Sev & Lily both are anxious in their own way, and it seems it's becoming more well known that our dogs might be, so it's really important to try and understand and work through it.
Anxiety in pets can show in lots of different forms, from barking and panting, to scratching or chewing in the home or even over grooming and toileting in the house. It can also be for many different reasons, such as pain, separation, noise fear or being scared of something [like the car].
Sev has separation anxiety, but it actually shows up more if another person is still with him. Lily can be noise sensitive, so new or different areas or places can make her anxious- although things like fireworks & thunderstorms aren't a big worry for her.
Tips for Anxious Dogs
Reduce the stress and work on triggers
If you know what your dog gets stressed and anxious about, this is a great time work on it. Don't set them up for failure, and praise them when they're good behaviours. If I see a group of people talking outside the house, I'll get the treats out and door some tricks or obedience with them, pop a podcast or music on straight away and just drive the attention away from what they may react too.
Keep calm yourself
When you get used to knowing what makes your dog anxious, it can be hard not to react yourself if you see it as it can be a worry for owners too. However it's really important to keep calm and work on things to help the dog, this way they'll know you're calm and not reinforce the behaviour. Ignoring the problem, as well as any problematic behaviour they're showing will help them with understanding there's nothing to worry about.
Natural Remedies
Sev & Lily have been trying out some of the Broadreach Nature Calming Support Supplements, which have been great and I've noticed a difference with them too.
These come in drops, chews & sprays and I can confirm that Sev & Lily LOVE the chew tablets- which means they eat them without any problems. The spray has been great for moving, that we've recently done, as well as spraying the living room & bedroom when the dogs come back from their Dads.
The key ingredients that are used are Thiamine (B1) which is a vitamin of the B complex, that may have calming properties. L-Tryptophan is also in there, as it may increase levels of serotonin in the brain which is a calming neurotransmitter. Chamomile and ginger are also added to help with digestion and stomach settling, as well as help with feeling sleepy.
Exercise
This is such an easy tip for anxious dogs and to help them, not only will it make them tired that they'll want to rest and sleep more but studies have shown that high exercise levels mean lower levels of aggression, fear & anxiety.
This post is in association with Broadreach Nature, all thoughts are our own
