Like us, dogs have anxieties and fears. A dog’s anxieties, may not be the same as our own anxieties, but they cause stress and physical reactions just the same.
Some common dog anxiety problems include –
- Separation anxiety – A dog gets anxious when left alone.
- Noise anxiety – A dog becomes fearful when exposed to loud or unusual noises. Some examples include fireworks, thunderstorms, garbage trucks, and more.
- Travel anxiety – The car is like a den, but dogs are unaccustomed to moving dens. Therefore, they may become unsure and stressed over something so new and unexpected.
- Confinement anxiety – A dog gets anxious when he feels trapped or confined. If a threat should arise, a confined dog may be unable to escape or flee.
Symptoms of Dog Anxiety
When dogs are anxious, they may engage in repetitive or displacement behaviors to relieve their stress. For example, when we are anxious, we may pace, bite our nails, or play with our hair.
Dogs may also pace, groom, and more. Some dog anxiety behaviors may lead to property destruction, may cause us harm, or may simply be undesirable to our human sensibilities. This may include –
- Non-stop barking.
- Chewing up furniture, walls, shoes, garbage, and anything else in sight.
- Pooping and peeing in the house, crate, or other confinement area.
- Eating his own poop.
- Aggression toward people, dogs, or other animals.
Punishment or aversive techniques will do little to stop these anxious dog behaviors in the long-run, because punishment does not address the source of the problem, which is the dog’s anxiety. In fact, suppression of these displacement behaviors, through pain and dominance methods, will make the problem worse, because pain increases stress and uncertainty.
Below are some common ways on how to deal with dog anxiety.
1. Desensitization Exercises
One of the best ways to help a dog deal with his anxiety issues, is by slowly desensitizing him to the problem stimulus.
In the desensitization process, we start with a weak version of the stimulus that is triggering the anxiety attack.
The stimulus must be weak enough, so that my dog is able to stay calm in its presence. Then, I get him to focus on me, by doing eye-contact commands or simple obedience exercises.
If my dog is able to focus and stay in-control, I reward him with a very high priority treat. For desensitization purposes, I usually bust out the really good stuff. I try to pick a highly aromatic or smelly treat that my dog loves, but does not usually get to eat. The smell will help to engage his nose, and further distract him from the source of his anxiety.
When he is comfortable with this exercise, is calm, and able to follow simple commands, I very slowly raise the strength of the problem stimulus. I make each session short, fun, and very rewarding.
In this way, my dog learns alternative behaviors for dealing with stressful situations. He also learns to associate something that was previously a source of fear and stress, with something positive (nice smells, yummy treats), and with being calm.
2. Calm Environment
Another important aspect of helping an anxious dog, is to create a calm and predictable environment for him, in his daily life.
- Fixed routine – I set a fixed schedule for feeding, walking, play-time, leaving the house, coming home, and more. I also establish a fixed set of rules, and a consistent way of enforcing them. A very fixed routine and rule-set, helps our dog understand what to expect from us, and also what we expect from him in return. Greater certainty reduces anxiety and stress.
- Staying calm – Most dogs are very good at picking up the energy of the people around them. My Shiba Inu, for example, is very sensitive to what I am feeling. If I get stressed and anxious, he picks up on that immediately and becomes anxious himself; but with a hundred times more gusto! Therefore, it is important for us to stay calm and in-control.
- Relaxing massage – Some trainers suggest giving our dog a massage to help him relax. There is also the special TTouch massage method, which uses circular finger motions to help relax our dog’s body.
I tried the TTouch method briefly on my Shiba Inu, but it did not seem to have much of an effect on him. Desensitization exercises, together with a fixed routine and consistent rules, helped us most.
3. Calming Equipment
There are a variety of products designed to help calm our dogs. The attraction of such products, is that they require little to no work from us. However, it is also unclear how effective they truly are.
a) Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP)
DAP is a synthetic chemical that was developed based on a hormone produced by nursing mother dogs. Mother dogs produce this hormone to help their puppies feel calm and secure. It also helps the mother dog establish a positive bond with her puppies.
Scientific studies *do* show that DAP has a positive effect on puppies. However, it is unclear whether DAP helps with anxiety problems in adult dogs.
