How to Calm an Anxious Dog Safely

Key Takeaways:

- Ways to calm an anxious dog include, taking them for a walk, soothing them with snuggles if appropriate, providing a safe space, applying mild pressure to your dog with a weighted blanket or a dog anxiety wrap, playing music, trying out commands and also, considering their diet. - Dogs can be anxious due to a change in environment, other dogs or pets in the home, strangers or new people, dietary changes, bad gut health, loud noises, crowds, being left alone, past experiences and their breed.

- Symptoms of anxiety in dogs include, barking and whining more, tense body language, becoming aggressive, hostile or destructive, hiding away, digestive issues, low appetite, or stopping eating entirely.

No matter how much we pour affection onto our dogs, many of them are anxious creatures - easily spooked by a bird at the window, a passing dog or even a friendly neighbor at the door. It’s not unusual if your dog gets freaked out occasionally; in fact, a Finnish study of almost 14,000 dogs showed that an incredible 72% of them could be considered anxious (1). That’s a lot of nervous pups!

So how can we ease our dogs’ anxiety? In this article, we go in-depth about anxiety in dogs and unpack some of the most common reasons your dog might be anxious. If you’d like to get to the bottom of your dog’s on-edge behavior, read on to get some expert tips and advice for soothing their nerves and calming them down.

Tips to calm a stressed dog

If your dog is displaying anxiety symptoms, try to identify the cause and if possible, put some distance between your dog and the stressor.

• Take them for a walk or to enjoy some form of exercise like playing with a ball outside. The immediate change in surroundings and activity should calm them.

• Soothe them with snuggles. While it’s important not to overly fuss, let your dog know you’re there to keep them safe by touching and stroking them. Mild massage of the face or back muscles may also help them to physically let go of tension.

• Provide a safe space. Your dog should have a place to escape to when they’re overstimulated, such as a covered den or bed, or a room that’s quiet and cool so they can be alone. Ensure this place is always clean, airy and smells good, without harsh lighting or distractions.

• Apply mild pressure to your dog. Some dogs respond to pressure when stressed, such as from a weighted blanket or a dog anxiety wrap.

• Play music. Particularly useful for separation anxiety, pleasant music such as classical, piano or harp music can be soothing for a dog and block out harsh noises.

• Try simple commands. If your dog won’t settle down, distracting them with simple training tasks can divert their attention. Reward them a treat afterwards.

• Consider their diet Unbeknownst to their owners, some dogs are nervous because their diet has them feeling fidgety and uncomfortable. The gut and brain are intrinsically linked, so if your dog isn’t digesting their food properly or has an underlying allergy, such as grain or wheat, it could be causing them discomfort and distress.

How to calm an anxious dog at night

Is it at night-time that your dog just won’t settle? If you have a dog who gets spooked when it’s time to sleep, here are some tips to help them wind down each evening.

• Stick to a bedtime routine. When a dog has a regular meal time, bedtime and place they usually sleep, they’ll want to sleep at the same time each night. If your dog doesn’t have a bedtime routine, start one as soon as possible, because getting them to sleep will be much harder.

• Keep a calm, safe sleeping area for your dog to rest in. A comfortable bed, cozy blankets and a cool, dark environment each night should have them snoozing in no time.

• Consider their feeding routine. Does your dog eat dinner very close to bedtime? This means they’ll still be digesting food when it’s time to sleep, which could disrupt their sleeping patterns.

• Use a consistent bedtime cue. Dim the lights, lower household activity and offer the same quiet sleep area each evening. Sudden nighttime restlessness should be discussed with a veterinarian.

• Introduce a bedtime toy or blanket. If your dog has a toy you give them to snuggle specifically at bed time, that toy will become a clever sleep trigger, letting them know that it’s time for bed. Over time, they may end up getting it out to let you know they’re sleepy.

Tips for separation anxiety in dogs

The bond between dogs and owners is so strong that many form separation anxiety. If you’ve noticed your dog getting severely anxious each time you leave the house, or you return to a trail of mess and destruction each time your dog has been left alone, there are some straightforward steps you can take to ease their distress.

Give your dog reasons to be entertained while you’re not around. This could be as simple as leaving a few treats hidden around the house, placing a few toys or interactive dog puzzles around to distract them.

Music is also particularly comforting to dogs, or you could even experiment with Dog TV. To be certain they remain comfortable, take them out for a walk so they can go to the toilet before you leave, and close curtains if you live on a road with passers-by.

