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Life is hard. It often puts us in anxiety, depression, and stress. Did you ever think that the same thing could happen to your pet also? Yes, dogs are as sensitive beings as humans. They can also face fear, restlessness, and anxiety.
There can be many reasons for a dog to be hyper, overexcited, anxious, depressed, and nervous. They can be triggered by loud noise, thunderstorms, firecrackers, fear of other dogs, fear of losing dear ones or favourite toys. Dogs can be restless while travelling. Learn how to reduce the stress of your dog while travelling.
23 Signs that your dog is afraid, anxious, or hyper
- Decreased appetite
- Growling
- Aggression
- Goofy behaviour (getting the zoomies, scratching, etc.)
- Loss of toilet training
- Lifting a paw
- Lowered body language
- Yawning
- Licking lips
- Being too distracted for you to get their attention
- Salivation
- Inability to settle
- Attempting to hide
- Pacing
- Panting
- Shaking/trembling
- Tail tucked between the legs
- Raised hair on the back of the neck
- Avoiding eye contact/averting the eyes
- Scratching self frequently
- Clinginess to owner
- Hiding
- Dilated pupils or seeing the whites of a dog’s eyes
How to calm down a dog with anxiety? (11 crucial points)
- Dogs notice some of your behaviours when you are going out. For example, you are looking for your umbrella, putting on your coat, makeup, etc. Notice and change the pattern every day. Leave for work 10 minutes earlier tomorrow and use the backdoor:-D.
- Limit your byes and hellos. Ignore them for a while when you return so the dog learns about that.
- Don’t let them be alone for a long time.
- Exercise your dog regularly. Exercise reduces stress which helps in elevating their mood.
- Let them undergo crate training.
- Create their own space with their toys and stuff.
- Switch on some cool relaxing music.
- Use an audiobook.
- Use a PetCube camera.
- Shop for anxiety treatment pet supplies.
- Most important! Never punish or scold them. Seek professional advice.
FAQs
How to calm down a dog during fireworks?
1. Keep someplace for them to hide.
2. Stay by their side, and comfort them.
3. Close windows and turn on the TV or the sound system.
4. If you have multiple pets, place them together. Let them socialize.
5. Talk to your pet, and distract them.
6. Seek professional training and a vet to help your dog.
How to calm down a dog during a thunderstorm?
If your dog has Thunderstorm anxiety, follow these tips to help ease his fear.
1. Give your dog a safe and comfortable place.
2. distract him by playing, throwing a ball, and sharing food with him.
3. Play some relaxing music or TV to suppress the sound of thunder.
4. Use a thunder shirt. It wraps around your dog and applies mild pressure, soothing him.
5. Try an antistatic jacket. Dogs’ coats can accumulate static charge during thunderstorms, which causes a tingling sensation and makes them afraid.
6. Get a calming cap, which covers the dog’s eyes.
7. Consult your vet or get help from a dog trainer.
How to calm down a dog with separation anxiety?
It’s a common issue that your dog reacts strangely when you are going out of your house. It is more common for young dogs. Symptoms include excessive barking, not eating, destroyed clothes, excessive salivations and drooling, and potty incidents.
1. Be sure they are trained well, at kennels preferably.
2. Use the Petcube pet camera for remote outreach.
3. Whenever you come back, don’t make it a big deal. At first, ignore them and interact with them a few minutes later.
4. Leave your recently worn clothes with your dog.
6. Let them roam freely in the house.
7. Give them a toy or something to play with.
8. Consult a vet or a dog trainer, or a doctor to find out any medical causes if any.
I am a pet expert dealing with Cats, Dogs, Birds, Rabbits and Aquarium fish for the last 10 years. Now it is time to share my knowledge with you. I am very passionate about sharing everything that I learned so far about pet care. Watch my Youtube channel Petfather