Is your dog stressin’? Let us help with our top tips on stress relief for dogs
Dogs experience anxiety in just the same way humans do. And as with humans, dogs can become anxious for a variety of reasons.
Whether based on personality or born from situational experience, stress in dogs stems from different fears or phobias and is expressed through various types of behaviour.
Always remember that just because your dog has anxiety doesn’t mean you’re at fault. If you're taking the steps towards easing their stress, then you are doing the best you can as their best friend!
Living with anxious dogs
What does anxiety and stress in dogs look like?
You can tell if your pup is anxious by the way they are behaving. Anxious dogs will show signs of:
- Trembling
- Tail tucked
- Lethargy
- Withdrawal
- Hiding
- No tail wagging
What makes dogs anxious?
The different behaviours exhibited by anxious dogs can come about for a variety of reasons. Common settings or elements that cause stress in dogs are:
- New/unfamiliar people
- Loud noises such as alarms, fireworks and thunderstorms
- Sickness (in themselves or their owner)
- Fear from past situations (e.g. rescued pups with neglected backgrounds)
- Separation anxiety (they miss you!)
Home remedies to ease stress in dogs
Your dog’s mental health is important. With a whole bunch of natural remedies available to help you take care of their anxiety, you’ll be soothing their stress in no time!
1. Essential oils
Smelling essential oils will help your pup to relax – these are just as effective on anxious dogs as they are on humans! As with anything, make sure that you check for allergies before use.
When looking for the right essential oil to provide stress relief for dogs, make sure you limit your search to those that help with calm and relaxation. Common essential oils used for anxiety are:
- Lavender
- Chamomile
You can apply these oils to your dog in a variety of ways:
- Use an oil diffuser in your home
- Massage a few drops into your pup’s fur
- Add to your pet’s bed or collar
- Make a spray with water and a few drops of oil
2. Natural dog calming sprays
As well as essential oils, there are also a number of dog-loving companies who sell natural sprays specifically designed to relieve stress in dogs.
These natural sprays help your pup to stay calm during long car rides, thunderstorms and anything else that is prone to make them anxious.
The best stress relief for dogs: be their friend!
Everybody needs a little love, your furry pal included. When your dog is experiencing anxiety, the best thing that you can do is give them your time and affection.
Quality time is key
Dogs crave attention: give it to them! Whether it’s with pats, walks, games of fetch or simply a Netflix binge on the couch, all your pup wants from you is your focus.
You could also treat anxious dogs to a massage or play some relaxing music, give compression wraps a go or switch up the current routine.
All you need is love
Anxious dogs need you to show them that you care. They want to feel included and loved, just like we do.
Whether you work long hours, are often out and about or, alternatively, are a total homebody, you should give as much of your time to your dog as you can.
If you’re out of the house and away from your pup a lot, make sure that you give them some extra attention and affection when you get home. The best stress relief for dogs (and for you!) is to simply spend time together. It’s a win-win!
Whatever the case, just be friends with your buddy and give them the love they deserve.
Do you have anxious dogs at home? Book them in for groom and we’ll give them the TLC they deserve!