There are also a variety of natural calming scents, including lavender, and other herbal remedies.
b) Dog Calming Music
“Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.”
~~[William_Congreve]
Music can certainly help calm us down and soothe our nerves. Therefore, it is not such a big stretch to imagine that it can also be helpful to our dogs. However, the wrong kind of music can actually increase anxiety in dogs.
What is the right kind of dog music?
According to sound researcher Joshua Leeds,
“Rock music, jazz, heavy metal made them more anxious. Classical slowed them down. It just relaxed them in a way that the other music seemed to irritate them.”
~~[Want to Calm Fido Down? Try Music!]
The Thundershirt looks like a dog winter coat. It wraps around the torso of a dog, and works by exerting constant pressure on the dog’s body. Proponents argue that this pressure, can have a calming effect on the dog’s nervous system.
However, the only study I found was a very limited experiment, from an unsubstantiated source. Therefore, it is unclear whether the claims made on the effectiveness of Thundershirts are true.
Note – Pressure wraps will not work on all dogs. Some dogs may get even more anxious, when they experience continuous pressure on their body. In addition, it is unlikely that pressure wraps can fully solve our dog’s anxiety issues. Wraps and other calming equipment, are commonly used together with desensitization and other dog behavior modification techniques, to achieve true long-term success.
Depending on the dog and the situation, you may need to incorporate training with the cape to show an effect. The Anxiety Wrap recommends an 11-step treatment program for separation anxiety that includes using the wrap and leaving toys filled with favorite food treats for the dog to enjoy while you are gone.
Some people also use clocks or heartbeat pillows, to help calm new puppies.
4. Medication
Do not medicate your dog with over-the-counter human drugs, on your own. Dogs have very different physiology than humans, and dosage is very dependent on weight.
I always consult with my vet before giving my dog any medication.
Some medications used to suppress a dog’s anxiety response include –
- Clomipramine(Anafranil) – This drug was originally developed to treat OCD in humans. With dogs, it is sometimes prescribed to treat OCD and separation anxiety issues.
- Fluoxetine(Prozac,Sarafem,Fontex) – Fluoxetine is perhaps most well-known by its tradename Prozac. Prozac is used to treat heavy depression, OCD, and serious eating disorders (Bulimia nervosa) in humans. Eli Lily makes a special Prozac for dogs called Reconcile.
For lonely dogs with separation anxiety, Eli Lilly brought to market its own drug Reconcile last year. The only difference between it and Prozac is that Reconcile is chewable and tastes like beef.
- Sedatives – Powerful sedatives such as benzodiazepine (benzo) are prescription only. Some lighter sedatives such as antihistamines (Benadryl) and valerian can be obtained as over-the-counter medications for humans. Do not give sedatives or any other medication to dogs, without first consulting with a veterinarian.
The dog medication business is now a very profitable enterprise, and there are a large number of dog drugs available for purchase. These medications treat anything from separation anxiety, OCD, and depression, to motion-sickness, forgetfulness, and obesity. Most dog medications are short term solutions and may have serious side effects.
Dog Anxiety Problems
I believe that the best way to help our dogs with their anxiety issues, is through desensitization, as well as a calm and relaxed home environment.
Dog calming equipment and medication are very tempting solutions, because they involve little to no effort from us. However, their long-term effectiveness is highly questionable. These methods work by suppressing or muting the effects of anxiety, rather than addressing the source of the anxiety itself.
This is in contrast with desensitization and home management techniques, which target the anxiety stimulus, and teaches the dog new ways to cope with fear and stress. Rather than just suppressing symptoms, desensitization helps to build a dog’s confidence, and promotes a stronger bond between him and his human companions.
Ultimately, behavior modification and desensitization techniques lead to long-lasting effects, and a better quality of life for a dog and his family.
Hello,
I have 2 dogs (11yrs & 8mnths), they are both pretty good. However my 8mnth old, koolie cross wolf hound (Smudge), seems to suffer from separation anxiety, when I go away. He is fine when I go to work, he sleeps outside, and he is fine if I only take the older dog out. He is not fine if I go away for an extended period.
