Dont Leave Your Dog Home Alone During These Training Stages
One of the primary challenges in dealing with separation anxiety is that once the training process begins, your dog should never be left alone. Flores notes that even if you cant be home with your dog, you can enlist a neighbor, friend, family member, dog walker or daycare to help during the training process.
Managing absences is extremely important to protect the progress we are making during training. If for example, we get the dog to a point where he is comfortable for 30 mins, but the next day hes left alone for two hours, weve potentially undone all the work weve put in. Hes no longer able to trust that his guardian will return before he starts to panic, explains Flores.
The Top 10 Tips For Relieving Your Dog’s Stress
Dogs can have a number of different behavioral problems, everything from aggression to separation anxiety. Just like humans, canines often suffer from everyday stress that can lead to issues that can cause them to act out irrationally, again similar to their masters.
While people have some means at their disposal to deal with stress, dogs arent so lucky. In this light, here are our top ten ways to help reduce and relieve canine stress.
#1 Easily the number one way to reduce a dogs stress is through regular, daily exercise. Walking, playing, trips to the dog park, swimming any form of physical activity will not only reduce your dogs daily stress level, it also helps them to live a much longer and healthier life.
#2 Providing mental stimulation is just as effective as physical exercise and the two can also be combined. Think about different types of toys available that entice a dog to work for a treat or reward.
#3 Crate training is a great practice, especially when it comes to safely transporting your pet, but it also provides them a safe haven. Just like a den for wolves in the wild, this dog-friendly space makes them feel comfortable in their own space at home.
#4 Dogya has exploded in popularity recently. When humans invite their canines to join in with this ancient practice, calming poses combined with gentle massage and stretching techniques does wonders for masters and their four-legged friends.
First: The Initial Veterinary Exam
The first thing youre going to do is see your veterinarian for an exam. Some anxious behaviors turn out to be secondary to pain or illness. Correcting these underlying issues may resolve the whole problem of anxiety in your dog.
Once underlying physical conditions have been ruled out or corrected, your veterinarian will suggest a behavior-modification plan, which may include exercises to do at home, anti-anxiety medications, and/or referral to a veterinary behavior specialist, depending on the complexity of the case.
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How To Prevent And Manage Separation Anxiety In Dogs
- The most common signs of separation anxiety are destruction in the home, excessive vocalization, and inappropriate elimination.
- Certain circumstances, like changes in schedules, can trigger anxiety in dogs who are predisposed. This is why some experts are concerned that there may be an uptick in separation anxiety among dogs as their owners return to work post-pandemic.
- A key principle in staving off and managing separation anxiety is establishing a strong relationship with your dog and training them to be independent during the hours you are together.
- Create routines and boundaries so your dog experiences low-intensity separation. Crate training is recommended as a preventative measure.
- In treating, start small in managing separation, like training your dog to stay in another room while you leave, and then work up to leaving the house.
To live with a dog is to know with certainty that theres someone who never tires of your company. Thats part of the joy of dogstheyre always happy to see you come in the door whether youve been away for an hour or a long workday. But at what point does your dogs desire to be with you turn into a problem?
While separation anxiety has been widely discussed over the last several decades, its become a hotter topic lately. As a global pandemic has changed our daily living and working habits, many experts and dog owners raise the possibility of a spike in rates of separation anxiety when normal schedules are resumed.
Exercise is key
A Calming Pheromone Collar To Help Relax A Dog On The Go
Adaptil Calming Adjustable Dog Collar, available at Chewy and , from $13.38
Like the diffuser, the Adaptil collar emits DAP. Unlike the diffuser, the collar is useful for dogs who get anxious outside the home. Sueda suggests using it for dogs that get anxious on walks or when they will be exposed to situations that may be overwhelming.
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What You Need To Know About Anxiety Meds For Your Pup
If your dog suffers from anxiety and is having a hard time with it, you might be looking to try anxiety medication to help her feel better.
But do anxiety meds for dogs actually help? And what kinds of medications are available to you?
We reached out to Dr. Christopher Pachel, a veterinarian at Animal Behavior Clinic and certified Fear Free professional, to learn more about anxiety meds for dogs.
