Anxious Dogs
Anxiety, Stress, & Fear
Respond or React?
Comforting A Dog?
Supplements
Drugs
Anxiety Vests
Distraction Toys
Pain
Fear of: people, dogs, sounds, & separation
Differing things; people, places, other animals, things, or events can create concern, stress, anxiety, or fear for dogs. These things can activate or inhibit a dog’s response. Dogs will respond or react in differing ways to something of concern. There is a big difference in responding and reacting. In this context responding is functional and reacting dysfunctional. We would prefer to hear a doctor say we are responding to the medication rather than reacting to the medication.
Anxiety, stress, and fear can be displayed as fears, phobias,reactivity, or even panic.
Fear:
fear is a natural response to something perceived as potentially threatening.
the dog’s actions are for the purpose of avoiding something that it fears or is concerned with, and the dog is in control of those actions.
Phobia:
phobias are exaggerated and irrational fear disproportional to the perceived threat.
cause some level of impairment, resulting in the dog being out of control.
Reactivity:
Can be high excitement/arousal both productive and unproductive arousal. Unproductive high arousal can result from fear or frustration.
Panic
Panicking resulting in hysterical or irrational behavior which can put the dog in greater danger.
We cannot control everything that causes our dogs concern so its important to manage the environment and control those things that are within our control while we work to build reasonable coping skills for an individual dog.
It’s common for people to tell you that the dog will feel comfortable as long as you are comfortable. There is an element of truth to that statement in the right context. But this is not a guarantee the dog will feel safe or be comfortable. Our behavior can have a big impact dogs. It is important that the humans look truly relaxed, and in control. When we get concerned you can be sure the dogs pick up on this. We need to be the role model for the behavior we want to see in our dogs.
It’s important that we do not place our dog’s unnecessarily into a situation where they feel uncomfortable or unsafe. When we do this the dog can learn that we cannot be trusted. It’s important to understand that all reactive behavior is caused by the need to gain control. Fearful dogs just want the scary thing to stop. Most dogs given an opportunity will flee to create as much distance as possible from the thing of concern. If a dog prefers to hide during the concerning events let them. Provide them a safe place that they will choose to use.
Common Ways Dogs Respond or React
Respond REACT
Out of Control - High Arousal
Panic (Danger to self)
Fight (Redirected fear/frustration)
Avoid
Flight
Freeze
Since stress, fear, and anxiety are emotional responses/reactions trying to “correct” the behavior is inappropriate and likely will add to the fear or anxiety.
Comforting a Fearful Dog
I’m all for comforting and doing what’s necessary and beneficial for the dog. That being said it comes down to how we attempt to comfort a dog. If you act or look; frantic, like you are apologizing, or mourning the loss of a love one when attempting to comfort your dog, you most likely are not helping your dog in that situation. We won’t make them more fearful, but when done incorrectly we can actually validate anxious, nervous, and fearful behavior. And we certainly won’t lead them to believe we are not concerned with the event if we are acting in a concerned manner. We need to act calm, under control, understanding and like we are capable of handling the situation. You can sit with your dog and place your arm around them, or stroke them calmly (not frantically or fast) while calmly explaining to them what the noises are and how long you estimate they will continue. They won’t understand all your words but they can recognize you are not acting concerned nor appear to not be shaken by the experience. This is what a role model does. Our behavior can add to the experience or reflect an alternative interpretation of of the event for the dog. It’s similar to a small child falling down when it’s clear they are not seriously hurt. If we show contextual concern the child will be up and going in a short time after shaking off the experience. But if we over-react that same child will often continue to cry and take a much longer time to recover from the experience. Our actions can help build resilience or weaken it. Suzanne Clothier explains what “calming contact” should look like in the video “Calming the Fearful Dog”.
