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.
My sister in law has a 1 year old lab that I know has separation anxiety from her. He drools, poops, chews.. so she rarely leaves him. My question is, can loss of appetite, diarrhea and vomiting also be a symptom? Even if other family members are home with him and he doesn’t show all the major panting and chewing and pooping type symptoms? Yet a day or so later can he be affected from her being gone with symptoms? She has had him checked at the vet several times on different occasions, and changed his food to sensitive or allergy related already.
Thanks.
With my dog’s separation anxiety, it was helpful to slowly desensitize him to alone time. Desensitization exercises helped him to build confidence and teaches him to relax in his own company. This article from the ASPCA has some good information on separation anxiety and desensitization-
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/separation-anxiety
The key is not only to maximize positive and calm alone time, but also to minimize negative events and anxiety attacks. The more positive experiences my dog has, the more confidence he builds and the better his behavior becomes. Similarly, bad experiences and panic attacks will undermine that confidence, significantly set back training, and worsen his anxiety symptoms. Therefore, during the entire rehabilitation period, I need to carefully manage my dog and not expose him to situations that he cannot handle. In particular, I want to help him stay below his reactivity threshold and ensure that he does not suffer from any anxiety or panic attacks.
Those sound like pretty serious symptoms. Has the dog shown these symptoms before? Has the separation anxiety been going on for 1 year? Is it getting worse? What food is he currently on?
Personally, I would take the dog to the vet to make sure that everything is ok. Then, I would consult with a good behaviorist/trainer so that I can start a plan for desensitization training and rehabilitation.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Great website, and so nice to see some Shiba specific experience! We have 3 shibas, ranging from 4.5 to 7 years old. One of the dogs (we’re not entirely sure which one) has recently started pooping inside the house.
We are aware that this is anxiety induced, as it’s happened once before. Last time, was in the weeks leading up to our wedding where clearly there were alot of breaks in their routine, strangers around constantly, and general commotion in the house. Luckily, the behavior subsided once all those stimuli were removed and we resumed our routine.
This time however, is likely due to the upcoming addition of a baby to the family. Any experience or tips on how to alleviate the anxiety since clearly these changes/stimuli will not be going away . . . .
Thanks!
What I try to do with Sephy is to introduce changes gradually. I try to keep a very fixed schedule with him, and if I need to change something, I start small and go slowly, at a pace that he is comfortable with. However, I don’t have any children, so I don’t have first hand experience with this specific issue.
In general though, I find the ASPCA website to be a good source of information, so these two articles may be of help-
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/preparing-your-dog-new-baby
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/introducing-your-dog-your-new-baby
A big congratulations on your upcoming baby! 😀
I have a 2yr old pit bull her name is roxy I have had her for a year I got her to be a friend to my other pit champ hes just the best dog in the world he does nothing wrong but roxy is so anxious & nervous and does everything wrong I think because shes so nervous she does the opposite of what I tell her to do evry noise,fast movement flash lights,candles scare her she hates to be in the house I let her out then she hates to be in the yard and starts to dig her way out then once she gets out she wants to come bk in the house but shes to scared to come in so she barks n barks ill open door to let her in n she runs away I just don’t understand her plz help!!!911
Do the two dogs get along? What are their usual interactions? What is Roxy’s daily routine like? Is the home environment noisy? Are there things that can be done to mask out the noise and lights? What type of training is Roxy used to? Has Roxy always been this anxious or was there a sudden or gradual change in behavior? Has Roxy been to the vet to have her hearing and vision checked?
Physical issues and pain can sometimes cause a dog to feel more vulnerable, and become more stressed and anxious. When there are sudden changes in behavior with my dog, I always rule out physical issues first.
For anxiety issues, the first thing that I do with my dog is try to identify the key sources of his anxiety. Once I identify those,
1. I take steps to manage my dog’s environment and try to remove those key sources of anxiety. I mask out noise, I keep my dog in a quiet low stimulus area of the house, etc. This is extremely important because the more panic attacks and anxiety episodes my dog has, the more that will undermine his confidence, and the more anxious he will be.
