Many dogs suffer from fear and/or anxiety. The trigger for the fear may be different for each dog. Some dogs suffer from separation anxiety and react badly when left alone. Others suffer from fear of loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms. Still others experience fear when approached by strangers or when placed in unfamiliar environments.
Whatever the cause of your dog’s fear, the resulting anxiety can have a negative effect on your dog’s health. Even worse, these fears can shatter the bond between dog and owner. An anxious dog may seek to avoid contact with people, even his owner. In some cases, fear can even escalate to aggression and make your dog dangerous to be around.
What can you as a dog owner do to help alleviate your dog’s fear and anxiety? There are a number of different remedies, and many of them are natural products.
Do Not Punish A Fearful or Anxious Dog
Punishing a dog that is anxious or scared will only escalate the situation. Your dog cannot help feeling fearful or anxious. Punishing a dog for being afraid will create even more fear and will end up breaking the bond between you in the end. Punishment is not the answer to helping a dog that is anxious.
Wrapping Up Your Dog’s Anxiety
Products such as the Thundershirt and the Anxiety Wrap act on pressure points to relieve stress and anxiety. For some dogs, they work very well and are effective not only for thunderstorms but for other fears and phobias as well.
The Thundershirt and Anxiety Wrap are both, essentially, items of clothing for your dog. There are no chemicals or drugs involved. These products can be used with no fear of undesirable side effects or adverse reactions.
Pheromones for Relief of Anxiety
Pheromones are chemicals that are released into the environment by one animal to affect the behavior of another of the same species. Dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) is a chemical that is released by mother dogs to calm her puppies. However, the chemical has a similar effect on dogs of all ages.
DAP is quite effective for some dogs and can calm fears of any origin. The chemical is naturally occurring and there is no risk of side effects with its use.
Herbal Remedies for Dog’s Anxiety
There are a number of herbs that can be effective in relieving fear and anxiety for your dog. Examples include valerian, chamomile, oat and skullcap. L-theanine, an amino acid, can also be effective in calming a frightened dog and is often found in herbal remedies.
Aromatherapy as an Anxiety Remedy
Aromatherapy is another remedy that may work to calm some anxious dogs. Lavender, marjoram and valerian are all examples of essential oils that can be used to relax your dog.
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