If a dog only has a mild concern ignoring the behavior has its place. If we do not overreact to the person/sound/thing/event and treat it as no consequence we can often be a good role model for our dog’s behavior. If we overreact we can reinforce their behavior by validating their interpretation of the events leading this to be a learned response. For a few of these dogs that do not get enough attention from their family their concerned behavior can be rewarded with their family’s attention and so in doing this behavior can become an attention seeking behavior. But don’t assume your dog is using this to seek attention. You nor your friends have likely seen this behavior. If this is still a question for you, reexamine whether you are fulling your dog’s needs for attention, social interaction, exercise, and mental stimulation.
supplements
“Herbs can be helpful for gently calming an animal during stressful occasions. In circumstances in which fear and anxiety prohibit an otherwise passive animal from relaxing, valerian may induce just enough sedation to allow napping.”
Wulff, Mary L.. Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet's Life. CompanionHouse Books
“If nervousness is causing trembling or hypersensitivity to touch and sound, skullcap or oatstraw can be very effective—especially if combined with valerian or passionflower. A small dose (0.25 milliliters per 30 pounds of an animal’s body weight) of vervain (Verbena officinalis) tincture may reduce muscle twitching and restlessness, but too much of this herb may have a reverse effect. In situations in which nervousness is causing an upset stomach, chamomile, valerian, catnip, or a combination of all three may help induce relaxation and prevent vomiting. Before you reach for valerian or any other herb, try giving your pet a few drops of Rescue Remedy (flower essence formula)” Wulff, Mary L.. Herbs for Pets: The Natural Way to Enhance Your Pet's Life (p. 217). CompanionHouse Books. Kindle Edition.
Are Canine Calming Formulas All Safe?
How to choose the best product for your stressed-out dog.
“Not all calmative herbs are alike. Some, such as chamomile, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and valerian are especially well suited to calming a nervous stomach. Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia), an herb that many of my veterinarian friends use for treatment of canine epilepsy, is better suited to cases of nervous jitteriness, muscle twitching, or hypersensitivity to touch.”
“Passionflower can be used in a manner similar to that of skullcap, but it’s better than skullcap when dealing with emotional upset, such as separation anxiety or fear aggression that is associated with jealousy of another animal.”
“• No single herb will work effectively in each and every animal, because no two dogs are alike. “
“• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Buyer beware.”
“And if a calming formula contains an ingredient you don’t recognize, don’t buy it – at least not until you do some research into exactly what the stuff is.”
-Greg Tilford is well known in the field of veterinary herbal medicine.
The products listed here are products I trust. A trusted resource for researching pet supplement is the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC).
Behavior & Mood
Bifidobacterium longum BL999 has been reported to help with behavior and mood. Its easy to find Bifidobacterium longum, but to date I’ve only found the BL999 strain in the “Calming Care” product made by Purina. You may need to inquire of the manufacturer of any product you consider to determine strain.
Genus - Bifidobacterium
Species - longum
Strain - BL999
Purina Launches Supplement for Canine Anxiety Management
https://www.americanveterinarian.com/news/purina-launches-supplement-for-canine-anxiety-management
Stress-Related Gastrointestinal Upsets and Diarrhea in Dogs.
(Bifidobacterium animalis AHC7) may help to prevent stress-related gastrointestinal upsets and diarrhea in dogs.
[1]*
[2]*
[2]*
[1] Ashwagandha - Dose 50-100 mg/kg (23-45 mg/lb) with food twice a day. *https://foreverdog.com/corrections/
[2] Bacopa Monnieri - Dose 25-100 mg/kg (11-45 mg/lb) with food twice a day. *https://foreverdog.com/corrections/
CBD products
How to choose
Drugs
″Pharmacological therapy for behavior problems in dogs should always be conducted only as a last resort and always under the direct supervision of a veterinary behaviorist″. The Dog: Its Behavior, Nutrition, and Health Second Edition by Linda P. Case
Behavioral pharmacology with animals differs from other areas of pharmacology because animal behavior seems to be more prone to environmental influences, rather than pathophysiology. There is no reason to believe that a neurotransmitter imbalance is commonly the cause for most problem behaviors. Rather than seek out a drug for a quick fix, the owner should seek out a professional who understands dogs and has the skills to bring about positive results. Using psychotropic drugs to correct behavior should always be a last resort and always under the direct supervision of a veterinary behaviorist.