Smudge seems to be more hound than koolie, he is a pretty low energy dog. I have always had working dogs in the past & he is very different; learning is different (slower), desire to please is lower and energy levels are lower. Smudge gets about 1 hr exercise a day, I try to break it up – morning & night, but not always. Exercise usually consists of morning run or bicycle & afternoon walk with the older dog down to the park or a trip to the off lead park. He is pretty well trained: sit, stay, heal, down, drop, outside, in the yard, etc.
I sometimes have to go away for work. When I do I get someone to come once a day to water, feed & exercise. But he still destroys things & starts to dig (in my vege patch). This starts on the first day I go away.
I don’t always exercise him the morning I leave, but I don’t always exercise him in the morning. When I leave, regardless whether it is to go to work or away for work, I feed the dogs outside, “sit, wait, eat”, one quick pat on the head, I get my gear & I leave. When I get home I give my old dog a pat, as she is calm, but he gets nothing until he calms down.
I think it is the vehicle that triggers his behaviour. I took it back to work on Monday (I had been home all weekend) & then I came home, he had chewed my bicycle helmet & got so excited I had returned.
I would like to desensitise him to the vehicle but I can only get it when I need it for work. To hire one it is expensive. Any ideas, he seems to be getting worse & I don’t want to send him to a kennel when I go away.
Thank you
How long is an extended period of time? How frequently does this occur?
How long does the person stay for? Is it always the same person? Is it someone that the dogs know and trust?
When trying to help my dog with separation anxiety, consistency in routine is very important. My dogs are all ok with regular absences that are part of their daily routine, however, Sephy (Shiba Inu) will start getting stressed if there are unexpected changes in that routine, e.g. coming home much later from work.
Dogs with separation anxiety may learn to associate certain per-cues to the event that they are anxious about, e.g. the jingling of keys, appearance of the work-bag, or the sound of our vehicle. In this way, they start to get anxious even before we leave, when those pre-cues start to occur.
However, to help my dog with his particular separation anxiety, I need to deal with the key sources of anxiety for my dog, which is being alone for an *unknown* period of time. My Shiba, for example, can now handle being alone, as long as it is expected and part of his regular routine.
If I need to be away unexpectedly, or if there are other changes in routine, I make sure there is someone else, whom he trusts, who can step in and maintain his regular routine. The unpredictability of alone time is the source of his anxiety, so that is the thing that I need to address by returning predictability and consistency back to his schedule.
If he is already anxious about certain per-cues, then I mix things up a bit, so that the pre-cue is no longer a predictor for the anxiety event. For example, the trusted caretaker make take him out on a walk before I leave, so he does not have to be around and work himself up. However, the key issue and main cause of his anxiety is still the change in routine, and so that is the thing that I focus my attention on.
Dog behavior is very context dependent so I can only guess at the source of anxiety for Smudge. From what you describe, it seems like the anxiety is coming from the unpredictability of alone time and change in schedule. Is a pet sitter a possibility or perhaps a daycare type situation?
With a daycare, I make sure the facilities are and staff are good before letting my dog stay. In the beginning, I slowly get my dog comfortable to the new place with shorter stays, then if all goes well, I slowly increase the stay time. In this way, they become familiar with the surroundings and staff, before any unexpected trips.
Hi. I am running into a problem with my dog’s anxiety that I am not sure how to fix, as it is tying into another problem we are having as well, making it difficult to fix either problem.
My dog is a female Jack Russell Terrier, Scout. She is about 3 or 4. We’ve had her for about 18 months and she has had this problem all along. We found her on the side of the road, running free in traffic, and the police in our area said they had seen her out running around for 2 days before we brought her in to check for a chip. We did the whole “found dog” routine and no one stepped forward to claim her, so we have taken her in. I have another dog we adopted back in December as well, a rescue from our neighbors who got foreclosed on, and she is a 2 year old lab-chow mix, Taunie.
