Looking After Pets

Technically speaking, when we talk about dog anxiety, it isn’t actually dog anxiety . Now that might seem like a bit of a riddle, but it’ll make sense when you check out the dictionary’s definition of anxiety.

“Anxiety is a generalized mood condition that can often arise without a recognisable causing stimulus. As such, it is different from fear, which is an emotional response to a perceived threat. Additionally, fear is related to the known behaviours of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is related to scenarios thought of as uncontrollable or unavoidable”.

Dog’s adverse reactions are almost always caused by a perceived threat; it may be as innocent as someone walking into a room, a clap of thunder, or the sound of the postman approaching the front door. We may not be in a position to hear the threat ourselves (they have better hearing than us), or understand what is scary, but a dog will respond in one of the three ways they know how – freeze, flight or fight. Our problems start when they make the wrong choices and react in an unsuitable way.

Dog Fears

Some dog fears are understandable, eg a dog afraid of thunder or a storm, but when a dog is frightened by the ring of a telephone or the noise of the washer, it’s harder to appreciate the danger they pose to a dog. But we live in a world that a dog regularly does not understand. From cars that rush past them, the regular visit of the postman, to televisions and cell telephones, a dog can often find themselves out of their depth and reacting inappropriately.

If we understand that dogs are programmed first and foremost to survive, we can begin to understand why they often react with fear to the things they don’t understand. The items may seem completely harmless to us, but to a dog, safety is paramount and they will treat it as a genuine threat to their safety until proved otherwise.

Why Being Pack Leader Can Increase Dog Fear

Expecting our dogs to be the decision maker for the pack in a world they don’t understand is only likely to increase their fears. The trouble is that a dog naturally needs to know who pack leader is – and if they do not think you are – they are going to take on the job.

It is said that the issue of pack leadership this is what lies behind much of dog separation anxiety. Imagine if a member of your family went out leaving you locked in the house and you didn’t know where they had gone or if they were going to be able to find their way back. At the very least you’d be anxious and rather more likely be desperately attempting to get out of the house to go and find them.

Knowing this, the best thing we are able to do is take on the role of pack leader ourselves and show our dogs that their job is to follow our lead. If they look to us to make decisions then when we don’t show fear around potentially threatening situations (like switching the hoover on, or answering the ring on the front door to the delivery man) it should immediately reduce their fear or anxiousness.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about dog anxiety or dog fear when you visit the site.

There’s a common accepted belief that asserts the best way to lose your fears is to face them head on. But is the same correct for our dogs and should we be making a fearful dog confront their fears?

If your dog is afraid of people as an example, should you be making sure they come across lots of people everyday in the hope they are going to get used to them or learn to be brave? How about a dog afraid of fireworks, should you take them to a display every year to get them use to very loud noises?

The way in which we tackle the issue of dog fears is essential, as we risk compounding the fears and making our dogs even more fearful if we take the incorrect approach.

A Productive Approach to Helping a Fearful Dog

All evidence indicates that encouraging or making a dog to tackle their fears isn’t a productive one, nor is it safe. Some dogs coming head to head with a fearful experience will lash out with fear aggression. Imagine the effects if that was a child they were afraid of. Infact repeated exposure to a fear is likelier to increase the stress each time they experience it.

Of course, we cannot protect our dogs from everything they’re worried about. We are not able to stop thunderstorms; or folk coming to the house or having to leave our dogs home alone now and then. Nor can we disregard the problem because that won’t make it disappear either, so what are we able to do?

The Best Way to Help When Your Dog is Fearful

When your dog is showing fear, the way in which you react is essential as they may frequently be looking to see what you do in the situation. If you show anxiousness, it’ll confirm they’re right to feel like this. So it is very important that you stay calm and show your dog that this is nothing to worry about.

Avoid comforting your dog a lot or making a big fuss of them when they show fear as this is not very helpful for your dog. Either your dog could see this as a reward for their anxious behavior and it will encourage them to behave in this way; or it will confirm that they’re right to be afraid.

Now that doesn’t suggest if your dog wants to snuggle up with you during a thunderstorm that you shouldn’t let them, just that you should stay calm, not make a big fuss of them and act like there is nothing for them to be afraid of.

How to Help Your Dog Get Over Their Fears

There are 3 ways in which you can help in cutting dog fears. The 1st is to use desensitisation training which involves exposing your dog to their fear at an intensity they can deal with and in little incremental steps gradually increase their exposure, using treats and praise to help the technique.

