Dogs suffer from anxiety in a similar way that humans do. As the loyal companions that they are, it is important to them to be around you – the pack – constantly. This genetic instinct comes from their wolf ancestors that had highly evolved pack hierarchy’s and community. This pack system was essential for their survival by allowing them to hunt more effectively.
While your dog does not need a pack to hunt for its food, it does crave the companionship that comes with a tight pack. Some dogs are more sensitive than other when it comes to separation anxiety from their pack. Symptoms of separation anxiety in dogs usually can include chewed furniture, potty accidents and barking.
Pet companies everywhere have been trying to create solutions for helping dogs with separation anxiety. At the core of the problem, is figuring out a way to help reduce stress in dogs. Products like tight fitting jackets and comfort collars have all claimed their effectiveness in treating a nervous dog.
However, if you are truly going to treat separation anxiety in dogs, you need to look at the underlying issues.
Signs Of Separation Anxiety In Dogs
The signs of separation anxiety in dogs is not always clear and many people ask, “How do I know if my dog has separation anxiety?”. Below are a few symptoms that could be signs your dog has separation anxiety.
- Urinating in the house
- Chewing everything inside
- Destructive behavior
- Pacing back and forth
- Excessive Panting
- Drooling
- Barking
- Aggression
Most of these symptoms are treatable with the right practices. However, such things like aggression can be much harder to treat and may require behavioral therapy. This aggression is dangerous for both humans and other dogs. If left untreated, it can lead to even more issues with the dog.
Such anxiety issues like urinating in the house and chewing can make for difficult clean up but are typically not dangerous to others around. Using dog walking services if you are going to be away for a long time is a great way to give your dog the attention they crave and give you a break from cleaning up messes.
How To Deal With Dog Anxiety
Before dealing with dog anxiety, you need to figure out what is triggering the issues that your pet is having. A trip to the vet can usually help determine what is going on with your dog. Many pet owners are skipping the trip to the vet and trying new options like CBD oil and calming dog treats.
For less serious cases of dog anxiety, pet owners are seeing very good success with CBD infused pet treats. If you are not familiar with CBD oil, it is derived from cannabis and contains essential oils that are shown to have stress reducing properties – without any of the psychological effects that are normally associated with cannabis use.
Training and Doggie Day Care
If your dog is very hyper or needs a lot of exercise, it would be good to consider a dog day care service. Doggie day care’s give you dog a chance to socialize with other dogs while fulfilling their pack desire. Your dog will be able to burn off energy and have companionship while you are away.
In general, dogs are okay for 4-6 hours on their own if there is exercise (and lots of love) before and after the solitude. If you are working 8+ hours a day and leaving your dog after chowing breakfast and a quick walk outside, your dog will be frustrated and may develop anxiety.
Consider a combination of dog calming treats with CBD oil and dog walkers when starting to treat dog anxiety. Having a combination that eases their stress levels and engages them mentally & physically will typically produce great results.
Helping Dogs With Anxiety
Dogs have complex personalities and can develop stress & anxiety just like humans do. Some of the best treatment for stress is love & friendship. While providing your dog with supplements like CBD oil will help significantly, they should be paired with structure that gives your dog attention.
While with your dog, playing games and engaging with them to learn new tricks will help take their minds off their anxiousness. If your dog is acting aggressive, it would be smart to take them to a professional trainer. Fixing the aggressive issues is the first step before helping your dog reduce their stress.
Once they past being aggressive, you can work on socializing your dog better. Simple activities like dog parks or smelling another dog on the daily walk will help build your dogs confidence and reduce their anxiety.
What To Do Next
If you are ready to start treating your dogs anxiety, you can take action today by purchasing calming treats. Reducing your dogs stress first will open up doors to better treating and helping the other issues going on.
When purchasing calming dog treats, look for those with at least 5mg of CBD per dose. It is important to have the proper dose and quality of CBD for your dog to have the best effect. Many companies are adding extremely small doses of CBD to their treats in order to market that they contain the essential oil. Watch out for these brands as you will spend a lot of money on a product that isn’t effective.
Look for the purest does of CBD oil even if there are less treats. To shop our top picks you can click here.
Be sure to consult a vet before giving your dog CBD oil. This article is written out of personal experience and should not be used to treat or diagnose medical issues with your dog.