Dogs can suffer from anxiety, just like humans. Thankfully, if you notice that your dog is displaying signs of anxiety, there are several effective ways you can help calm your doggy. Here are eight.

 

Signs of Anxiety in Dogs

Before you can treat your dog’s anxiety, you need to know what the signs are. 

Look out for common signs of anxiety like:

• Panting and pacing, even when it isn’t hot.
• Barking or howling when you’re not home, which you can monitor with a camera and/or microphone.
• Cowering in the corner of your home.
• Running away.
• Shivering.
• Digging.
• Not eating.
• Urinating more often.
• Destroying furniture.
• Self-harm, such as excessive chewing or licking.

 

Other subtle signs of anxiety in dogs include:

• Lifting a paw.
• Looking away.
• Licking lips.
• Showing the whites of the eyes.

1. Have More Physical Contact with Your Dog and Try Massaging

One effective way of calming your anxious dog is to have more physical contact. Cuddling on the sofa or having a long stroking session can do wonders to help your dog’s anxiousness. 

Giving massages can also be highly effective as it can relieve the tension in dogs’ muscles and create a soothing sensation. To massage your dog, begin at the neck and then work down with long strokes. 

 

2. Exercise Your Dog

Your dog should always get enough exercise. If your dog is displaying signs of anxiety, it’s even more important that you up your doggy’s exercise time. Just like humans, when dogs exercise, endorphins are released, which help to relieve stress. 

So, long walks and playing ball for longer periods can be very effective in helping your dog to be less anxious. During exercise sessions, you should have plenty of physical contact with your pooch and talk to him or her. 

 

3. Buy a Calming Coat or T-shirt

Calming coats and T-shirts are specifically designed to apply mild but constant pressure to dogs’ torsos. In turn, your dog will feel as though he or she is swaddled and will feel calmer. 

Calming coats and calming T-shirts are especially effective for dogs who have separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, or anxiety about travelling.

 

4. Try Pheromone Diffusers

There are a number of diffusers for dogs on the market that release pheromones that help to appease dogs and calm them down. Simply plug in a diffuser in rooms where your dog spends most of his or her time. 

For puppies, consider pheromone-releasing collars. 

 

5. Give Music Therapy a Go

Research has shown that dogs can stay calmer when they are at home, in the car, or away from their owners when music is played. It can alleviate noise sensitivity, to things like loud street noises, and help to keep your doggy relaxed. 

Research suggests classical music is usually the best type of music to play to calm dogs.

 

6. Give Your Dog CBD Treats

CBD, which is a hemp extract, can be used to relieve anxiety and pain, so it’s no wonder more and more dog owners are giving their doggies CBD treats, such as the CBD treats for dogs by Honest Paws. 

CBD can also be effective in improving dogs’ sleep quality, increasing their appetite, lowering their blood pressure, and reducing inflammation. 

 

7. Try Supplements

There are a number of supplements for dogs available that could help reduce anxiety. The most effective ones contain melatonin, camomile, thiamine, L-theanine or L-tryptophan. Such supplements are recommended for travel anxiety and general anxiety in dogs. 

 

8. Visit a Vet to See if Prescription Medication Could Help

If you try some or all of the above things and find your dog is still showing signs of anxiety, you should visit a vet to get expert advice. Your dog will be able to assess your dog and determine what the best course of action to take is. 

 

That could include prescribing medications to help reduce or alleviate your pooch’s anxiety. Common anxiety medications for dogs include:

• Amitriptyline.
• Ativan.
• Buspirone.
• Clomicalm.
• Paxil.
• Prozac.
• Reconcile.
• Sileo.
• Valium.
• Xanax.
• Zoloft.

Summing Up

As we have seen, there are multiple effective ways in which you can help to calm your anxious dog. 

 

To recap, you could:

1. Have More Physical Contact with Your Dog and Try Massaging.
2. Exercise Your Dog.
3. Buy a Calming Coat or T-shirt.
4. Try Pheromone Diffusers.
5. Give Music Therapy a Go.
6. Give Your Dog CBD Treats.
7. Try Supplements.
8. Visit a Vet to See if Prescription Medication Could Help.

 

 

Ways to Help Calm Your Anxious Dog  is a feature post