Scout is medium to mid-high-level anxious whenever she is outside, for the entire time that she is outside. She will never walk on a slack leash, and will not acknowledge me when we are outside. I have tried stopping and not walking until she lets the leash go slack – she immediately bolts forward and starts tugging again. I have tried carrying treats around with me and trying to reward her when she does something right – she will not even look at me to take the treat. I have tried correcting her with a touch or a tug, and she doesn’t even notice it because she is so fixated on her surroundings. She is always “on” when outside – ears up, tail rigid. She is always looking around, as if trying to see where the next threat is coming from, and if I try to get her to focus on me, she looks around me or jerks her head away and goes back to anxiously “monitoring” the situation. I have gotten to the point where I can get her to sit sometimes, but she still otherwise ignores me, even when sitting. When we pass other dogs, about 50% of the time she will freak out and start bouncing around and barking. Oddly enough, she will also often go after Taunie during these freak-out sessions, even if Taunie is not in her way. She will run over to Taunie, let out a snarl and nip at Taunie’s face, then go back to bouncing and barking and fixating on the other dog. She and Taunie otherwise get along, though sometimes they get a little too rough when playing. If she doesn’t freak out, she just fixates and stares and has to be pulled along until the other dog is out of sight.
She also does this with motorcycles and any vehicles with a diesel engine (school busses and trucks) but not with SUVs or sedans.
The problem and tension is that I am also having significant trouble house training her. We have yet to go more than 4 or 5 days without an accident – in the entire 18 months. I take her out every 4 to 5 hours – or even fewer hours between walkings if she doesn’t poop. Sometimes, I will take her outside, where she will not poop, and she will immediately come into the house and poop. Other times, she will poop outside, then come into the house and poop again within a matter of minutes or a couple hours. Other times, she will poop once and not have to poop again for 10 hours. We clean the accident areas thoroughly but she still poops in various places around the house, not always the same spots. She has been to the vet, who has found nothing wrong with her physically.
I don’t know how to balance her potty training with her outdoor anxiety issues – she needs to poop outside, but I don’t know how to gradually reduce her outside anxiety while giving her enough opportunities to go out. I also feel really defeated that she just poops whenever and wherever she wants, even if she’s just gone. I don’t want to leave her in a crate all day (I work from home, we spend a lot of time together) and then only take her out so she can go outside and potty, but her unpredictable digestive system is just making it impossible to know when I should crate her and when it’s OK for her to be out. I have also tried scheduling feedings. If I only make the food available at certain times of the day, then she simply doesn’t eat for days and won’t go for the food when it’s available. Is there any way to balance the anxiety training with our other needs? Is there any solution to any of this? After 18 months and trying so many different things for both the anxiety and the potty training, I’m feeling utterly defeated.
When I get a new dog, I deal with potty training first. The most important thing about potty training my puppy is supervision. Whenever my puppy is roaming freely in the house, I am right there to supervise. In this way, as soon as I notice any potty signals, I can quickly take my puppy outside and then reward her very very well with her favorite games, food, and affection, for doing the right thing. In this way, she learns that –
Going inside = Get interrupted,
Going outside = Get rewarded with fun games, food, and more!
I need to be consistent about not only maximizing successful trips outside (so that I can keep reinforcing the behavior), but also minimizing mistakes inside the house. Otherwise, if nobody stops my puppy from going inside, she will think it is ok to go inside as well.
When I cannot supervise, even for just one minute, I put my puppy in a safe enclosure with puppy pads. Therefore, she either goes outside or on puppy pads.
More on how I potty train my dog.
As for outside walking, my younger Husky was fearful of certain things such as people on skateboards, garbage trucks, and people on bicycles. Similar principles of training work here as well – I want to help build her confidence by not only maximizing positive and successful outings, but also minimize negative outings where she goes into panic or fear mode.
One common problem with helping a shy dog occurs when we live in a busy and high stimulus neighborhood. As soon as we leave our house, our dog is bombarded by too much at once, gets overloaded quickly, and goes into reactive/fear mode right away. At this point, she is no longer able to listen or learn. If my dog goes into reactive mode, then the best I can do is remove her from the trigger stimulus as quickly as possible, and take her some place safe and quiet, where she can calm down.
The key to helping my Husky, Lara, with her fear triggers is to start small and very slowly build up her tolerance. I first do leash training in the house and backyard where she is comfortable and relaxed. I walk her by herself only, because my dogs get more excited and reactive when we go out together. This gets her used to the collar and leash, as well as walking together with me, singly.
Walking multiple dogs together before they are ready may also lead to barrier frustration and redirected aggression issues, as you describe. I.e. the dog gets highly frustrated because she is prevented from doing what she wants by the leash, and redirects that energy onto a nearby dog, person, or object.
http://www.scafshelter.org/education/tips-from-the-trainer/1196/tips-from-the-trainer-barrier-frustation
Once I can walk my dog really well in the house and backyard, I start walking her outside but in very quiet, low stimulus areas to begin with. We drive her to a quiet part of the neighborhood if necessary, or to a nice quiet hiking trail during off hours.