If your dog is racked with grief every time you go out without them, try not to leave them for too long. If you’re planning to go out for a while, get a trusted dog sitter to play with them and keep your devoted dog company.

How to calm dog anxiety naturally

Natural support starts with the dog's environment, routine and sense of control, not with an unproven cure. Give the dog enough sleep, predictable meals, appropriate physical activity and low-pressure opportunities to sniff, forage and retreat. Match exercise to age, health and fitness, because exhausting a frightened dog does not resolve the underlying fear.

Use distance and gradual exposure so the dog remains below their fear threshold. Pair manageable versions of the trigger with food, play or access to safety, and stop before the dog becomes overwhelmed. Do not flood the dog with the trigger, punish warning signals or force physical contact. A qualified reward-based professional can turn this into a step-by-step plan.

Nutrition supports general health, but a food or supplement should not be presented as anxiety treatment without veterinary direction. Sudden behavior change can be related to pain, illness, sensory loss or medication effects. Ask the veterinarian before giving calming supplements, herbs or essential-oil products, especially when a dog uses medication or has a chronic condition.

Why is my dog anxious?

The reasons for a dog’s anxiety are wide-reaching - some dogs are affected by traumatic experiences in their past, while for others, the cause could be as simple as having a different dog food bowl than they’re used to.

Some scenarios will commonly unsettle a dog, however, and they usually include the following:

• Change of environment - If you’ve recently moved house or renovated your home in some way, your dog may take a while to adjust to their new surroundings.

• Other dogs or pets in the home - If your dog has spent a while being the only dog you dote on, having unfamiliar dogs or new pets in the house may appear threatening until they get to know them better.

• Strangers or new people - If you have a new partner, a new baby or have unfamiliar people in the house, even a delivery person regularly knocking the door, this can be frightening to dogs who are naturally territorial.

• Dietary changes - Have you changed your dog’s diet recently? Perhaps they’ve eaten lots of treats or human leftovers? There’s a strong relationship between food and behavior (read on for more), and some foods can exacerbate a dog’s reaction to common stressors.

• Bad gut health. Did you know that your dog's mood, their stress and anxiety are all linked to the health of their gut? This is referred to as the Gut-Brain axis and refers to how many of the important, signal-carrying neurotransmitters come from the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is made up of an ecozystem of bacteria that, if not perfectly balanced, can cause adverse effects around the body, including a buildup of stress and anxiety.

• Noises caused by storms, building works or fireworks - Lots of dogs hate loud noises, but if it’s a continual racket caused by the likes of neighbors, bad weather or construction, your dog might suffer from sensory overload.

• Crowds - Similarly, having a party in the house, or taking your dog to a place with lots of people and stimulation can be too much activity for them to handle.

• Being left alone - Dogs form strong attachments to their owners, and if left alone without their owners for too long, they can develop separation anxiety.

• Past experiences - The most anxious of dogs have usually become so due to their past experiences. When dogs have been traumatized in their past, they don’t feel as consistently safe as dogs who have had a secure, loving upbringing.

• Some breeds are prone to anxiety - All dogs can be anxious, but some breeds are more prone to becoming on edge, and particularly experiencing separation anxiety when left alone. These include Border Collies, Bichon Frises, German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels.

Symptoms of anxiety in dogs

If you’re not sure how to detect whether your dog is feeling anxiety, that’s fair enough - sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate whether your dog is scared or excited. On the other extreme, some dogs become quiet and withdrawn when they’re anxious, which could easily go unnoticed if you’re busy.

Generally speaking, common symptoms of anxiety in dogs include:

• Barking and whining more

• Tense body language, including quivering or cowering

• Becoming aggressive, hostile or destructive

• Hiding away, or becoming quiet and withdrawn

• Digestive issues, such as excessive gas or going to the toilet in the house

• Low appetite, or stopping eating entirely.

Now that you’re clued up on the most common reasons for anxiety-ridden dogs, remember that every dog is unique - so keep a close eye on yours to work out exactly what spooks them.

When it comes to easing a dog’s anxiety, taking a holistic approach is best, considering their environment, routines and diet. If you’ve tried all of the above, however, and your dog still works themselves up on a regular basis, take them to the vet for a check up; it could be that they have an underlying condition and would benefit from anxiety medication.

Persistent anxiety deserves an individualized plan. Keep a short trigger and recovery log, share videos when safe to record, and review the dog's environment, health and behavior with the veterinary team.