Anxiety in Dogs: How to Calm Your Dog

Hope the read is helpful and raises awareness about this not so uncommon disorder in our pooches.

Occasionally, dogs may show one or more than one of the symptoms in the

list below:

 Destructive behaviour

 Tail tucked between legs

 Spontaneous elimination (urination/bowel movement)

 Panting

 Pacing

 Whining/whimpering

 Dilated pupils

 Trembling

 Excessive licking

 Avoiding interactions

 Displacement behaviours: e.g. yawning, lip licking, air sniffing, “shaking it off”

 Difficult to settle

 Poor eye contact

 Hiding behaviour

 Fidgeting

( Pethub, 2019)

 Aggression

 Barking

 Drooling

 Repetitive or compulsive behaviour

(Kriss, 2019)

This is normal especially when a dog is exposed to an uncomfortable condition or circumstance.

Although, if a dog displays many of these behaviours at the same time or any one of the

below symptoms persistently and on a high scale then this can be a problem indicative of an

anxiety disorder.

Causes of Anxiety in Dogs

There are many reasons why dogs can become anxious. Sometimes the cause is obvious e.g. a new face or unfamiliar area they have been exposed to, a loud noise, an unfamiliar animal. (Pethub, 2018)

Types of Anxiety in Dogs

There are 5 common types of anxiety in dogs.

1. Separation anxiety

2. Former rescue/shelter dog anxiety

3. Illness induced

4. Generalised anxiety

5. Age-related (Kriss, 2019)

Dog Breeds that are Commonly Prone to General Anxiety:

 Labrador Retriever

 Vizsla

 Shorthair Pointer

 Bichon Frise

 King Charles Spaniel

 Havanese

 A range toy breeds

 German & Australian Shepherd

 Border Collie

 Greyhounds

 Cocker Spaniel

(Pethub, 2019)

How to help Your Dog Manage Their Anxiety

 Develop a schedule or routine that is consistent

 Expose your dog to a low stimuli environment

 Create an environment for your dog that is predictable

 Be in control of your dog’s social interactions

http://www.pethub.com/article/what-causing-my-dogs...

 Try a compression wrap for dogs

 Play relaxing music

 Gentle Petting

(Taylor, 2018)

Treatments

There are a range of treatments to help your dog manage their anxiety and usually a combination of strategies are the most helpful. The best place to start is by having your veterinarian intervene and devise a treatment plan for your dog. (Kriss, 2019)

As humans we too suffer from anxiety symptoms on occasion so with this in mind we can emphathise with our pooche and show kindness and love to help our fur babies overcome this sometimes debilitating disorder.

Reference List:

1. Pet Hub, 2019. What is Causing My Dog’s Anxiety [online] http://www.pethub.com/article/what-causing-my-dogs-anxiety. [ Accessed 15th of January 2020]

2. Kriss, R 2019, Understanding, Preventing and Treating Dog Anxiety, [online] https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/treating-dog-anxiety/. [Accessed 15th of January 2020]

3. Taylor, M, 2018, 5 Ways to Ease Your Dogs Anxiety. [online] https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/g207066... [Accessed 15th of January 2020)