In the beginning, I also have shorter but more frequent walks. In general, I try to manage our walks so that we maximize positive experiences and minimize fearful outings. The more success we have, the more confidence Lara builds. Similarly, bad outings will undermine that confidence and significantly set back our training. Therefore management of the environment was very important when I was training my Husky.
At the same time, I also did sound desensitization exercises with Lara, for example with garbage truck noise, coyote howling, and other sounds that trigger anxiety for her. Again, I start small, go slowly, and gradually help her build confidence through successful and positive events.
ASPCA article on desensitization and counter-conditioning-
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/desensitization-and-counterconditioning
Desensitization and counter-conditioning is often non-intuitive and has to be carried out in a very structured way. Therefore, it was helpful for me to get guidance from a good professional trainer/behaviorist when I started out with my first dog.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I don’t know how to desensitize our puppy. he is almost 10 months old and chews shoes (will open the closet to get at them) chews our carpets and has also chewed our walls, baseboards and door frames.
we crate him during the day due to this behavior but he hates his crate and cries as soon as we leave and when we come home the crate is wet I’m assuming from drooling or barking etc.
if one of us is showering and no one else is home (am before work) the dog will always chew something, but now he associates the shower and him being bad instead of the action and him being bad (we dont want to crate him while in the shower as he will be in the crate all day)
if someone leaves the house he cries and howls even if someone is home and the other dog is home.
when we are all together he just chews on toys (he has plenty of toys) or sleeps on the couch with us.
at night he sleeps on the floor on his bed – no issues.
we do not know what to do our house and shoes are all being ruined. and I want him to like his crate.
we have a 5 yr old dog who is calm when we leave, doesn’t chew things and seems normal haha
the puppys is only 8 lbs it’s not like he needs big long walks to tucker him out as I see people suggesting with huskies and labs etc…
HELP
Based on your description, it sounds like it could be separation anxiety.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/separation-anxiety
http://shibashake.com/dog/separation-anxiety-dog-why-how-reduce-dog-stress
With my dog, I *slowly* get him used to alone time. I start with only very short periods of alone time, and then very slowly build up from there. There is more on how to do desensitization exercises in the articles above.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent, so each dog and situation is different. This is why while trying to change behavior, it can be helpful to consult with a good professional trainer. In addition, desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises can be counter-intuitive, and for training to be effective, it needs to be carried out in a structured way, with the right timing, environment, etc.
When I was having issues with my Shiba Inu, I did private lessons with several trainers to trouble-shoot each of his problems. I still need to do the training, and it takes time to change behavior, but it was useful to have guidance from a good trainer who is properly certified, and who has a lot of experience.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.cappdt.ca/public/jpage/1/p/ChoosingTrainer/content.do
I have a 5 year old German Shepherd named Stormy. I got her as a rescue at age 9 months. She was not at all socialized. I spent a great deal of time taking her out in public, going to obedience school, etc. She is no longer fearful when strangers come into the house, though she is cautious.
There are two behaviors that I would like help addressing. One is that she constantly follows me around the house. I’m home most of the day, and she is not content unless she is in the same room with me. I can crate her, and she doesn’t complain about it, but if out of her crate, she will always be just a few feet from me. I would like her to be confident enough to not need my presence for reassurance.
The second behavior is sort of hard to describe. She exhibits stress panting at specific times. When I approach her crate to let her out, she will pant and circle. I usually walk away and let her calm down before letting her out. She now knows that she has to stop panting before I open the crate (but she’ll do it again tomorrow). But as soon as she is out, she will begin panting again. I don’t want to reward the nervous panting, so I often put her back in the crate and try again. If I put her back in the crate, she’ll calm down and we’ll start all over again. It often takes a dozen tries to get all the way to the door to let her outside. She will eventually take 5 steps before panting, then 8, then 10, but it is always a long drawn out process. Even if she’s not in the crate, but I go to the door to let her and our other dog out, she’ll start panting. In the garage, she’ll do the same thing before I open that door. Then on the way back into the house, it’s the same thing. If I put a leash on her, she’ll pant in the same way. It’s not a “I’m happy and relaxed” panting, but a “I’m nervous and stressed” panting.
