10 Ways to Calm Your Anxious Dog

All dogs experience anxiety from time to time. Whether your dog is a scaredy-cat or they’re usually brave and confident, there’s usually something that can turn them into a whining, quivering ball of anxiety - whether that’s a vet visit, thunderstorm, other dogs, or even a plastic bag blowing in the wind. Learn what you can do in the moment when your dog is experiencing anxiety, and how what you do influences the way your dog reacts to stressful situations over time.

10 Ways To Calm Your Anxious Dog

• 1 Take a deep breath. Before you do anything to calm your anxious dog, take a moment to check in with yourself and take a deep breath. Dogs look to their humans for guidance when it comes to reacting to potentially scary situations. In fact, numerous studies show that pet parents that suffer from anxiety are significantly more likely to have an anxious dog. You may not even realize that you’re feeling tension, frustration, and even embarrassment when your dog is “out of control,” but dogs really do pick up on our stress. Take a moment to get into a calmer state of mind, and you’ll be ready to help your dog feel calmer too.
• 2 Stay close to your dog. You may have once been told not to comfort your dog when they're anxious to avoid reinforcing fearful behavior, but now, professional trainers and veterinary behaviorists consider this advice outdated. There’s no evidence that comforting your dog will make anxious behaviors worse. The opposite is true; by providing comfort, peace, and stability in scary situations, your dog will learn to feel at ease and that they can depend on you to keep them safe. Scary situations during which the dog is not comforted, though, may continue to build negative, even traumatic experiences.
• 3 Massage calming pressure points. Certain acupressure points on your dog’s body are believed by Tellington TTouch therapy practitioners to induce feelings of calmness in dogs prone to anxiety. You can try gently massaging the base of your dog’s ears and stroking their ears from base to tip. You can also try “belly lifts” to gently release tension in the abdominal muscles and encourage deep breathing. An integrative vet, trainer, or behaviorist knowledgeable in TTouch Therapy can teach you other techniques that you can use anytime your dog is anxious.
• 4 Avoid trigger stacking. Trigger stacking is a term trainers and behaviorists use to describe when multiple sources of anxiety can push dogs over the edge. For example, a dog that normally tolerates a pet from a stranger might suddenly snap if they’re exposed to a combination of triggers, like a crowd full of unfamiliar people, other dogs, screaming children, and loud music.
• 5 Stay in motion. When the situation allows, keep your dog in motion, rather than sitting or standing still. When we walk our dogs right up to a frightening person or situation, or make them sit still in a scary place, they can feel trapped and unsure what to do. Many dogs feel less anxious when they have the freedom to move around, sniff, and process what’s going on around them at their own pace without external pressure to directly confront whoever or whatever is making them feel anxious.
• 6 Safely confine your dog. In some situations, confinement can be comforting to your dog. At home, their crate, lined with a comfy bed with a blanket draped over for privacy can be a great comfort to your dog. If your dog is anxious in a moving car, a crash-tested harness or carrier can make them feel safe and secure. If you’re outdoors, keep your dog on-leash, even if they’re recall trained, as an anxious dog may instinctively try to run for cover.
• 7 Create distance. If you can, separate your dog from the anxiety-inducing stimulus. Dogs can be desensitized over time but when they’re already in a panicked, fight-or-flight state, they’re not receptive to learning. Taking even just a few steps away can help your dog feel more relaxed and ready to learn.
• 8 Desensitize with baby steps. When your dog is extremely anxious, it’s not usually not good time to work on training. Dogs learn best when they’re feeling calm and secure. In low-pressure situations, you can use desensitization and counterconditioning training to gradually reduce your dog’s emotional response. Slowly introducing your dog to whatever scares them when they’re in a calm state of mind can help build positive associations over time. For example, if your dog is afraid of strangers, you might take them to a quiet park and give them plenty of treats while you walk by from a few yards away. It will take time to build up to saying hello to a stranger, allowing pets, or being in a crowd. Counter-conditioning and desensitization is best done with the help of a veterinary behaviorist or professional dog trainer. It’s not uncommon for pet parents to push their dog’s boundaries too soon, leading to poor progress and worsening anxiety.
• 9 Offer treats. Food not only creates a positive association with a potentially stressful situation, it can also change your dog’s emotional response. When your dog is anxious, there’s no need to have them “sit” or otherwise respond to commands, as the dog is unlikely to remember their training when they’re over their emotional threshold. If your dog ignores a treat that they normally find irresistible, it’s a sign that they’re feeling highly overstimulated and not receptive to training or counter-conditioning.
• 10 Use calming treats and tools. Anxiety relief chews that contain naturally calming ingredients can be incredibly helpful to dogs that experience regular or occasional anxiety, but they may take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes to take full effect. Plus, dogs that are highly anxious may not accept even the tastiest chew. Try to prepare for stressful situations, like vet visits, car rides, and storms, by giving your dog an anxiety relief chew ahead of time. Follow package instructions for additional doses for extended anxiety relief. Other calming aids for dogs, like a Thundershirt, calming spray, and/or calming collar can be applied at the same time, about thirty minutes prior to a stressful event.

Helping Dogs With Chronic Anxiety

If anxiety is having a significant impact on your dog’s ability to enjoy day-to-day life, or they’re experiencing severe, occasional anxiety episodes, talk to your veterinarian.
Your vet may recommend prescription anxiety medication for dogs to use alongside training and behavioral modification. Medication is not a short-cut, but it can be an integral part of a highly effective anxiety relief plan that finally gives your dog the happy, low-stress life they deserve.

VISION

Every pet deserves to live a long, happy, healthy life.