The 2nd is for you to learn how to show your dog that you’re the pack leader as this is thought to be very beneficial for anxious dogs, especially for those with separation anxiety. The 3rd is to ask your vet about the use of medication for very extreme cases, but you’ll still have to use training alongside it.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs a website which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about helping a fearful dog face fears when you visit the site.

When a dog is feeling anxious they’re predicting that something is going to happen that they’re scared of. That may be a direct threat like another dog coming up to them, or it may be something that is associated with the fear, for example their owner picking up the car keys. The keys are not the threat, but they associate them with their owner leaving them home alone.

Anxiety in dogs usually comes from their social learning (or the lack of it) and their prior experiences, but some dogs are just a little anxious by character. Often a dog’s anxieties are difficult to understand, but the good new is that whatever the reason for their fears, there are several ways in which you can help lower your dog’s anxiety levels.

1. Do Not Make Them Face Their Fears

Avoiding circumstances that are scary for your dog is the simplest way to immediately reduce a dog’s anxiety. As an example, if your dog is fearful of vacuum cleaners, don’t vacuum while they’re close by till you have done some desensitisation training with them and they are relaxed about it.

Contrary to popular belief, getting a dog to face their fears head on is not going to help, and is likely to result in heightening the anxiety. On the other hand, ignoring anxiety in dogs in the hope it’ll go, sadly won’t help either and the anxiousness will most likely increase over a period of time as the dog learns to be a little more scared from each experience that compounds the fear.

2. Use Desensitization Behavior Training

Desensitisation training can slowly help your dog overcome fears, so taking one fear at a time, put aside some regular time and make a step-by-step plan to desensitize him.

Using the example of a dog afraid of a vacuum cleaner, you might start by getting the vacuum out but not putting it on, and then putting a treat in the same room as the vacuum, or playing a game in the same room, steadily getting the dog closer to the vacuum. Carry on doing this till they relax and take no notice of it.
Your next step is to have someone put the vacuum on while you are in another room with the dog. Again use the method of treats and play (whatever they enjoy best) till they relax while they can hear the noise. Gradually move them closer every few sessions, observing your dog all the time. If they start showing they are scared, back up a little and progress slower.

3. Be Calm and Positive With Your dog

Staying calm yourself is exceedingly important for an anxious dog because if you are feeling anxious too , they are going to pick up on those feelings and become even more worried.

It can at times be difficult to stay calm yourself if you’re worrying about how your dog is going to react, for example coming face to face with another dog on a walk when you know it will cause them a lot of worry. If possible, it is smart to avoid those situations altogether, but if faced with a fearful situation, your dog may look to you for a reaction first, so be sure you act as if it is nothing for your dog to stress about. That doesn’t mean you have to carry on and ‘brave out ‘ any frightening situations, you could similarly decide to turn and walk off.

Reward your dog for being brave and showing confidence whenever it’s possible to show they are doing the right thing. On the other hand, never scold or punish them for showing fear. Shouting at them or shocking them may get you the desired reaction like stopping them from doing something (like barking forcefully), nonetheless it won’t make a difference to the underlying problem that causes the anxiety in the first place.

It might take a little time for your dog to start responding positively, but keep it up because your dog really needs you to have patience with them while they cope with the anxiety. Eventually they should be able to deal with a load more stimulus and lead a much happier life.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about the ways you can reduce anxiety in dogs, when you visit the site.

As Guy Fawkes night approaches in the UK where the main attraction will be bonfires and fireworks, there will be many dog owners stressing about having dogs that are scared of fireworks.

While it is a fairly common fear in dogs, and we find it easy understand that they are scared by the loud and unpredictable sounds, firework events only occur a few times a year so it is difficult to get a dog acclimatized to the sounds.

How Do Dogs React to the Sound of Fireworks?

The way dogs react to the sound of fireworks can range from slight unease to blind panic. Some dogs will creep away and find a spot to hide like under a bed or in a small dark place, while others will bolt and try frantically to escape from the noise. A lot of dogs will bark and whine during the display, while others will quiver with fear.

Be cautious if you’re out with your dog in a firework display as some scared dogs will try and run away. You will need to ensure you have a firm hold of their lead and they are not able to slip their collar. The same approach is necessary if you have got a dog that panics indoors as well , ensure you contain them or have them on a lead so they can not damage themselves or anybody else while they’re wild.