Even if she has just relieved herself, if I move toward the door or ask if they want to go outside, it’s the same thing.
I’ve tried periods of just ignoring it. That doesn’t change the pattern at all.
Any suggestions to help modify her behavior?
How is Stormy with people during walks? How is she when alone in the house? How is she with other people when you are not there?
One thing that helps with my younger and more fearful Husky is that I try to help her bond and build trust with other people. I get other family members to help feed her, walk her, play with her, groom her, and engage in other bonding activities. In the beginning, I am there to help her feel more comfortable, but I let the other person take the lead. The more people she learns to bond with and trust, the more confidence she gains around people, and the more people she can rely on.
I also desensitize my dogs slowly to alone time.
http://shibashake.com/dog/separation-anxiety-dog-why-how-reduce-dog-stress#desensitize
When trying to help my dog with an anxiety issue, I focus on redirection, making things positive, and building confidence. To reduce my dog’s anxiety symptoms, I need to identify the source of the anxiety, and help to relieve the stress through systematic desensitization and by carefully managing the strength of the stressor. I stay away from anything that will inject more stress into the situation.
You Can’t Reinforce Fear by Patricia McConnell
What is your energy when approaching her crate? Is she stressed about going outside? What is her behavior like when she is outside? Is she outside by herself or do you go with her? Does she want to come back in right away? If you go outside with her, is her behavior different? Since she follows you everywhere, does she follow you outside when you go?
For example, when letting my dog out of his crate, I calmly walk over, open the door, and walk to where I want him to go. Then, I call him to me and reward him really well for coming with a fun game, affection, and more. In this way, it is a fun experience that is not such a big deal. I want to create successful positive experiences, so that he will become more confident.
I do recall games with my dog in the backyard, Find-It games and more, so he associates the outside with fun and positive experiences. Sometimes, we go outside and I sit on the bench to read, or we do hand-feeding exercises, or he just does his own thing. I do more of this during puppyhood, so that my new dog will learn to enjoy the backyard, learn to relax, and learn to do her own thing.
Finally, my dog is very sensitive to my energy and to the energy of the people around him. If I am stressed or frustrated, he will pick up on my energy, get stressed himself, and his anxiety will worsen. I always try to control my own energy, when I am training or interacting with my dog. If I am too stressed out, I take some time to myself first, to regain my balance.
However, dog behavior is very context dependent, so each dog and each situation is different. When in doubt, I get help from a good, positive-based professional trainer.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
Hello! Our Yorkie is now 5 years old. He’s always had anxiety about traveling, but usually not at any other time. Starting about 2 weeks ago, he is having HUGE anxiety issues when my husband leaves for work. I stay at home most of the time, and our routine has not changed at all. Since my husband left for work this morning, he has cried like a child. He is also urinating on the furniture more. He also continues to cry after my husband is home for a bit. Any helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Hmmm, what is his daily routine like? Has he always urinated on furniture or did this only start recently? What do you do when he cries? Is he eating and drinking normally? Is his pee and poop normal? Is he urinating more frequently? Does he urinate while lying down? Are there any other changes in behavior?
What type of training is he used to? How does he act towards other people and dogs during walks?
When there are large and sudden changes in behavior in my dog, I rule out physical issues first. Once I am sure that the change is *not* caused by something physical, then I start to look at behavioral triggers. After I identify the triggers, then I can redirect and do desensitization/counter-conditioning exercises.
Hi I have a 4 year old flat coat rescue. We have had him for 3 years. We moved 6 months ago from country side in the uk to downtown boston. Over the last 6 month Benny has become frightened of motorbikes, men approaching in the dark or day light, he has become possessive of toys, has shown some mild aggression to other dogs and it is horrible to watch my happy little dog become so aggressive, anxious and scared! Any ideas please???
Is he anxious all of the time or is it only when he is outside? How is his behavior when he is in the house? Is it noisy inside the house? How is he while travelling in a car? What was his behavior like right after the move? Has it gotten worse? Is he currently on a fixed routine and schedule?
