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Tips for taking care of your dog's health and safety
How to know if my dog has anxiety
Health
·
March 9, 2023
How to know if my dog has anxiety?
One of the most difficult things in our relationships with dogs is that when something happens to them, they cannot communicate with us easily. For this reason, with problems like anxiety, we must be aware of the signals to help our companions cope with the situation. If you think your dog might be suffering from anxiety, there are some symptoms that can ease your concern (and theirs).
The most common types of anxiety in dogs:
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety arises when your dog dislikes being separated from you; it is the most common type of anxiety. Dogs often associate everything they value in their lives (companionship, play, food, walks) with the presence of people, and when they are left alone, they probably don’t have this precious value. The problem arises when they have not learned to be relaxed and stable with their own company. It is then that they may experience separation anxiety. It is advisable to teach our puppies to deal with being away from us, and the best time to do this is in the early stages of their lives, when they are puppies.
Fear of loud noises
It is well known that noises such as thunder and fireworks can scare our dogs, and can even cause them anxiety. Dogs are naturally fearful of this type of noise because they are loud and unpleasant sounds. Often, they learn to associate the (lower level) noise of the wind or rain with these unpleasant events. For this reason, they often become anxious when they sense a storm is approaching.
Environmental changes
Other types of anxiety, but less common, can involve changes in the environment such as going to the vet, getting into the car, or moving to a new house. These are dogs that suffer stress from any sudden change in their normal day-to-day routine.
Symptoms of anxiety in dogs
The most common symptoms of anxiety in dogs are:
Barks or howls when the family is not home and they are left alone.
Trembling
Running away and/or hiding in the corner of a house
Digging compulsively
Destroying furniture, clothing, and everything they can access in the house… even the walls.
Self-harm, such as excessive licking or chewing
Not eating is a symptom of many things, including anxiety.
Urinating inside the house (when they are adults) or very frequently.
General inability to relax
Some of the symptoms we have mentioned may be the result of occasional events that cause anxiety, but if that is the case, we should be vigilant to detect it and act before they become recurrent and, therefore, cause more serious problems. What is clear is that the sooner anxiety is detected in our dogs, the more successful the treatment or solution will be. We must keep in mind that any behavior that is repeated frequently over a long period of time becomes more ingrained in their brain and is harder to change or correct. If you can notice it and detect any symptoms, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian or with an expert canine ethologist in behavioral changes.
How to know if my dog has anxiety?
One of the most difficult things in our relationships with dogs is that when something happens to them, they cannot communicate with us easily. For this reason, with problems like anxiety, we must be aware of the signals to help our companions cope with the situation. If you think your dog might be suffering from anxiety, there are some symptoms that can ease your concern (and theirs).
The most common types of anxiety in dogs:
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety arises when your dog dislikes being separated from you; it is the most common type of anxiety. Dogs often associate everything they value in their lives (companionship, play, food, walks) with the presence of people, and when they are left alone, they probably don’t have this precious value. The problem arises when they have not learned to be relaxed and stable with their own company. It is then that they may experience separation anxiety. It is advisable to teach our puppies to deal with being away from us, and the best time to do this is in the early stages of their lives, when they are puppies.
Fear of loud noises
It is well known that noises such as thunder and fireworks can scare our dogs, and can even cause them anxiety. Dogs are naturally fearful of this type of noise because they are loud and unpleasant sounds. Often, they learn to associate the (lower level) noise of the wind or rain with these unpleasant events. For this reason, they often become anxious when they sense a storm is approaching.
Environmental changes
Other types of anxiety, but less common, can involve changes in the environment such as going to the vet, getting into the car, or moving to a new house. These are dogs that suffer stress from any sudden change in their normal day-to-day routine.
Symptoms of anxiety in dogs
The most common symptoms of anxiety in dogs are:
Barks or howls when the family is not home and they are left alone.
Trembling
Running away and/or hiding in the corner of a house
Digging compulsively
Destroying furniture, clothing, and everything they can access in the house… even the walls.
Self-harm, such as excessive licking or chewing
Not eating is a symptom of many things, including anxiety.
Urinating inside the house (when they are adults) or very frequently.
General inability to relax
Some of the symptoms we have mentioned may be the result of occasional events that cause anxiety, but if that is the case, we should be vigilant to detect it and act before they become recurrent and, therefore, cause more serious problems. What is clear is that the sooner anxiety is detected in our dogs, the more successful the treatment or solution will be. We must keep in mind that any behavior that is repeated frequently over a long period of time becomes more ingrained in their brain and is harder to change or correct. If you can notice it and detect any symptoms, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian or with an expert canine ethologist in behavioral changes.