How To Help a Dog Scared of Fireworks First one or two don’ts:

*Don’t expose your dog unnecessarily to fireworks as it will not help them get use to the noise and is likelier to increase their fear.
*Don’t make a gigantic fuss of your dog when they are afraid as this will encourage them to think that their behavior is the right response.
*Don’t get anxious yourself as this could be picked up on by your dog and will only heighten their anxiousness.

What you can do to help:

If you have got the time, you can attempt to desensitize your dog to the sound of fireworks. You can buy CD’s with the noise of fireworks on that you can play to your dog, starting with a low intensity and gradually building the sound levels and length of exposure overtime. You need to couple this with things your dog responds happily to like treats or play.

Stay calm and don’t react against the fireworks yourself. Act as if they are nothing at all to be worried about. If your dog wants to go and hide, let them and ensure you do not make any fuss.

Use background noise like music, the radio or Television to try and block out the fireworks and ensure your windows are closed and the dog can spend some time as far apart from the noise as practicable.

If you have got a dog with an intense fear of fireworks that truly gets out of control, it could be worth talking to a vet about prescribing anti-anxiety medication.

If you are going to the firework display yourself and leaving your dog home alone, ensure that you leave them in a safe and secure environment where they cannot hurt themselves. Don’t give them access to the outside during the fireworks as they can react a little unpredictably.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer and dog owner and runs a website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with dog anxiety. Get more information about dogs scared of fireworks, when you visit the site.

Many people consider that their dogs are just misbehaving when they’re very vocal when the owners are away from home. It might be that your dog is bored; it might be that your dog need to have a little more structured training, or it might be that your dog is suffering from signs of dog anxiety.

How common is dog anxiety?
Over 35% of all dogs suffer with dog anxiety at sometime in their life. It’s the second reason why people surrender their dogs to shelters or the pound, second only to aggressive behaviour.
Many people do not understand symptoms and just think that their dog is badly behaved and can’t be trained. Unfortunately , dogs that suffer signs and symptoms of dog anxiety are unlikely to get a new home and many of them are euthanized.

What behaviors are linked with dog anxiety?
Dog suffering with anxiety generally will have behaviors that are tough to understand. They can seem to act panicked when their owner is out of sight. Insignificant cases can include running from room to room, yelping and howling all day or they might even chew up and destroy your favourite possessions. In the worst cases dogs have been observed to rip up carpets, rip down drywall and smash through windows in an attempt to find their owner.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that if your dog is exhibiting mild dog anxiety behaviours it’s likely that these behaviours will escalate and become worse over a period of time if you do not react quickly.

How to cure dog anxiety.
There are number of techniques and methods that may be used to enhance your dogs ‘ behavior. These may include desensitization methods and behaviour modification techniques. For worse cases a mixture of dog anxiety medicine and behavior modification training will gain the most satisfactory results.

Next, learn how you can implement easy training techniques to cure your dog of their dog anxiety problems. Learn how it’s possible for you to take control and stop dog anxiety once and for all. It is really critical to do something now; it might just save your dog’s life.

As a last resort, dog anxiety medication can be useful in helping to lessen the effects of anxiety on a dog, but still must be mixed with a behavior modification training course to be really effective.

Sometimes, your vet will prescribe one of the 3 types of anti-anxiety medications that are looked at below, but in all cases must be observed closely as there are potential side-effects you need to look out for which won’t help reduce dog anxiety.

Clomipramine

Clomipramine comes from a group of substances known as tricyclic antidepressants. They help by raising the level of serotonin produced by the brain, which has a calming effect. The medication can be given in tablet or capsule form and it might take up to a month before you notice improvements.

Studies have shown Clomipramine to have side effects of being sick, diarrhea, increased thirst, listlessness or depression and elevation in liver enzymes. It could also react with other medicines, so you should tell your vet about any other medications your dog is taking. There are more health concerns where this drug should not be used or where caution needs to be taken, which your vet should inform you about.

Fluoxetine

Fluoxetine comes from the group of drugs known as SSRI, which were originally utilised for people and has now been adopted for animal use. It is usually prescribed for short term use, although dogs need to receive Fluoxetine for 6 to 8 weeks before it can be determined that the medication is ineffectual. Fluoxetine is administered daily and is available as pills, capsules or in a liquid form.

The key side-effects are gut upset, and others include loss of appetite, sleepiness, panting, hyperactivity, shaking, restlessness, unnecessary noise and aggression. This drug can have also react with other medicines, so always mention medications and health issues to your vet. An overdose of Fluoxetine may cause seizure so contact your vet right away.