With my dogs, I set up a fixed routine, consistent rules, and a calm environment at home. This helps to create certainty, which in turn helps to reduce stress. I talk more about this in the article above.
I also do desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises with my dogs, to help them build confidence and become less anxious. More on how I did noise desensitization exercises with my dog.
However, with desensitization, it was important to maximize positive and successful instances, while at the same time preventing negative events and more anxiety attacks. Therefore, management of the environment is very important so that I do not expose my dog to situations/stimuli that he is not ready to handle.
Given that your situation is such a big change in environment, and likely a challenge in terms of stimulus management, I would get help from a good professional trainer.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I have a new rescue. 1yr old poodle terrier mix. She is super loving and playful, sits when I pull out the leash for a walk. Doesn’t potty in the house. I had her in isolation, per orders, to make sure she didn’t have kennel cough. But every time I take her out for a walk and she spots a dog all is over! She is squirming, yelping, whining and jumping all over. Most of the time if I spot another dog I will walk the other direction. If she starts to get squirmy I well kneel down beside her and stroke her neck and back til she calms down and the dog is out of view. Recently she went completely berserk for a small dog and tore away from my arms. Only scrapes and bruises but I want to teach her to remain calm. I know there is a long process with a rescue and I’m not sure of her background. Any quick fixes? I’ve only had her a week and a half. So far everything is great, she even behaves while I’m at work.
Dog-to-dog desensitization exercises helped with my dog’s reactivity issues and helped him to be more calm around other dogs. However, desensitization takes time, management, and consistency.
Hi I have an 11 year old bitch , who is great during the day , but come bedtime she pants and paces throughout the house . She does actually sleep better in the living room , but not on her own so now we’re taking it in turns to watch over her , any ideas please ? Thank you x
Hmmm, when did this behavior start? Does she respond to her name or favorite rewards while pacing? Are there other changes in behavior? How is her physical health? When was her last vet visit?
Sleep irregularities and anxious pacing *may* be signs of senior dementia (Canine Cognitive Dysfunction). It can also be due to pain or other physical factors. I would consult with a vet first, to determine if the behavior is due to some physical issue.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/11_12/features/Caring-For-An-Older-Dog_16086-1.html
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/behavior-problems-older-dogs
My 5.5 year old rescue Greyhound has started this exact same behavior. At all other times during the day she is happy, playful, relaxed. But when bedtime comes she does not want to go out for a last potty break, and she cannot decide where to sleep. She doesn’t want to be in our room, or in her playroom downstairs, or in the living-dining rooms/kitchen where the two cats sleep. Nervous, shaking, panting, pacing. She has just spent the whole evening with us watching tv in the living room – it’s just going to bed that she can’t abide. This behavior is recent – within the last couple months.
So I have a black lab/blue nose pit mix, he is absolutely wonderful when it’s just me at the house, but he has major anxiety/hyperactivity problems when I have company over. He starts licking/chewing on my walls to the point he foams at the mouth, runs around constantly, if crated he won’t stop barking/crying, or he will start playing with my English setter mix, but so rough I have to break them up. He also seems to suffer from separation anxiety. If I so much as go get the mail he starts barking, tearing up/breaking my blinds to see out the window, and I can’t even leave him in my backyard to vacuum even without him digging a new hole under my fence. He’s approaching the 20 month mark and I’ve had him since he was 5 weeks old. He follows me everywhere, sleeps with his head on the pillow next to mine touching me with at least one paw or he’ll reposition so that he can have some contact with my body. I need help with both problems as I can’t leave him alone without always crating him (never have had to crate any previous dogs I’ve owned) and I can’t have company over without my house being destroyed or everyone being miserable if I crate him because of the barking. repair costs for his anxieties are almost $200 a month and I can barely afford to feed myself but the house cannot stay in disrepair, and I refuse to get rid of him as he is literally my baby and the only reason I have motivation to do anything
Please help, thank you
What is his daily routine like? How does he respond to people during daily walks? What was his behavior and experiences as a puppy? How did he respond to people when he was young?
