Anxiety can manifest itself in all breeds, sizes and types of dog but one thing is for sure, an anxious dog is not a happy dog. Anxious dogs are more likely to be depressed, snappy and maladjusted. This is not to say that anxious dogs can’t be wonderful pets because they truly can; however, in order to make their life a full one it is your responsibility to make life as easy as possible for your anxiety ridden dog.

Anxiety comes in all forms, from the dog who is petrified of anything and everything following a life of abuse to the dog who is afraid of thunderstorms, all anxious dogs have one thing in common – certain triggers cause them to suffer what we would call “panic attacks.” The most common form of anxiety for our dogs is separation anxiety. Dog’s rely on their pack as a family and a support system; however, on occasion our dog’s become too attached and get extremely anxious when they are apart from us often causing harm to themselves or destruction to our property. The one thing to keep in mind when you observe your dog’s anxious behaviour or the destructive behaviour that has resulted from an anxiety attack is that your dog is not doing these things to upset you, your dog is upset because he felt abandoned, he did not understand that you were only “going to get groceries,” he just knew you were gone and this resulted in panic. There are, however, many things you can do to help your dog work through his anxiety which should reduce both the panic that your dog feels and the worry that you feel being away from your dog because of his panic.

Crate your dog – Crating your dog is not only a great way to potty train younger dogs and give your dog somewhere to sleep but it also creates a small safe confined space that your dog can call his own. Having a safe place to go is important for your dog, just as we have our places where we feel isolated, your dog needs this space as well. Crating your anxious dog will not only give him a safe quiet place but it also keeps him safe from himself by eliminating anxious behaviour’s such as pacing and destructive chewing. A good way to pick a crate is to pick one that is just large enough for your dog to turn around in, any larger than this and you have not chosen a confined safe place for your dog, you have chosen a place big enough for panic.

Anxiety Wraps – Numerous stores sell anxiety wraps that are made with dogs in mind. These wraps were created specifically for dogs with a fear of thunderstorms; however, they have been shown to work effectively for other types of anxiety as well. The anxiety wraps fit snugly around your dog’s body creating a calm, warm feeling of maintained pressure on your dog’s body. If you are not able to afford the $60+ dollars that anxiety wraps cost you can somewhat duplicate the effect by placing a snugly fitting t-shirt on your dog which will give him the same feeling of maintained pressure. You should; however, always be careful when leaving your dog with any “clothing” on that can be removed and clothing should never be so constrictive that it limits blood flow or movement!

Sensory Appeal - Just as babies know their mother’s smell dogs know their owner’s smell. When you leave your dog home alone in his crate you may find that providing your dog with a blanket with your scent on it helps to calm your dog. Scent should not be confused with lotions or perfumes that can cause allergic reactions. Your scent is simply the way your skin smells without perfume, while it is often hard to detect on ourselves our dog’s know us by it.

Pheromone Diffusers - Many companies are now selling pheromone diffusers which act much the same way as Glade Plugins. These Pheromone Diffusers plug in to the wall and distribute calming pheromones in to the air to create a calming atmosphere for your dog during stressful times. There is varied research on the effectiveness of these diffusers as a remedy for canine anxiety, but they have been proven to work for some dogs.

Don’t Fuss – One huge mistake that owners of dogs with separation anxiety make is making a fuss of their dog, this concept carries over to any type of fear related behaviour in dogs. When dog parents make a fuss over leaving the house by repeatedly petting their dog and saying “you’ll be okay,” they actually provide their dog with more reason to worry. As pet parents repeatedly reassure their dog’s that they’re going to be fine their dogs are left wondering what the heck is going on and consequently begin to worry. When leaving the house parents of anxious dogs should simply say nothing, or if the need to say something is there make it short, sweet and avoid the long goodbye’s. Beginning with short periods of leaving without a fuss will build a trust that you are going to return and pretty soon as these departures grow longer your dog will become more used to them. If your dog’s fear is not separation based and a fear of something such as thunderstorms the principle still stands, don’t pander to negative behaviours. Dog’s learn from positive reinforcement, giving excess attention to fear is a positive reinforcement of that fear, instead try to ignore your pet’s worry as much as you can. Ignoring panic is not the same as ignoring your pet, remember you are attempting to calm your dog by not pandering to worry, you are not trying to panic your dog with a cold shoulder. Just act normally and your pet will take his cue from you!

Some dogs are just “velcro dogs”, they stick to you no matter what and some dogs are simply afraid of certain things just as we are and while it may feel like you are failing your “fur-kid” by not fussing over their fears, you are, in reality, helping them realize that the things they fear aren’t such a big deal after all.