Is my dog anxious?
Just like you, your dog can sometimes experience fear. Fireworks, thunderstorms, being alone, or other dogs can be sources of fear for your dog. But trauma, insufficient socialization, or other negative experiences can also result in fear. In addition to these events, medical causes can also play a role; for example, dementia in older dogs, poor vision, or illness—such as a condition affecting the central nervous system.
To know when your dog is afraid of something, it is important to recognize the signs of fear. You can find the signs below:
- Tail tucked between the hind legs
- Ears flattened against the neck
- Panting
- Shaking or trembling
- Yawning
- Excessive licking of the lips
- Raising (neck) hairs
- Avoiding eye contact
- Urinating or defecating indoors
How can you reduce fear in your dog?
It is important to find out what your dog is afraid of in order to reduce or eliminate the fear. Once you have identified the source of fear, it is important to remain calm when exposed to the source itself; if you are restless or anxious, your dog will sense this and react accordingly. The best option is to ignore the situation/the source of fear. When you appear confident, this will be reassuring for your dog.
Additionally, you can try to distract your dog during exposure to the source of fear. This way, you can try to divert your dog's attention away from the source.
Finally, you can comfort your dog when it seeks closeness. Not all dogs want this; some prefer to be alone when they are afraid. For other dogs that seek closeness, you can calm them by comforting them. It is okay to let your dog know that you are there and that the animal is safe with you.
If your dog is extremely fearful and there is no way to calm the animal down, you can seek professional help. A professional can then work with you to create a step-by-step plan to reduce the fear.
Important: never punish your dog when it is fearful, as this can make your dog even more scared; it can even cause your dog to become afraid of you.