In terms of anxiety, what has helped my Shiba Inu, Sephy, is to –
1. Set him up for success,
2. Properly manage his environment and routine so that he doesn’t have any more panic attacks, and
3. Slowly socialize him to people in a positive and structured way.
The more successful “people” experiences Sephy has, the more confidence he builds, and the more calm he becomes. The more panic attacks that Sephy has, the more it undermines his confidence, and the worse his behavior becomes. Therefore, it was very important with Sephy to not only maximize positive and calm experiences, but also to minimize anxiety attacks and reactive behavior.
Very informative ASPCA article on separation anxiety.
More on how I desensitize my dog to people.
More on how I desensitize my dog to alone time.
Note that dog behavior is very context dependent, so each dog and each situation is different. During Sephy’s difficult period, we visited with several professional trainers who could observe Sephy within his normal environment and routine. They helped me better understand Sephy’s body language and behavior, and helped guide me in the retraining process.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
We recently just purchased a puppy Rottweiler around 7 months old, he seems to have really bad separation anxiety, we leave him in his crate with a kong and we know he crys when we’re not there, he’s recently pooing in the crate- it started off with him pooing during the day sometimes but now he’s started doing it in the morning before we get up and more frequent
He try’s to escape the crate aswell and when he does he poos and now wees over the lounge floor, we thought it was the crate so we left him out of it for a couple of hours and he just pooed, when he escapes he jumps at the window and the blinds are all damaged
Also when we let him out for the toilet he stands at the door and scratches it even when he needs the toilet, we researched that putting him in the crate while we are in should help but all he does it cry and try and escape and pace up and down it
We really don’t know what to do with him because he’s such an affectionate dog but we’re worried if he doesn’t get better we’ll have re-home him
Your crate sounds far too big, there should be no room for pacing or pooping. a crate should only allow the dog to just stand up lie down and be no longer then his body, for a dog to feel secure. Also you need to first get the dog used to a crate before shutting the door by feeding treats, then shit the door and give him his dinner while your home, then slowly increase the time he spends in there while your home, then once he can be in there while your home and in another room then and only then can you leave him there while you exit the house for five minutes, then ten minutes then slowly increase the time. If you don’t try and desensitize the dog to all of these things it will just get worse! Please do your best to fix the problem even if it means hiring a dog trainer, rehoming can make the problems worse and then the dog ends up in a shelter and then be euthanized. Rottweilers are such amazing dogs, don’t give up!
Yeah, desensitization exercises also helped with my Shiba Inu, Sephy. I start with extremely short periods of alone time (seconds), and then slowly build up his tolerance from there.
The more positive successful experiences Sephy had, even with just very short alone periods, the more confidence he gained and the more calm he became. Similarly, bad experiences and panic attacks will undermine his confidence and significantly set back training. Therefore, it was very important during his entire rehabilitation process, to prevent future panic attacks from occurring. I was at home with him a lot of the time, but when I cannot be home I arrange for someone that he trusts to house-sit.
How long have you had your puppy? What is his daily routine like? Was this anxiety present at the beginning? What kind of training has he had?
During puppy-hood, I have my puppy in the bedroom with me during the night. In this way, puppy doesn’t feel lonely, and it can also help with bonding. I am also right there if my puppy needs to potty, so that I can quickly bring him out and reward him for doing the right thing. Both my Sibes prefer to roam around downstairs, now that they are older, but Shiba still likes being in the bedroom with us.
With anxiety issues, I first identify the source of the anxiety. Once I know this, I can help my dog overcome his anxiety through careful desensitization work, and also by preventing further panic attacks. The more panic attacks there are, the more anxious my dog will become, and the worse his behavioral symptoms will be. Desensitization will take time and effort, but it is really worth it in the end to have a more confident and happy fur-companion.
ASPCA article with a lot of good information on separation anxiety.
How I helped Sephy with his separation anxiety.
As for crates, it depends on the dog and situation. Here is an excerpt from the ASPCA article above-
When in doubt, I get help from a good professional trainer.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
Hi everyone my sister has a pitbull and he’s a pup but I think he has anxiety because he goes crazy and strays biting everything and barks and barks and when he was little he would wanna eat his wn poop.But today I was outside and he tried chewing our shirts off ,And my family things he’s. MEAN DOG wich I don’t belive and I think it’s just his anxiety btw he seems that he loves his owners a lot so I don’t understand why they would think he’s a mean dog pls tell me what I have to explain to them that he’s not a mean dog