Alprazolam

Alprazolam is a mild tranquilizer from the same class of substances as Valium and comes in tablet or liquid form. It can be productive given when needed, for example a half hour before a storm or fireworks event. Alprazolam can also be utilised for longer periods of time so that owners can work with the dog on behavioural change, but should be used with care as high doses and extended use may cause addiction.

The drug’s commonest side effects are clumsiness and listlessness, and should not be given to dogs with health problems such as glaucoma, liver damage, or to dogs that are pregnant or lactating. It’s also known to interact with other medications, so always tell your vet about any other drugs your dog is being given.

Making Decisions About Dog Anxiety Medication

The info given is intended as a guide only to a few of the differing types of dog anxiety medications available. As there are upsides and downsides to all those talked about you should talk with your vet before deciding what dog anxiety treatment is right for your dog.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs a Dog Anxiety website, which provides help and information for dog owners dealing with the behaviour problems created by dog anxiety. Get more information about the dog anxiety medication when you visit the site.

Many dog lovers struggle to deal with the effects of anxiety on their dogs, facing dog behaviour problems that range from nonstop barking that provokes the neighbors to coming home to a dog which has urinated or pooped in the house. But recent research has given us one thing more to fret about – the effect that fear and anxiety in dogs has on both their health and lifespan.

Even though it has already been shown in other species that the stress responses to situations that create anxiety are linked with hormone and immune changes which are in turn related to diseases and shortened lifespans, this research sought to demonstrate whether the same was correct for our dogs.

In a survey carried out by Nancy A. Dreschel from PennState, 721 owners of lately deceased dogs filled out a comprehensive survey which was then analysed to find if there was any correlation between behavior, stress and fear, disease and reason for death.

Results proved that the more well behaved a dog owner thought their dog was, the longer the lifespan. Which is one of the best reasons I have come across in a long time for spending the time training your dog!

On the other hand, dogs with extreme fear and dogs with separation anxiety were shown to have an increased chance of getting skin disorders, and they got them more frequently, and more acutely.

However, while anxiety and fears weren’t directly related to the reasons for death in dogs, fear of strangers did corrolate with a shortened length of life.

Hence if your dog is suffering with fears and anxiety don’t leave it in the hope it may sort itself out or go away sometime soon. Take action now. Or you could be adding health problems to their anxiety and risk shortening your dogs life.

Author Venice Marriott is a writer, dog owner and runs the Dog Anxiety site, which provides help and info for owners coping with anxiety in dogs. Get her free help sheet about the major symptoms of dog separation anxiety, when you head to the site.

If your dog’s behaviour has seems different, they have been acting over affectionate destructively damaging things, crying or barking the entire day when you are out then they might be showing signs of dog anxiety symptoms.

As a dog lover it can be particularly troubling to find destroyed things and a huge mess when you come home. But how do you discover if your dog has dog anxiety or simply requires some behavioural coaching.

Until now, the only possible way to gain a decisive diagnosis of dog anxiety was to visit your vet and complete a questionnaire. Visiting the veterinary is a good way to gain a professional diagnosis however , for a lot of people it will also be pricey.

The vet’s in my area gave a quote from $30.00 to $60.00 just for this type of assessment. Four out of five vets stated that while the dog was at the veterinary centre they would try to also conduct a physical health check. The added health check would in turn increase the cost for their professional services.

Are there other ways to find out if a dog has anxiety?
Yes, there is. Dog anxiety is pretty simple to diagnose when you have the correct tools. There are assessment tools available on the web which are very like the actual questionnaires that the veterinarians use to evaluate if dog anxiety is present. These assessment tools will also show how serious your dogs ‘ anxiety symptoms are.

When to Conduct a Dog Anxiety Assessment.
This type of assessment can be done at anytime. It just needs you to answer some questions concerning your dog honestly.

If your dog is healthy and has not had any serious health aliments they’re a superb candidate for the dog anxiety assessment. If your dog has continuing medical issues then it is wise to visit the vet to analyze if their behavior is linked to their health condition.

Treating Dog Separation Anxiety Effectively.
It is really important to realise what you are dealing with. A dog with separation anxiety must be treated in a very different way to one who is just behaving badly because they are bored. Dog who have mild stress symptoms must be dealt with differently to those who have serious anxiety issues.

Next, find out more about dog anxiety symptoms and find out if your canine friend has dog anxiety issues by getting the free dog anxiety checklist.