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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
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Identify The Cause Of The Anxiety
Identifying triggers for separation related behaviours can be difficult, as the majority of behaviour happens while your dog is on their own. If possible, set up a camera that allows you to see what your dog is doing when youre not with them. This footage will allow you to more accurately identify any specific environmental triggers that may be contributing to your dogs behaviour such as: the sound of people passing the house, loud cars and trucks or maybe even the sound of the neighbours dog barking.
A Natural Supplement Derived From Milk Proteins To Help A Dog Relax
Vetoquinol Zylkene, available at Chewy, from $20.99
Vetoquinol’s Zylkene has a high concentration of calming milk proteins that promote relaxation. Though there’s research that supports the effectiveness and safety of daily or episodic use of Zylkene,Malena DeMartini-Price, a world-renowned dog trainer and author of “Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs,” recommends checking with your vet before giving this or any other supplement to your dog.
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How Will Anxiety Meds Affect My Dog
Medication can be a viable course of treatment for anxiety, if recommended by your vet. If your vet does prescribe medication, youre probably wondering how it will impact your dogs demeanor and physical health. Every pet responds to anxiety medication differently, but side effects may include:
- Vomiting
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.
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Naturvet Quiet Moments Calming Aid Dog Supplement Helps Promote Relaxation Reduce Stress Storm Anxiety Motion Sickness For Dogs Tasty Pet Soft Chews With Melatonin 65 Ct
- PET SUPPLEMENTS FOR ANXIETY: Ensure that your canine companion receives the support needed to reduce stress and tension. NaturVet Quiet Moments Calming Aid Dog Supplement.
- TASTY, DOG SOFT CHEW SUPPLEMENT: Help your pet stay calm and relaxed with Quiet Moments tasty soft chews. These soft chew dog supplements taste like a treat and are packaged in a re-sealable jar for continued freshness.
- HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH SUPPLEMENT FOR DOGS: Bring your friendly pup the calm he needs during separation, storms, grooming or travel with tasty soft chew calming aid dog supplements that promote normal nervous system function.
- PET PRODUCTS YOU CAN TRUST: Since 1994, NaturVet has been serving the four-legged community with wholesome, vitamin-infused dog supplements so that your pup or senior dog maintains a healthy lifestyle. Made in the USA, each pet product from NaturVet is cGMP compliant facility.
- WHOLESOME DOG SUPPLEMENTS FOR NERVOUSNESS: Each dog soft chew in this NaturVet Calming Aid dog supplement is enhanced with melatonin, ginger, L-Tryptophan and thiamin to reduce tension and stress when dogs over 12 weeks experience anxiety during storms or when traveling.
Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety
Many of the behaviors that are attributed to separation anxiety can have alternate diagnoses that are medical or behavioral.
For example, excessive drooling might be caused by a fractured tooth or nausea barking could be a response to a territorial threat and accidents might mean that the dog isnt fully house-trained.
In order to determine how to treat separation anxiety in dogs, pet parents should first schedule a veterinary exam to rule out illness or behavioral reasons for the responses.
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Fixing Separation Anxiety One Step At A Time
Effective treatment of separation anxiety can feel overwhelming. Its a slow process made more difficult by the fact that sometimes progress comes at a literal pace of one second at a time.
Guiding your dog through a separation anxiety protocol might not be easy, but having not only gone through this process with many clients but also with my own beloved dog, I can honestly say there is hope and recovery is completely possible! Flores says.
What Does Depression Look Like In Dogs
The symptoms of depression in dogs are similar to those experienced by people. Common symptoms include low activity levels, a loss in interest in the things they once enjoyed, and a change in eating and/or sleeping habits. Some dogs may also show signs of aggression, including uncharacteristic howling or whining.
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Ask Your Veterinarian About Anti
If your dog is truly struggling with anxiety, you can talk to your veterinarian about whether anti-anxiety medications would be beneficial.
Some pet owners worry about using these medications:
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Will it make their dog sleepy all the time?
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Will it change their personality?
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Will these types of medications shorten their dogs lifespan?