2. I slowly desensitize my dog to each of the things that he is anxious about. With desensitization it is very important that I start small, with a very weakened version of the problem stimulus so that I can pair it with rewards and positive experiences. The more positive and calm experiences my dog has in the presence of the stimulus, the more confidence he builds, and the better his behavior will be. More on how I desensitize my dog to noise.
The key is to maximize positive and calm experiences to help my dog build confidence. At the same time, I also want to set my dog up for success and *not* expose him to situations that he cannot handle, which will undermine his confidence, significantly set back training, and cause his anxiety to get worse.
Note however, that dog behavior is very context dependent and anxiety issues and rehabilitation can be complex. Based on what you describe, I would get help from a good professional trainer who can observe Roxy in her regular environment and routine, help identify key sources of anxiety, and help develop a good and effective plan for rehabilitation.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I need help- I adopted a german sheppard/golden retriever a year ago. She was home sheltered for her mother and father both died when she and her brothers were born. She loves my jeep. That is the only place she wants to be. In her kennel in jeep. She has horable anxiety. She paces, eats poop, poop in house. We tried the whole desensatising with treats and as soon as rewards are done she is ready to go back to jeep. My new neighbors have called humain society. I am meeting with them in the morning. I am just trying to decide if it can be fixed or if euthenizing her is the only solution..We love her but a car is no place to live. We have had her on benadryl as well as paxil for anxiety did not work.. Please help
What exactly is triggering her anxiety? Is it particular sounds in the house? Smells? People voices? Has her anxiety always been this bad, or has it gradually gotten worse? What type of training is she accustomed to? What is her daily routine?
Dog behavior is very context dependent and desensitization can be complex and counter-intuitive. With Sephy, we got help from several professional trainers who could observe him, and help us identify the triggers that cause his reactive or anxious behaviors. After we identified those triggers, we came up with a plan for desensitizing him towards each of those triggers. It was helpful to have a good trainer guide me in the process, especially in the beginning.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
https://apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
Hello! I have a 2 year old rescue named Maximus. Max has developed a fear of the dishwasher and washing machine. At first it was just those 2 things that would make him anxious, but now it’s progressed to baths/showers, and sometimes he starts to have an anxiety attack as soon as we walk into the house from being out. It’s almost like he doesn’t want to walk into the house…he’s afraid to. I’ve taken him to the vet and ruled out physical issues. The vet gave us Fluoxetine, and he’s been taking it twice a day for 10 days, and no change. It’s hard to do the desensitize exercises because once he does start an attack, he will not take any treats. Any help you could give us would be greatly appreciated.
When I was doing desensitization exercises with Sephy, the most important thing is to always keep him below his reactivity threshold. The key is to help Sephy start to associate a previously scary or stressful stimulus with positive and calm experiences. Therefore, I have to start small, with a very weak version of the trigger stimulus, and *very slowly* build up his tolerance in a positive and structured way.
The more positive and calm experiences that Sephy has, the more confidence he builds, and the more calm he is in the future. Similarly, bad experiences and panic attacks will undermine that confidence, significantly set back desensitization training, and cause his anxiety to worsen.
I conduct desensitization in a structured environment where I am in total control of the strength of the trigger stimulus. In this way, I make sure never to expose Sephy to more than he can handle. I stop and dial back the strength of the stimulus as soon as I notice any sign of heightened anxiety, and way before it goes into a full blown panic attack. For example, if my dog is anxious about the sound of water or the sound of certain machines, I make a taping of the stressful sound. Then I start by playing it back *very very softly*. It has to be soft enough that my dog can tolerate it *without* going into panic mode.
More on how I do sound desensitization exercises.
ASPCA article on desensitization and counter-conditioning.
Desensitization can be counter-intuitive and complex, so when I first started doing exercises with Sephy, I got help from several professional trainers who could help me identify the key triggers to Sephy’s stress, and give me pointers on how to desensitize Sephy in a safe and effective way.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
http://www.apdt.com/pet-owners/choosing-a-trainer/
I have a 12 1/2 yr old Shiloh shepherd he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at age 4 and now neuropathy. I believe the neuropathy has helped with any pain he might have from the dysplasia, we started walking hills almost daily 6 months ago as he was really weak, he improved greatly but his neuropathy of course slowly continues.
Worse thing I see now he’s become so anxious at night he is so frightened to walk in the house now especially at night, what is senior dementia and what is the best treatment option for that at his age.
