Is my dog anxious?
Just like you, your dog may sometimes suffer from anxiety. Fireworks, thunderstorms, being alone, or other dogs can be sources of anxiety for your dog. Trauma, inadequate socialization, or other negative experiences can also result in anxiety. In addition to these events, medical causes may also play a role, such as dementia in older dogs, poor eyesight, or illness—for example, a condition affecting the central nervous system.
To know when your dog is afraid of something, it is important to recognize the signs of anxiety. You can find the signs below:
- Tail between the hind legs
- Ears flattened against the neck
- Panting
- Shaking or trembling
- Yawning
- Excessive lip licking
- (Neck) hair standing on end
- Avoiding eye contact
- Urinating or defecating indoors
How can you reduce anxiety in your dog?
It is important to find out what your dog is afraid of in order to reduce or resolve the anxiety. Once you have identified the source of the anxiety, it is important to always remain calm when your dog is exposed to it. If you yourself are agitated or afraid, your dog will sense this and react accordingly. The best option is to ignore the situation or the source of the anxiety. If you appear confident, this will reassure your dog.
You can also try to distract your dog when it is exposed to the source of anxiety. This way, you can try to draw your dog's attention away from the source.
Finally, you can comfort your dog when it seeks contact. Not all dogs want this; some dogs prefer to be alone when they are anxious. For other dogs that seek contact, you can calm them by comforting them. It is okay to let your dog know that you are there and that it is safe with you.
If your dog is extremely anxious and there is no way to calm it down, you can seek professional help. A professional can then work with you to create a step-by-step plan to reduce the anxiety.
Important: never punish your dog when it is anxious, as this may make your dog even more afraid; it could even cause your dog to become afraid of you.
