A dog is known as man’s best friend and it’s a wonderful experience owning one. Not only do you have your best pal around you at all times, but you also get to go on amazing adventures and walks with them. When it comes to looking after your dog the basics are pretty simple, you make sure they’re fed and watered, been outside for a walk and had a good time playing around, and ensure their coat is groomed nicely and looked after well. There are, however, some issues that don’t arise immediately and it could be down to a huge number of issues, what happens if you suspect your dog has real anxiety problems? Here are a few ideas as to how you can help them.
Separation Anxiety
One of the most common forms of anxiety a dog is going to suffer from is separation anxiety. You might think this sounds a little silly as there are many humans that suffer from the same thing, but dogs aren’t that dissimilar to us and they often have special requirements and needs to help them get through some tough times.
When an owner leaves the house. This is known to be the most common cause of separation anxiety within dogs as they want to be with you at all times, they might feel unsafe or have a fear of being away from you. Barking and whining are telltale signs your dogs are going through it, but luckily there are some things you can do. Using a dog crate at night or when you leave the house is the advice given by the professionals at https://k9-kare.com/heavy-duty-dog-crate-escape-proof-dog-cage because it creates a space for the animal to associate their safety with. If you can train your dog from a young age to associate the cage with everything being fine then you’re going to be able to manage their anxiety much better.
Routine
Take a look at your routine and see if anything within it could be causing your dog any stress. Much like humans, stress is a major cause of anxiety and can be sorted by addressing a few things. So before you take a look at any seriously expensive answers to your dog struggling, take a look at your home routine and see if it has anything to do with that. A decent routine in a dog’s life will make sure they know when they’re going to be fed, when it’s time to go for a walk, and when it’s time to quiet down in the evening. This will also help them understand when certain things are going to happen, making it far less likely that they will suffer from any form of anxiety.
Compression Wraps
A fair bit of science has gone into these compression wraps for dogs, and despite the fact they might look a tad silly when you first put them on, they’ve been proven to help certain dogs with huge anxiety. A compression wrap is exactly what it suggests, a coat that wraps around your dog’s body and pulls in slightly giving it the feeling of being held. This might sound silly, but it really helps.
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Music
Anything that will make your animal feel as though there is something going on around them will reduce the feeling of anxiety, so when you leave the house why not try putting on some music, or even the radio. For years when I left the house and had to leave my dog, I would always put on BBC Radio 2 and I became sure that he was an avid fan towards the end of his life. This trick won’t work for everyone but it’s most certainly worth trying before spending any money.
Boredom
Make sure they aren’t bored. It’s such a simple way to ensure your dog is going to be distracted and when you think about it, us humans are exactly the same. There are a plethora of toys you can buy for your pooch to keep them entertained whilst you’re gone, and if you choose not to use the caging technique then it could end up saving you some money getting your furniture fixed. Dogs are intelligent creatures and when they aren’t using their brain other things tend to set in, like anxiety, stress, and boredom.
A dog is for life, and not just for Christmas. This is a pretty famous saying now, but it doesn’t just mean you have to feed them for their entire life, it means you have to look after them and make sure they’re ok. Having a dog is a big responsibility and if you’re going to be out of the house for long hours every day then it might not be the right choice for you at this time in your life. But if you think you can handle it, avoid doggy anxiety by ensuring they have lots to do and have a decent routine in their life. The main thing to remember is to give your dog the treatment they deserve!
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