Since the majority of problem behaviors are not caused by a neurotransmitter imbalance, these problems can be resolved without the necessity for drug treatment. Problems behaviors such as, anxiety, barking, hyperactivity, separation anxiety, whining or any other behavior considered disruptive should first be addressed by a knowledgeable individual who understands a dog′s development and behavior. When drugs are used the common approaches are typically to assist a behavior modification program that theoretically could work alone, or to correct an existing physiological abnormality such as deficiency in a neurotransmitter system.
If drugs are used, they should be used in conjunction with a behavior modification program. Drugs themselves should not be considered a quick fix. There are no guarantees that a drug will control the problem behavior for months or years.
For more information on drugs start here.
anxiety vest
Some have found that an anxiety wrap has helped keep a dog calm. But as Temple Grandin points (see below) this is not a magic wrap. The effect wears off in about twenty minutes. Also be mindful not every dog likes the sensation of a body wrap so don’t force it. If you chose to try a wrap be careful that you don’t create the wrong association for your dog. If your dog excepts the wrap make sure you condition your dog to wearing it for short periods of time before the stressful event is likely to occur. If you only put the wrap on just before the stressful event your dog may learn that the wrap is an indication that concerning things are about to happen. Instead use the wrap for short periods of time prior to the stressful events and after putting it on your dog “surprise” your dog with a special food stuffed toy that will require them to go lay down to enjoy. Its important that whatever you offer your dog is a surprise so don’t let them see you prepping or staging the item. This way the wrap is a signal of good things to come!
The Company of Animals Anxiety Wrap
Mellow Shirt
Thundershirt
Mellow Shirt
“With any kind of pressure treatment, you have to be careful not to leave it on too long. The maximum calming effect wears off in about twenty minutes, so, for longer treatments, it often works best to apply the treatment for twenty to thirty minutes, take it off for thirty minutes, and then reapply.” Temple Grandin - Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals
Entertaining & Distraction Toys
If your dog is relaxed but not ready to sleep give them a Qwizl, Happy Lapper, or stuffed Kong. My favorite is a jerky stuffed Qwizl since the dog will need to lie down and work at getting a jerky or fish skin out of the toy which should take a good amount of time if we force it in tightly. With Happy Lapper’s I like to freeze food or special treats in them to keep them distracted and entertained longer. For persistent dogs like labs and beagles a stuffed or frozen stuffed Kong is great. For dogs that are not as persistent and become frustrated trying to get the food treat out of a Kong use a Qwizl or Happy Lapper.
Pain
Noise Sensitivities in Dogs: An Exploration of Signs in Dogs with and without Musculoskeletal Pain Using Qualitative Content Analysis
“In this study, concerns over musculoskeletal problems were confirmed using a range of procedures (some individuals having multiple procedures): four clearly demonstrated pain during physical examination in the clinic, eight were radiographed, and one underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The problems identified or inferred related to the hip (including dysplasia–five subjects), degenerative joint disease of the limbs (four subjects), and focal spondylosis in L2 and L3 (one subject). In six of these cases, the owner commented that the dog seemed to be in some pain and/or the pain worsened after exercise.”
“There was a large proportion of neutered dogs: 9 of 10 of both controls and “clinical cases,” whereas the Pet Animal Welfare Report (29) suggests that nationally only about 71% of dogs are neutered. A study by Spain et al. (30) found that decreasing age at gonadectomy in shelter dogs was associated with an increased risk of developing a noise phobia, but it could not be concluded that neutering is causative of noise phobias.”
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