gone or as you prepare to leave.
• Excessive barking or howling.
• Destructive acts, such as chewing or digging, particularly around doors or windows.
• Accidents in the house urinating or defecating.
• Excessive salivation, drooling, or panting.
• Desperate and prolonged attempts to escape confinement, potentially ending in serious injury.

Sadly, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, several of the above symptoms are also some of the most common reasons owners get rid of their dogs. This is especially unfortunate because its an issue that can be treated by implementing a few simple but important tactics.

Do Dogs With Anxiety Bite

While dog bites can happen for many reasons, most puppies bite out of fear aggression. Just like humans, dogs can inherit a tendency to be anxious, but the dogs environment, life experience, and breed tendencies also play a role. That can lead to scared puppies that react with aggression to frightening events.

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How Common Is Dog Anxiety

Based on recent data, dog anxiety is pretty common. A recent Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements online survey by Relevation Research found 63 percent of dog owners have pups who display some type of anxious behavior. About half of those respondents said loud noises are the primary culprits.

Rover, the worlds largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, also recently conducted an online survey of 1,000 US-based dog owners to find out more about their pet concerns. Similar to the Relevation Research respondents, just over half of this group said their pets are afraid of fireworks. Alarmingly, 84 percent reported signs of separation anxiety in their dogs! This is crazy high and we feel badly for those pups who become stressed when left alone.

If you fall into one of these groups, chances are youre also part of the 45 percent of Rover survey respondents desperate for new ways to combat their dogs anxiety.

What Causes Separation Anxiety

Its not fully understood why some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and others dont. But remember, your dogs behaviors are part of a panic response. Your dog isnt trying to punish you! They just want you to come home!

These are some of the scenarios that can trigger separation anxiety:

• Being left alone for the first time.
• Being left alone when accustomed to constant human contact.
• Suffering a traumatic event, such as time away from you in a boarding kennel.
• Change in the familys routine or structure, or the loss of a family member or other pet.

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