When treated with the proper medications, your pet should exhibit less anxiety, seem happier, and still have the same personality. If your veterinarian isnt sure what to prescribe, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist can help you find the best medication for your dog to help them thrive.
Why Do You Need Dogs In Your Family
These are some of the benefits when you have dogs in your family:
- They give unconditional love to you and your family members.
- You get a lot of physical exercise when you take them for walks, play games with them, or train them.
- Dogs can help children learn about responsibility. This is by taking care of the dog in certain ways such as feeding it and playing with it.
- Having dogs at home will reduce feelings of loneliness. It is because they provide company while doing other things like watching TV, eating dinner, or reading a book.
- Dogs ask fewer questions than human beings. This means that people who suffer from social anxiety wont have to answer too much if their anxiety is high enough already. This is just by having someone around asking how they feel over and over again.
- They help to teach your children too.
- When you get under stress they can give you company. They also make you feel less alone because dogs are there for us.
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Ways To Ease Your Dogs Anxiety
You’ll want to read this before the next thunderstorm hits.
Dogs suffer from stress and anxiety as much as people do, though it can be harder to recognize their symptoms. Your pet might try to tell you that hes stressed by pushing his ears back, tucking his tail, salivating, yawning, licking his muzzle, or lifting his front paw. Other, more obvious signs of dog anxiety include cowering or hiding, trembling, panting, or expressing his anal glands.
And just like people, there are plenty of ways to help relax and soothe pets. Love listening to a certain type of music to unwind? Apparently, so does your dog. When it comes to tension-taming tunes, pups seem to prefer the sounds of soft rock or reggae to jazz, pop, or Motown. Playing the music was linked to a decrease in shelter dogs heart rates in one 2017 study.
But even if youre not a fan of Bob Marley or Michael Bolton, dont worry. There are plenty of other ways to calm your furry friend. Here are five simple strategies worth trying:
Before shelling out for any products that promise to soothe your pups stress, consider how you might be able to help him feel calmer. “Most of the time, pet owners do have to do something different to help manage and improve their dogs anxiety,” explains veterinary behaviorist Meredith Stepita, DVM.
How To Calm Dog Anxiety Naturally
Dog anxiety is common. It can stop your dog from enjoying normal doggie activities like going for a walk around the neighborhood. So its important to find a way to help her relax and have fun!
While some vets may prescribe your dog pharmaceutical meds they may not be the best choice. Medications for anxiety can have some pretty bad side effects . Luckily, there are lots of remedies that provide natural calming for dogs..
First, heres some background on dog anxiety.
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Signs Your Dog Is Stressed And How To Relieve It
Stress is a commonly used word that describes feelings of strain or pressure. The causes of stress are exceedingly varied. Perhaps you are stressed out by your job, you become nervous when meeting new people, or you get anxious when your daily routine is disrupted.
To reduce stress levels, you may seek comfort in several ways. Maybe you find solace in the company of a trusted friend. Perhaps you relieve stress when occupied by routine chores like cleaning the house. Or maybe you blow off some steam with physical exercise.
“Our dogs can become stressed too.”
Our dogs can become stressed too. Since we know how stress makes us feel, we certainly want to help alleviate our pets stress as well. However, our dogs do not voice their feelings, slam down the phone, or have a tantrum, so how can we tell they are stressed? The signs of anxiety in dogs are often subtle. In fact, some stress-related behaviors mimic normal behaviors.
Interactive Toys And Games
A cooped-up dog, especially one who suffers from , with no engagement can easily become stressed and entertain himself by chewing, digging, or barking.
The biggest concern for most of our pets is boredom. They are not able to have the outlet to be able to do the normal things they would do in the wild, Dr. Andrea Y. Tu, veterinarian and the medical director of Behavior Vets of NYC, told us previously. If you think about dogs in the wild, the majority of their time is spent looking for food, hunting for food, eating it.
Tu says that dog puzzles give pups an outlet for mental and physical energy. Puzzles or toys that make your dog work to find treats can encourage independent playtime, provide mental stimulation, and distract your pet from his anxious emotions.
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