If you have experienced behavior issues with your dog you might come to the decision that your dog may suffer from dog separation anxiety. There are quite a few ways to confirm if your dog is actually affected by anxiety and then decide on dog anxiety treatment.

Anti anxiety dog coats can supply an fast remedy to a lot of dog behavioural issues.

How anti anxiety dog coats work.

Anti anxiety dog coats work by applying mild, consistent pressure over your dog’s chest and shoulders. It gives your dog an all over body hug which makes your dog to feel calm, safe and assured. After all, many unsatisfactory dog behaviours are usually because of fear emotions and your dog being scared or confused.

Anti anxiety dog coats are most useful for dogs that have problems with the following:
Dog Separation Anxiety.
Fear of Thunder Storms.
Fear of Fireworks.
Travel issues.
Crate Training.
Problem Barking.
Over excitement.
Hyperactivity.
Lead pulling.

Reasons to try an anti anxiety dog coat.
There are some important reasons to try an anti anxiety dog coat if your dog has experienced any of the above issues.
The anti anxiety dog coats are recommended by thousands of dog keepers, vets and dog trainers.
As much as 80% of dogs show a big improvement in their symptoms when using a good anti anxiety dog coat.
It’s a medicine free way to help your dog.
They’re easy to utilize and only take less than a minute to fit it on your dog.
An inexpensive option to manage anxiety symptoms and other dog behavioural issues.

What to go looking for in a good anti anxiety dog coat.
There are a a number of things to think about when thinking about getting an anti anxiety dog coat. Even though they’re cheap you will still want to get the best value for money and know that there’s after sales service offered.
Look for a famous brand name that uses sturdy fabrics.
Look for a product that provides a refund if you need it.
Look for testimonials and endorsements from dog keepers, veterinarians and dog trainers.

Next, find out how you can manage your dog anxiety issues with ease and effectively. Learn all about the top selling type of anti anxiety coat, the thunder shirt for dogs and watch a free 7 minute video showing real and instant results when using this great product.

Dogs get anxious for all sorts of reason and while some dogs are anxious naturally and will always need a lot of reassurance, other dogs will develop anxieties as a result of a bad experience or a major change in their life or situation.

Many dogs that come from a rescue are anxious dogs, both due to their experience of being left or given up to a rescue and as a result of the unusual situation of a rescue, which is in general full of other scared dogs. (That is no criticism of rescue homes, because they do a good job, but exactly the way they explained it to me).

Sometimes dog anxiety can be so intense that they’ll shake or run and hide at the mention of the word ‘walk ‘, and thunderstorms and fireworks are classic times that may set a dogs anxiety off.

Occasionally anxiety can be more of short term problem where for example a dog that has a health problem can suddenly become anxious as they feel more vulnerable. In some cases the anxiousness will set in gradually such as when dogs age, particularly if there are younger dogs around them.

What makes dogs anxious is not necessarily straightforward to understand as dogs can react badly to most anything. I have heard dog lovers say their dog is frightened of men, or beards, or anyone wearing a hat, or the sound of one actual newsreaders voice… The list is both bizarre and endless.

How To Calm An Anxious Dog

If you look at the huge range of things that can make your dog anxious, from being scared by character, thru bad experiences, to being frightened of loud noises and having unexplainable fears, it is perhaps not what they do that matters, but how you react to their stress that will be of help to your dog.

Totally key to helping your dog relax is to be calm yourself. Dogs are very sensitive and if you tense up when they get anxious or begin worrying yourself, they are going to pick up on that and it’ll simply confirm that they have every reason to be anxious. Basically, your dog will be thinking, if you’re stressing out too , there must be something wrong and they were right to be anxious in the 1st place.

An anxious dog will also benefit a lot from you being very clearly the leader of the pack as in nature, the remainder of the pack will take their lead from the what the Alpha dog does. This means that if the leader is calm and not bothered about what is happening, they’ll stay calm too.

Anxious dogs have often assumed that they are leader of the pack and thus accountable for decision-making and the packs safety. This is a really hard job for a dog in a human world as frequently they don’t understand it, meaning anything from the postman, to someone on a bike, or even on the T. V. might be a threat that they react strongly too.

One of the best things you can do for an anxious dog is find out how to show them that you are the pack leader and in time they’ll learn to trust you and your judgement, which will automatically reduce their anxiety.

You can learn more about dog anxiety and the best way to calm an anxious dog when you drop by the authors website, plus pick up a free report on the major symptoms of dog separation anxiety.

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