Anxiety Remedies for Dogs

It's not just humans that suffer from anxiety disorders; dogs suffer from anxiety and stress, too. Dogs will bark, whimper, become destructive and even bite out of anxiety. Many dogs suffer from separation anxiety when their owners leave the house because they are being separated from their pack, which is unnatural for a dog. Anxiety in dogs doesn't have to be a lifelong sentence; by trying a few different anxiety remedies for your dog, he'll not only be able stay home alone without being destructive, but he might even look forward to you leaving.

  1. Desensitization

    • Dogs are highly intelligent, which makes it easy to teach them to react differently to a stress-inducing trigger. Dogs pick up on their owner's behavior right before they leave the house (e.g., shoes are put on, keys are picked up), so find the trigger that sets off your dog's anxiety and work with it not against it.

      If keys trigger your dog to become anxious, then grab your keys but do not leave the house. Watch TV or work on the computer then place the keys back on the counter or in your purse. This will desensitize your dog to the house keys so the next time you leave the house, your dog will not become as anxious.

      The same can be done with any trigger. If you cannot figure out which action or item sets off your dog's anxiety, try a different one each day. It will most likely be something related to your departure routine.

    Distraction

    • When you enter and leave the house, make it low key. Upon your arrival, ignore your dog and only acknowledge him when he has calmed down. This will reinforce calm behavior.

      Prior to leaving the house, fill a Kong toy with kibbles and other dog treats. Your dog will look forward to the treat and will forget that he is home alone. To make it more fun and challenging for your dog, put him in a "Stay" position before you exit the house and tell him to "Find it."

    Relaxants

    • Products that contain a dog appeasing pheromone are a great natural way to relax dogs. The hormones mimic the same pheromone that the dog's mother produced while she was nursing her puppies. This produces a calm state and allows the dog to better cope with anxiety caused by stressful situations like a move, boarding or lightning storms. The dog-appeasing pheromones are available in a spray or in a plug-in similar to a household air freshener.

      If natural relaxants do not work for your dog, a prescription for an anti-anxiety drug, such as clomipramine, can be obtained through a licensed veterinarian. These should be used as a last resort if a dog is exhibiting signs of severe separation anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder.

      Owners should be aware that prescription relaxants are prohibited by airlines. Dogs should be exercised before a flight to release any excess energy.