He has two other younger canine companions and plays with them during the day a little but, Iam also concerned for there mental state while he’s around at night I’ve been letting the Shiloh sleep in our van at night as he seems calmest there. My wife is concerned with it being too cold at times he’s a long hair with double coat, and throughout his life has always gravitated towards any cold areas. I think he’s fine with any cold, and the van has no seats with beds in the back, my biggest concern is, is the cold bad for his joints.
Based on what I have read, hip dysplasia ultimately leads to osteoarthritis which can be affected by cold and dampness.
http://www.petmd.com/dog/seasonal/evr_dg_winter_care_arthritis
https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/cold-weather-pet-arthritis/
However, given that there are other issues at play, I would consult with the family vet and with a specialist, if appropriate.
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_cognitive_dysfunction_syndrome?page=2
I have a 4 year old Hungarian vizsla. She will play with other dogs she meets out walking or at agility classes but can be nervous of other dogs on some situations. We recently got a Hungarian vizsla puppy who is 7 weeks old but our older dog is very nervous of her and will not be in the same room. If they are she will try to get away and shakes if she can’t. They have both been crate trained and the puppy is mainly confined to the kitchen when not crated. This allows the older dog to relax in other living areas she has her crate in the sitting room but it is now left open at all times. The puppy comes into the sitting room, supervised, in the evening but the older dog will then leave. How can we reduce our older dogs stress and help her accept the new family member. I have been treating her every time she is near the puppy but this is rare. She did relax and lay down after about 10 mins, in the car crate today. The crate is divided and I put a blanket so she couldn’t see puppy either but initially she wouldn’t lay down and shook.
Hello Jo,
Dog behavior is very context dependent, so the temperament of both dogs, past experiences, daily routine, training, and more, all matter. Without seeing the dogs or knowing any of these things, it would be difficult to even make good guesses.
When I had problems with my Shiba Inu, we visited with several professional trainers and it was helpful to have someone observe my dog, read his body language, and guide me in identifying the source of his behaviors. The trainer also helped me with timing, technique, reading body language, and more.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
More on how I went about finding a trainer for my dog.
With my Shiba Inu, I helped him be more calm around other dogs by doing dog-to-dog desensitization exercises. The key with desensitization is to start small, with a very weakened version of the “other dog” stimulus, and *very slowly* build up my dog’s tolerance and confidence.
Positive and successful events will help my dog to build confidence. Similarly, reactive/fearful events and panic attacks will undermine that confidence and significantly set back training. Therefore, I manage things very carefully so that I not only maximize successes, but also minimize scary encounters.
More on how I did dog-to-dog desensitization exercises with my Shiba Inu.
More on what I do when introducing a new dog.
Hi! My husband and I moved about a month ago to a completely new environment. About three weeks ago we got two kittens as well. My Shorkie Phantom has been acting very strange since we got here and even more so when we got the kittens. (He and the cats get along very well) Lately he has been hiding under the couch or under the bed and it takes a lot of effort to get him out. He rarely eats anymore. He poops in the house which started about a week ago, most of the time its not solid. He shakes a lot now, and he looks at us with a face that makes you think he got into trouble. He doesn’t go near my husband anymore and rarely comes near me. He used to be a very sweet dog and always by my side! Hes only a year and a half old as well. What can I do to help him?
Also hes scared of EVERYTHING. Plastic bags, his own food dish which ive changed into different bowels to see if it would help. Hes also chewing stuff up as well. He even jumps when I get up from sitting! We’re both very loving to him too, always cuddling but hes so scared!
When there are large changes in my dog’s behavior, the very first thing that I do is rule out physical issues. Once I am sure that my dog is physically healthy, then I start looking at behavioral triggers.
Changes in routine and environment are always very stressful for my dog. The bigger the changes and the more long lasting, the more anxious my dog gets. This is because change brings uncertainty, and uncertainty causes stress.
How was Phantom’s behavior before the kittens but after the move? Does he interact at all with the kittens? What are their interactions like? Does he avoid the kittens? Has he eaten kitty litter or anything else he shouldn’t have? What does Phantom enjoy doing? What activities help him to relax?
