Dogs are dynamic animals. Not all pups are happy-go-lucky tail wagers. Dogs can experience numerous emotions like joy, excitement, fear, stress, and even anxiety like their human counterparts. However, recognizing and coping with dog anxiety can be challenging.
The pet professionals at Pure Peak want to help you understand how dogs experience the world and what you can do to help calm your four-legged friend when they are suffering from anxiety. Whether you want to explore the world and take your pup on hikes through the wilderness or want them to feel safer and more relaxed during the next thunderstorm, there are ways you can help your pet deal with dog anxiety.
What is Dog Anxiety?
Before you can help your dog cope with anxiety, you need to understand how your pet reacts to everyday situations and stimuli. Dogs who experience anxiety can exhibit any number of symptoms, including:
- Whining
- Barking
- Shaking
- Panting
- Pacing or other restless behaviors
- Excessive drooling
- Uncharacteristic aggressive behavior
- Urinating or defecating indoors even when potty trained
- Destructive behavior
What gives dogs anxiety? Unfortunately, it is not always clear what causes anxiety in dogs or how the condition evolves. People can feel anxious when a big deadline is looming or when we think about how we’ll pay the next round of bills. Although dogs do not share the same concerns or worries as their two-legged family members, they can still feel anxious, especially when confronted with new or frightening situations.
Veterinary studies suggest anxiety in dogs can manifest due to poor socialization when the animal is still a puppy. Anxiety issues may also be brought on by a lack of exposure to new and different situations when the dog is young. Animals with little to no training or routine in their daily lives may also be more prone to anxiety.
How to Help a Dog with Anxiety
If you are noticing the hallmarks of dog anxiety in your best friend, there are things you can do to help your furry companion cope. First, focus on what seems to trigger the anxiety response in your dog. Does your dog show signs of anxiety when afraid? Loud noises or strange people or animals can trigger fear-related anxiety. Separation anxiety occurs when dogs cannot find comfort alone or separated from family members. Anxiety can also manifest in older dogs who did not have a previous history of exhibiting classic anxiety symptoms in their prime. This form of anxiety can be an indication of cognitive impairment or dysfunction.
When you identify the primary cause of the anxiety, you can find therapeutic tools and training techniques that help your dog cope with their specific triggers. Training and counterconditioning, anxiety medications, and CBD supplements can help treat dogs suffering from anxiety.
Unlike other forms of anxiety, pet owners can also ease the symptoms of separation anxiety with exercise, additional physical contact with their pet before they leave, and by providing their dog with a “safe space” like a pet bed or crate.
Can Anxiety be Trained Out of Dogs?
You can train a dog so the anxiety symptoms are less pronounced or bothersome for you and your pet. The training method that will work for your puppy depends on the anxiety your animal experiences.
Counterconditioning can be an effective way to change your dog’s response to stimuli that trigger anxiety. Counterconditioning training involves presenting something enjoyable to your dog during an anxiety-triggering event. Does your dog react negatively to thunderstorms or loud noises? Give them a treat puzzle or play with them with their favorite toy. Over time, your dog will come to associate an item or activity they love with the anxiety-inducing stimulus. It becomes hard to be scared and anxious when they are looking forward to something positive.
Desensitization is another training technique that can help dogs with anxiety. During desensitization training, you slowly get the dog used to something by exposing it to low levels of anxiety-inducing stimuli. Again, are thunderstorms an issue? Start by exposing your dog to not-so-loud noises that mimic the sounds of a storm. Gradually work up the intensity of the noises. Slowly introducing your dog to the source of their anxiety in small doses and rewarding positive behavior can help your dog learn to manage its anxiety.
Socialization, obedience training, and crate training can also be beneficial for dogs that experience separation anxiety.
Can Supplements Help Dogs with Anxiety?
Medications and supplements are another way you can help your furry friend manage their anxiety. Some animals require prescription medications like SSRIs and antidepressants to cope with the symptoms of anxiety and stress. Benzodiazepines and antidepressants can be used to help your pet deal with stressful events like fireworks and long car rides. It is important to discuss this with your veterinarian so that they may provide their best recommendations for your pet.
Supplements may also help reduce anxiety in some animals. L-tryptophan and chamomile, for example, may help calm frazzled nerves and reduce anxiety. Yes, when used properly, the same chamomile in tea can also promote relaxation in dogs.
A growing body of research also suggests that CBD, a chemical compound found in cannabis and hemp plants, may help ease the symptoms of anxiety in dogs. CBD binds to endocannabinoid receptors in the brain. By mimicking internal chemical messengers and influencing these receptors in the brain, CBD may enhance relaxation and temporarily reduce anxiety in dogs.
Pure Peak carries a range of CBD products for pets, including:
- Thrive Tincture for Dogs
- Relax Tincture for Dogs
- Advanced Tincture for Dogs
If you want to combine training techniques with medications or supplements, contact your veterinarian to discuss your dog's unique needs. Supplements and positive reinforcement training techniques can help turn an anxious dog into a happy and well-adjusted pup.
High-Quality Supplements for Your Cherished Dog
Finding high-quality products and supplements for your pets can be challenging. At Pure Peak, we want to make the process easy. We carry the purest and most effective wellness products for dogs and cats, vet-formulated and made with clean ingredients.
Are you and your vet ready to give your dog the best? So are we. Let us help you with your anxiety and other pet care needs.
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