How to know if my dog has anxiety?
One of the most difficult things in our relationships with dogs is that when something happens to them, they cannot communicate with us easily. For this reason, with problems like anxiety, we must be aware of the signals to help our companions cope with the situation. If you think your dog might be suffering from anxiety, there are some symptoms that can ease your concern (and theirs).
The most common types of anxiety in dogs:
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety arises when your dog dislikes being separated from you; it is the most common type of anxiety. Dogs often associate everything they value in their lives (companionship, play, food, walks) with the presence of people, and when they are left alone, they probably don’t have this precious value. The problem arises when they have not learned to be relaxed and stable with their own company. It is then that they may experience separation anxiety. It is advisable to teach our puppies to deal with being away from us, and the best time to do this is in the early stages of their lives, when they are puppies.
Fear of loud noises
It is well known that noises such as thunder and fireworks can scare our dogs, and can even cause them anxiety. Dogs are naturally fearful of this type of noise because they are loud and unpleasant sounds. Often, they learn to associate the (lower level) noise of the wind or rain with these unpleasant events. For this reason, they often become anxious when they sense a storm is approaching.
Environmental changes
Other types of anxiety, but less common, can involve changes in the environment such as going to the vet, getting into the car, or moving to a new house. These are dogs that suffer stress from any sudden change in their normal day-to-day routine.
Symptoms of anxiety in dogs
The most common symptoms of anxiety in dogs are:
Barks or howls when the family is not home and they are left alone.
Trembling
Running away and/or hiding in the corner of a house
Digging compulsively
Destroying furniture, clothing, and everything they can access in the house… even the walls.
Self-harm, such as excessive licking or chewing
Not eating is a symptom of many things, including anxiety.
Urinating inside the house (when they are adults) or very frequently.
General inability to relax
Some of the symptoms we have mentioned may be the result of occasional events that cause anxiety, but if that is the case, we should be vigilant to detect it and act before they become recurrent and, therefore, cause more serious problems. What is clear is that the sooner anxiety is detected in our dogs, the more successful the treatment or solution will be. We must keep in mind that any behavior that is repeated frequently over a long period of time becomes more ingrained in their brain and is harder to change or correct. If you can notice it and detect any symptoms, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian or with an expert canine ethologist in behavioral changes.
How to know if my dog has anxiety?
One of the most difficult things in our relationships with dogs is that when something happens to them, they cannot communicate with us easily. For this reason, with problems like anxiety, we must be aware of the signals to help our companions cope with the situation. If you think your dog might be suffering from anxiety, there are some symptoms that can ease your concern (and theirs).
The most common types of anxiety in dogs:
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety arises when your dog dislikes being separated from you; it is the most common type of anxiety. Dogs often associate everything they value in their lives (companionship, play, food, walks) with the presence of people, and when they are left alone, they probably don’t have this precious value. The problem arises when they have not learned to be relaxed and stable with their own company. It is then that they may experience separation anxiety. It is advisable to teach our puppies to deal with being away from us, and the best time to do this is in the early stages of their lives, when they are puppies.
Fear of loud noises
It is well known that noises such as thunder and fireworks can scare our dogs, and can even cause them anxiety. Dogs are naturally fearful of this type of noise because they are loud and unpleasant sounds. Often, they learn to associate the (lower level) noise of the wind or rain with these unpleasant events. For this reason, they often become anxious when they sense a storm is approaching.
Environmental changes
Other types of anxiety, but less common, can involve changes in the environment such as going to the vet, getting into the car, or moving to a new house. These are dogs that suffer stress from any sudden change in their normal day-to-day routine.
Symptoms of anxiety in dogs
The most common symptoms of anxiety in dogs are:
Barks or howls when the family is not home and they are left alone.
Trembling
Running away and/or hiding in the corner of a house
Digging compulsively
Destroying furniture, clothing, and everything they can access in the house… even the walls.
Self-harm, such as excessive licking or chewing
Not eating is a symptom of many things, including anxiety.
Urinating inside the house (when they are adults) or very frequently.
General inability to relax
Some of the symptoms we have mentioned may be the result of occasional events that cause anxiety, but if that is the case, we should be vigilant to detect it and act before they become recurrent and, therefore, cause more serious problems. What is clear is that the sooner anxiety is detected in our dogs, the more successful the treatment or solution will be. We must keep in mind that any behavior that is repeated frequently over a long period of time becomes more ingrained in their brain and is harder to change or correct. If you can notice it and detect any symptoms, we recommend consulting with your veterinarian or with an expert canine ethologist in behavioral changes.
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