When I moved houses, I helped my dog by creating as much certainty as possible-
1. I set up a fixed routine right away, that is as similar as possible to his previous routine.
2. I try *not* to introduce any more changes, which will likely create more stress.
3. I took my dog out on more relaxing walks on quiet trails. Sephy really likes to explore and enjoys walking, so we went hiking in quiet areas during off hours. This gives him a good outlet for his anxious energy and helped him to relax.
4. I set up a calm home environment, with a set of consistent rules that my dog is already used to.
5. I identify the things that trigger his anxiety, and help desensitize him to those triggers. How I do desensitization exercises.
I talk more about what I do in the article above. However, dog behavior is very context dependent, so what I do to relieve stress will be a bit different based on the temperament, history, and situation for each dog. When in doubt, I get help from a good professional trainer, who can meet and observe my dog in his regular environment.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/finding-professional-help
Hi,
I’m wondering if you can lend me any suggestions to help with my dogs anxiety/fear. Mila is a 2.5 year old rescue from Bangkok, Thailand. She was born on the street and her litter passed away after being eaten alive, Mila was the only one left and was rescued by a friend of mine and I later adopted her around 4 months old. She has been with me ever since she was 4 months, she has always been a bit fearful of new people and not the biggest fan of crowds or anything with wheels. Mila’s anxiety doesn’t seem to be reducing at all, and that worries me because I want her to have the best life possible. She has been crate trained, she is very comfortable in the crate. I generally don’t use it often at this point as she is full house trained. She does have a thundershirt, which I have felt has helped a bit, but taking her for walks is still a challenge. She has a halty, but still gets extremely anxious when other people are around, loud noises, etc, she jumps around and pulls frantically at her leash to get away. I live in Toronto, Canada, and living downtown doesn’t lend itself to ever being not hectic. Do you have any suggestions for reducing her social anxiety? I feel I am at a loss, and the vet said I can medicate her, but that’s very costly and I am not sure if I feel comfortable going that route.
Kind Regards,
Stephanie & Mila
My youngest Husky, Lara, was also fearful of certain noises when she was young, including the garbage truck, as well as people on bicycles and skateboards. I helped her with those issues through desensitization and counter-conditioning exercises.
However, desensitization requires that I start small and slowly build up my dog’s tolerance. The more positive successful sessions we have, the more confidence my dog builds, and the more she can tolerate. Similarly, panic attacks or reactive episodes will undermine her confidence and significantly set back our training. Therefore, during the entire rehabilitation process, I have to carefully manage my dog and *not* expose her to more than she can handle.
I am not sure if this is a possibility in the city, but we drove Lara to quiet parts of the neighborhood or quiet hiking trails, and walked her during off hours, as necessary. The key with desensitization training is not only to maximize positive experiences, but also to minimize reactive events. I.e. start small and only very slowly increase the environmental challenge.
Getting help from a good, certified, local trainer may also be helpful. Such a trainer would be used to the surrounding environment, and may be able to suggest good ways for doing desensitization in a generally busy environment.
http://www.cappdt.ca/public/jpage/1/p/ChoosingTrainer/content.do
I have two little white dogs: one is a Bichon cross Maltese (about 6 years old) and the other is an Australian Terrier (about 2 years old). The older one, Toby, who is natually anxious when it comes to thunderstorms/rain, loud noises in our street, etc. is generally okay when he’s around myself and my wife since our home is a very calm and relaxed environment. We recently got one of those automatic bug spray things and set it to go off every hour, and since it’s been in place for the last few days Toby’s been very odd, more than normal.
He paces often, sometimes spends hours sitting outside in our backyard (he only ever hangs outside to play with Finn or do his business), and has been constantly shaking like a mobile phone on vibrate mode. He’s not eating his morning meals, barely eats his evening meals and hasn’t got much sleep at all.
We’ve been giving him lots of hugs and massages, trying to keep him calm, and, since my wife and I are fairly calm people naturally, we hoped that this would work. But so far he hasn’t changed. We have even put the bug spray thing in the kitchen and closed off the living area, but he is still behaving all anxious-like. Is there anything else you can suggest to help? (Please email me.)
If you turn off the bug spray for the few days, does his behavior return to normal? Could he have ingested some of the spray? Does he act stressed when out of walks, or is it only around the house?