Like humans, dogs have also anxiety. We need to find out the cause of their anxiety and try to solve them. We know here about the dog with anxiety symptoms. And then try to treat them better.
Types of anxiety in dogs
Table of Contents
Separation anxiety
When your dog doesn’t want to separate from you that is separation anxiety. Dogs like to around those people who love them. The people, the food, the toy, and every single thing he loves, he doesn’t want to leave them.
But when you leave them alone without any loving thing of there, they will experience separation anxiety.
Fear of loud noises
The noise-making things like thunderstorms, fireworks, wind, rain, etc make them anxious. The dogs are loud and scary. That’s why they naturally fearful of those incidents.
Changes in the environment
Sometimes dogs go with anxiety separation when they feel changes in the environment. The changes can be in their place, or in the schedule, or their food.
Dog with separation anxiety symptoms
When you notice the difference in your dog’s behavior, you should be more careful about separation anxiety. But how do you know the signs that prove it? Here are some symptoms of dog separation anxiety:
- Panting & pacing
- When the owner isn’t home the dog barking or howling
- Running away in the corner of a house
- Shivering
- Escaping the yard
- Scratching or digging
- Excessively chewing or liking, or other self-harm
- Destroying furniture
- Generally unable to settle
- Urinating more than before
- Nothing eats
Top Ten Indicators of Stress in Dogs
Dog anxiety symptoms shaking
Sometimes you can see that your dog shakes after a bath and after rolling on the grass. It can be normal. But it can be a sign of separation anxiety too.
When dogs visit the veterinarian, they get stressed. Due to the nervousness, they started to shake their body. The interesting thing is, some dogs move in a circular motion around the doctor’s room due to separation anxiety.
Barking
Barking is the first expression of dogs to express their feelings. When they get afraid, they start barking to get someone’s attention.
Yawling and licking
When dogs get tired or bored, they do yawn. But when you see the yawn is longer than normal, that is the yawn of stress. They also lick excessively when they afraid.
Changes in eyes and ears
You can see the changes in their ears and eyes like a human being. When people get nervous, that can see in their reaction and body movement. Stressed dogs blink rapidly.
Not only that their eyes became wide and saw the sclera more white than before. The relaxed ears were no longer relax. They pinned back against the head.
Changes in body posture
Dogs can bear their whole weight on their legs. But when they get stressed, they became rigid. They won’t do it anymore.
Shedding
When a dog is anxious, his shedding increased. That mostly happens at the veterinary clinic.
Panting
When dogs were stressed or excited, they pant.
Displacement behavior
When dogs are in an unwelcome situation, they try to escape from there. They lick their genitals, simply turn away, or sniff the ground. At the time he ignores everything.
This is not a good habit to ignore. But it is better than be aggressive. Don’t force your dog to interact with someone or a new dog. Try to respect his choice.
Escaping
In the nervousness, dogs try to escape or hide. Most of the time, they hide behind their owner. Sometimes you can see them move in a circle.
Clinical Signs of Dog Anxiety and Fear
The clinical signs differ from dog to dog. But some signs are the most common.
- Mild fear like trembling, hiding, tail tucking, reduced activities, and passive escape behaviors.
- Automatic sympathetic nervous system activity like diarrhea
- Licking and biting their own body
- Tail-chasing and circling
Best ways to treat anxiety in dogs
Any disease if you don’t pay heed, might be more dangerous and out of control. As like dog’s anxiety needs proper and immediate treatment. So, what you can do are below:
Behavioral training
Give something to your dog that he loves. Especially when you go out. In this case, puzzle toys work super. The first time, don’t leave him for a long time. Gradually you can increase the separation time.
It helps to change the negative things too positive. The thing your pet afraid of, try to break the afraid of his slowly. As an example, if your dog afraid of a car ride, take him to go out for a short ride. Then gradually you can increase the riding time.
In the meantime keep rewarding your dog. It will please him and can lessen his afraid.
Medical treatment
You can give your dog medication if he needs it. The medication will need when the anxiety of your dog goes on a high level. Maybe he saw a thunderstorm warning.
But it is not a very good idea to use medication for your dog. Because some vets provide medicines that are sedative. It can cause side effects on your dog.
Cuddle them at the time of crying
Never enforce your dog to do something. Dogs are like our kids. When our kids cry, what we do? We do a cuddle and try to please them, right? So, do the same with your puppy.
But if you are unwilling to cuddle them, there is another way too. Wear them thunder shirts. It wraps them in a way that someone cuddle. They feel comfortable also.
What happens when anxiety in dogs goes untreated
It’s so important to treat your dog’s anxiety. Otherwise, your dog will be out of control. Maybe the bad habits of his can harm someone. So, it’s needy to train him to avoid future dangers.
You have to notice the behavior of your dog. If you find some unnatural behavior in him, take deep research on it. After monitoring 2-3 days, immediately call your vet.
The bottom line
So, there is all we know about the dog with anxiety symptoms. Hope we will care for our dogs and give them what they need.
