Consider this, if for only one hour of day you walked your dog then what does your dog do for other 23hrs, 7 days a week. Yes they sleep for several hours, but they still don’t have much else to occupy their time. We can now start to realise why dogs get bored and so overly excited when we get home. Boredom can lead to anxiety which becomes a magnifying problem over time. Needing to utilise built up energy many dogs will pace agitatedly along fence lines, chew and destroy objects, even vocalise all of which can be annoying and frustrating to us and the neighbours.
Anxiety can be decreased using different methods. It takes a bit of trial and error to find what is best for your dog. If the anxiety is boredom driven then providing an enriched environment when leaving them alone in the house or backyard is essential.
What is an enriched enviroment you ask? It is making sure their backyard or home is full of fun and activities the dog can do whilst on its own. Kongs, activity balls, or food puzzles are a great way to stimulate your dogs mind keeping them busy longer. Swinging tyres provide a tug a war game, recycled carboard boxes with treats in them allow your dog to have fun destroying the box to receive the treats. Sandpits allow dogs to dig and play. Bones, rawhide chews, food treasure hunts can all provide hours of entertainment for a dog.
For anxiety that may be fear driven it may not be quite as easy. These dogs show their anxiety all of the time, especially when taken outside their home. Walking, driving in the car, maybe a visit the vet or the park is where you find your dog suffers the most. How you handle and react to your dog in these situations is vital in their improvement of the anxiety. Avoiding situations that could contribute to your dogs anxieties, fears and phobios is the first step. You will need correct training methods for this to improve. Speak to a qualified dog trainer or veterinary staff who can provide positive reinforcement training methods. Dr Julian can provide solutions to anxiety as part of a behaviour consultations.
Just like people, dogs can suffer anxiety – fear of a possible threat or danger.
Anxiety in certain situations is normal and even useful as it can help your dog react quickly to a threat. However, too much anxiety, or being anxious about the wrong things can have bad consequences. Signs of anxiety are subtle and often missed by people.
Signs a dog might be feeling anxious include:
- panting
- licking licks
- looking away
- ears to side
- moving slowly or away from you
- running away from you
- escaping out of your yard
- destroying furniture
- refusing to eat
- moving around continuously
- being on guard
- barking continuously
- possibly biting
In severe anxiety cases, there may be a need for medication. Medication reduces stress levels in the brain. If your dog is less stressed and calm it allows them to cope better in situations and focus on their training better. After a behaviour consultation, Dr Julian will advise if medication is necessary. With expert advice from Dr Julian and Dr Cam Day, you can get solutions to your pets anxiety and start living a harmonious life together.
Behaviour can also be an indication of a medical problem. There is a whole range of different conditions that can first present as an apparent ‘behaviour problem’ but which are in fact signs of disease. Behaviour consultations are essential, as they allow the vet to rule out any medical problems.
Another step in helping your dog is to provide pheromones.
What are pheromones you ask?
It’s possibly the secret to keeping your dog stress free and calm. Adaptil is a pheromone product that will benefit your dog by reducing stress and anxiety, allowing them to better handle situations. Adaptil is safe, natural and scientifically proven pheromone for dogs that has been used for over 10years by veterinary behaviourist experts.
Adaptil products “mimic” the natural pheromones that would be released by their mother , in aid to comfort her puppies. Adaptil is used in many cases for travel fears, fireworks and thunderstorms, puppy training, senior dogs, and generalised phobias at home or in public.
No matter what age, ADAPTIL can help by making your dog feel relaxed in situations that may make them anxious. Available in a dog collar and a home diffuser, it’s best to talk to us about which is the better option for your dog.
Feel free to drop into the clinic and talk to our staff more about advice, training tips, and products available for use in behaviour problems.
