Anxiety in Your Dog
I hear this all the time with potential clients. But my dog is so sweet! She loves to be wherever I am, and she loves to cuddle with me and have me pet her all the time. And while there is no blame directed towards the human, I cringe inside a bit when I hear this.
Dogs are not humans and cuddling, petting and kissing them does not mean the same thing to them that it means to us. Dogs usually exhibit this behavior when they are anxious or insecure. Positive reinforcement, like petting and kissing and cuddling, is actually telling the dog that what they are feeling is GOOD and to keep feeling that way.
How Do We Stop Anxiety?
The first thing I tell people over the phone is to please stop the affection. At least for right now. We need to get your dog in a better spot. Affection looks like petting, kissing, eye contact, soft voices and soft energy.
I also tell my clients to crate their dogs when in the house. We want the dog to have their own space and learn how to just exist without depending on anyone else.
We implement structure…crate time, place time, walk nicely, exercise, no jumping, no being crazy, listen, etc.
Is Anxiety Ever Cured?
This honestly depends on the dog. If the dog was naturally calm, but developed anxiety because there were always screaming kids running around constantly jumping on the dog, touching the dog, and not leaving the dog alone…then I would venture to say that yes, we can cure the anxiety.
If you have a dog that has an anxious TEMPERAMENT then that is a different story. We maintain a certain lifestyle with the dog to reduce any triggers. For my German Shepherd she will always be in her crate or on place in the house because her temperament is anxious. This is my way of being proactive and positively working on the anxiety.
What Can I Do Today?
For right now if you have an anxious dog please keep them crated in the house. Not because they are bad, but because we want them to practice how to be calm. The best way to do this is to put them in their crate and give them their own space. They can learn to just exist without anyone being near them and learn to calm down.
Keep your dog on a leash at all times. Even potty time. By telling your dog what to do at all times you will greatly reduce their anxiety. Dogs naturally look for leaders in the home, so become a leader for them.
Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions please click the contact button above. Thank you!
-Bethany
