Dealing with Anxiety in Dogs

Fireworks, thunderstorms, car rides, vet visits – the list goes on. There are dozens of scenarios that can just rub some dogs the wrong way. In this article we’ll outline a few things you can try to help tame your pet’s anxiety.

1 Exercise

There’s an old saying, “a tired dog is a happy dog.” Often times one of the healthiest ways to reduce anxiety is with regular exercise. For some breeds a simple 20-minute walk is enough to manage nerves, but sporting breeds and terriers usually need something more stimulating. Time outside in a big fenced in yard isn’t usually enough either. The best way to tire your dog out is exercise for both their body and mind. Try going on a hike or playing games with your dog, or better yet, both! If you know when a stressful situation may occur, plan to do some extra rigorous exercise ahead of time. 

2 Make a safety space

For things like thunder and fireworks you might be able to create a safety space in your home. That’s a place where your dog can safely hide to feel safe and protected. For my dog, we have a windowless bathroom that is nestled in the center of the house and is well insulated from noise. To top it off we have a comfy spot for him to lay and will turn on the bathroom fan or a white noise machine to further drown out some of the outside sounds.

3 Calming aides / supplements

There are a wide range of items available on the market to help your dog feel calm and relaxed. Different calming supplements can have different active ingredients that function in different ways. Sometimes a little trial and error is involved in finding the one that works best for your dog or your situation, but it’s generally a pretty easy process. Many calming supplements come in treat form too, making them very easy to administer. 

4 Create an activity

This last one applies more to dogs with some level of separation anxiety. One of the things that can reduce separation anxiety is if your dog has something else he really wants to do besides hang out with you. I do this with my own dog. If I have to leave the house without my dog I will make him wait in the kitchen while I "hide" a few piles of treats throughout the house (Note: they're not that had to find - I don't want him missing any and inviting pests). He's usually raring to go, but I don't release him from his stay until I'm walking out the door. At that point he is so excited to look for the treats that he could care less about me. By the time he's done finding them all he's forgotten that he wanted to come with in the first place. 

Parting thoughts

There are many ways to manage and reduce canine anxiety. Some of these may work for you and some may not. For example, don't use my treat hide-and-seek activity if you can't leave your dog out of the crate while home alone. Sometimes managing anxiety can be as simple as removing your dog from the situation as well. For example. we've taken trips to remote areas before to avoid fireworks. This definitely isn't an exhaustive list, but hopefully it helps get you on the right track for your pup!

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