What Are The Common Causes Of Dog Anxiety?

There can be multiple reasons behind dog anxiety. The common causes of dog anxiety mostly include separation from owners, noises resulting from thunderstorms, fireworks or construction sites, and social scenarios that involve human beings or other animals. Some dogs could effectively handle such disturbing situations while others react differently. Sometimes dog’s anxiety leads to aggression, so you should be aware of different types of dog aggression. Pet parents must be well aware of these issues and must have an in-depth understanding of the causes. Here in this blog, we are going to discuss the same!

Some Common Causes Of Dog Anxiety:

There are some common causes of dog anxiety and we have listed the significant ones here that every pet parent should be well aware of: 

Genetic Disposition:

Some specific dog breeds are most prone to severe anxiety as compared to others. Generally speaking, intelligent dogs with high energy have higher possibilities to gain anxiety issues. Dog breeds with a higher propensity to these issues are Basset Hounds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, German Shepherds, Cocker Spaniels, Standard Poodles, Pyrenees, Siberian Huskies, Pekingese, and a few Terrier Breeds. 

Medical Complexities:

Certain medical issues are often linked to anxiety issues in dogs. Dogs suffering from hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, hearing loss, encephalitis, and pre-diabetes can be prey to anxiety. Toxic conditions such as Lead poisoning might also be a potential factor in bringing out behavioral changes among dogs. Or, aging dogs can have anxiety issues too, if the changes in the body are connected to the nervous system. Medical Consulting with an expert is mandatory to avoid further worsening of the situation. 

Puppy Socialization:

Puppies that were denied the main social and environmental outings and experiences in the first few months from their birth, often become habitually scary. Even puppies that are separated from their mothers too early, at least before eight weeks, develop social anxiety issues and are unaware of how to behave in front of other animals and humans. So you should know how to socialize your dog to avoid developing anxiety in them.

Past Traumatic Events:

Developing fear is common at any stage in life. However, dogs are most prone to develop phobias at an age around 1-3 years. Harsh incidents like abandonment, abuse, any other related mistreatment can be the possible causes to make them a victim of anxiety issues. 

Natural Remedies for Dog Anxiety:

In case the symptoms are moderate, you can discuss with a veterinarian and imply certain natural remedies to help ease the anxiety symptoms. However, if they persist, expert medical advice must not be delayed. Here, we have listed the top six natural remedies to treat anxiety in dogs that can be of good help. 

Exercise:

Every pet parent is well versed with the line: A good dog is a tired dog! Exercises could be a significant stress reliever for dogs just like humans. It initiates two things while assisting dogfighting anxiety. It stimulates serotonin production and discards the pent-up energy that causes anxiety. Regular exercise or games like a hike can help the dogs get rid of the extra energy and help them deal with anxiety issues better.

Distraction:

Distraction can be a great remedy for dogs who are afraid of fireworks, large noises, or participating in the crowd. Keeping him/her engaged with work rather than allowing him/her to focus on things he/she dislikes, can turn out to be fruitful. Rewarding your pet with tricks he enjoys like sitting, lying, and a rollover can be very meaningful here. For pets who are tremendously food motivated, implying puzzle toys can be a great option.

Thundershirt:

A popular solution available to treat anxiety in dogs is through Thundershirt. This is a special sort of garment, tightly fitted and wrapped around the dog’s body. The constant feeling of pressure can help to calm the nerve during travel anxiety issues or noise anxiety complications. However, we need more prompt science-based evidence to back this theory. Reportedly, few trainers are very satisfied with the results of Thundershirt whereas for few it didn’t work. The usage might depend on the scenario and the individual personality type of the dog.it can be used with other natural remedy options to help both the parameters support one another. 

Relaxing Massages:

Everyone is fond of massages and our pets aren’t an exception either! Massage that includes long and slow strokes helps to soothe the nerves, which might be helpful to calm an anxious dog. What’s more exciting is that petting a dog is automatically helpful to lessen your anxiety issues, which means we have a double benefit! 

Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP):

Scents can be a good option to treat a dog’s anxiety and DAP is a popular pick for the same. It is a synthetic chemical, coming from lactating female dogs. They use it for their puppies to help have a good bond with them. As per scientific evidence, DAP is a good natural option to treat anxiety in puppies however more research is needed to suggest its effect on adults. 

Calming Music:

Who doesn’t like to tune in to music during their stressful hours? Almost every human being is addicted to it. Dogs are on the same track too, since calming music could be a great natural remedy to treat their anxiety. Studies show, most owners while leaving their homes, switch on the radio or television to create a comforting ambiance for their dogs.  Soothing music could be a great option to help dogs have a better life without any discomfort or anxiety issues. 

Conclusion:

Going for any particular remedy must come with a prior doctor consultation to avoid any future complications. In case of severe symptoms, where regular medication or other therapy is required, consultation with the doctor is a must. However, the natural options above aren’t only listed for pets with symptoms. If anxiety issues are serious in your dog then you can also consult the dog trainers. There are various dog trainers that deal with dogs’ behavioral issues like Primal Needs. Whether having anxiety issues or not, regular exercise, music, and massages are some great ways to keep your dog motivated and these even help them have a balanced and energetic lifestyle.