7 Ways to Calm Your Anxious Dog

Anxiety can manifest itself in multiple ways, from whining and barking to shivering and whimpering. You may also find that your dog becomes destructive or hostile when anxious. Over time, they may lose their appetite and become completely withdrawn if the anxiety is not addressed.

The most common reasons for anxiety in a dog is abandonment, fear of being home alone, loud noises, traveling, and/or being around strange people, children, or other pets. We’ve also seen the anxiety in dogs that have been abused or neglected.

The best way to treat your canine companion is to determine the cause. Anxiety is usually evident and easily identified. Once you pinpoint the reason, you can go about treatment management  Here are 7 ways to calm your anxious dog:

1. Exercise Your Dog

If your dog has separation anxiety, the obvious way to ease their mind is to never leave them alone, but that is not a reality for most pet owners, so using exercise as both a bonding time and to tire out your pet is often an easy fix!

Because anxiety can cause an excess of energy, taking your dog out to play ball or on a long walk before you leave can be helpful. Providing plenty of physical contact and talking to them during this time is also beneficial. And, like their human counterparts, exercise can help relieve stress by producing beneficial endorphins. Karla’s Pet Care, LLC can help provide the exercise that your dog needs including a walk or playing in the backyard.

2. Physical Contact

There is probably nothing more soothing to an anxious dog than its owner’s touch. Try to identify the signs of anxiety in your dog and nip them in the bud as early as possible by picking them up, cuddling on the couch, or giving them a good long petting session.

3. Massage

As you probably know, a massage will relax and calm even the most anxious human — did you know it also works wonders with dogs as well?! Anxiety often causes tensing of the muscles and massage therapy is one way to alleviate tension. Start at the neck and work downward with long strokes. Try to keep one hand on the dog, while the other works to massage. Over time you may even be able to identify where your dog holds its stress and just work on that one particular area.

4. Music Therapy

Music therapy has been proven to be beneficial for both humans, as well as our canine and feline friends. The power of music can be calming and relaxing while you’re home, in the car, or away from your pet. Music can also alleviate noise sensitivity by blocking the street or scary noises that bother some dogs and create anxiety.

Research has shown that many dogs prefer classical music. Harp music, often used in hospice situations, can be a natural sedative. You might try:

• Through A Dog’s Ear by pianist Lisa Spector and psychoacoustics researcher Joshua Leeds
• Noah’s Harp: Surrender by Susan Raimond

Amazon Alexa has a dog calming skill that you can enable.  This skill provides relaxing music specially chosen to calm and keep your dog company. The calming classical, simple music will constantly play whilst you are out, or until you choose to stop.

5. Time-Out

Isolating your pet in a safe and quiet space can help calm their frayed nerves. Maybe that space has some very quiet music playing, low lights, and/or some aromatherapy available (see below “Alternative Therapies”).

You might also try a ZenCrate for time-outs, and as a general escape pod for your furry friend. The ZenCrate was designed to help dogs with a variety of anxiety factors. It’s similar to a standard crate but it provides vibration isolation, noise cancellation (through sound insulation), reduced light, as well as comfort and security. A motion-activated sensor turns on a gentle fan when your dog enters, which helps block noise and provides a steady stream of fresh air. You can pre-program the crate with music. It comes with a removable door, so your dog can self-comfort and enter at any time.

6. Calming Coats/T-Shirts

Calming coats and t-shirts apply mild, constant pressure to a dog’s torso, surrounding a dog much like a swaddling cloth on a baby. It’s recommended for dogs with any type of anxiety induced by travel, separation, noise, or stranger anxiety.

Depending on the size of your dog, there are several brands and models to choose from. You can check out ThunderShirt Anxiety Jacket, American Kennel Club Stress Relief Coat, and the Comfort Zone Calming Vest.

7. Alternative Therapies

These therapies that can be used alone or combined with those above to be more effective. Be sure to do proper research before implementing alternative therapies, and consult with your veterinarian, too.

Rescue Remedy

Rescue Remedy is part of the Bach homeopathic line of remedies for humans. Homeopathy was founded over 200 years ago and is popular in Europe and England. (The Queen even has her own Royal Homepath.) It is based on the principle of similarity and uses plants and flower in all remedies.

Rescue Remedy Pet is comprised of 5 different Bach Flower Remedies that constitute a stress reliever. It is completely safe to use on your dog. You just add 2-4 drops directly to their drinking water. There is also a spray that you can use on pet bedding and toys.  Many people find that giving their dogs Rescue Remedy before a grooming appointment will help calm them down.

Supplements

There are dog treats that contain helpful supplements proven to help anxiety. Typically they will contain melatonin, thiamin, chamomile, L-Theanine or L-tryptophan. Some also have a ginger element to help with sensitive stomachs. These are often recommended for general and travel anxiety.

Adaptil Home Diffuser

Adaptil is basically aromatherapy for dogs! It uses pheromones to help allay fears, much like a nursing mother gives off to her puppies. It is easy to use: just plug the diffuser into the room your dog spends the most time in. The diffuser releases “dog-appeasing” pheromones, an odorless scent particular to dogs. (Humans, cats, and other pets will not smell anything.)

For puppies, you can also use Adaptil’s lightweight collar that can be worn until they’re 6 months old, which helps with the inevitable separation anxiety.

ThunderCloud

ThunderCloud combines music therapy with aromatherapy to help calm your dog by using both auditory and olfactory senses. The sound machine can play a variety of calming loops, such as a babbling brook or relaxing waves lapping at the shore, while the essential oils combine several known to be calming, like lavender, chamomile, and geranium. Good for dogs with noise sensitivity, and separation anxiety, and to help them sleep through the night.

CBD Oil

The main reason why CBD can help your dog is due to the fact that our furry friends have an endocannabinoid system, which is the system that CBD interacts within the human body. CBD has been shown to help reduce anxiety in dogs, while also helping them to relax and feel at ease.

If you find that the above treatments are not the answer for your dog and their anxiety, it’s best to consult your veterinarian. There are a variety of prescription medications available for separation anxiety and destructive behavior that could be beneficial.

If your dog is especially anxious during their grooming appointment, please reach out to us so we can help you figure out how to calm your dog before, during and after their appointment.