my dog has extreme anxiety issues, what can I do?
ByHi, my dog, a Keeshound aged 5 years has has bad anxiety his whole life. Any thunder he experiences he has to escape and “find help” with no sanity in his adrenaline rushed anxiety attack. Even when we are home (which he finds comfortable 99% of the time) he has tried to attack a wall to get out. Usually he tries windows but he is in such a state of panic that he even tries walls occasioanlally.
Lately, we will get home (no thunder) and he has destroyed our blinds and fly wires, trying to get out, simply because I dont think he can cope when he is by himself. If we are home, he NEVER experiences this, except with thunder when he is quite hard to control.
Most days I come home, and he sound asleep, very relaxed, but lately its becoming more aparent that he sufffering from anxiety and panting, breathing very heavily (not because of the heat).
I am lost, i have tried tablets, but prefer not to use this as an option. Interesting to note he gets anxiety troubles from “ice cream” vans
9 Comments
April 6th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
give your doggie lots of attention and love!
April 6th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
anxiety in dogs is often due to lack of confidence believe it or not. get him into obedience classes. it is never too late, even for a 5 year old dog. obedience classes will build up your dog’s confidence and help him not feel so scared.
it also can be due to an imbalance in pack dynamic. make sure you assert yourself as the alpha. if your dog assumes the alpha position, it will cause him a lot of undue anxiety. dogs are happiest just being dogs. a good book to read is The Latchkey Dog, by Jodi Andersen.
when he gets scared during storms, don’t coddle him. it will reinforce that kind of behavior. a good product to try for storm or noise anxiety is called D.A.P., or Dog Appeasing Pheromone. look it up on google. its awesome.
April 6th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
As crazy as this sounds there are such things as “doggy prozac”.One brand is called Clomocon.I used to have a dog with extreme anxiety and the doctor said that you cannot just train them to be less anxious.Some dogs have chemical imbalances,just like people.This medicine works wonders!I know it is awful giving a dog a pill everyday but the good thing about it is that once the dog has been on it for awhile you can ween them off and their anxiety will not be as bad.
If you don’t want to subject your dog to medicine just yet,try a dap wall plug.You can get it off of Dr.Foster’s and Smith’s web site.You plug it into the wall (much like a glade plug in)and it dispenses dap which calms them.It is odorless to humans.
April 6th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
You could sedate when there is a thunder storm and you are at home. Even if you know one is coming and you have to leave, it won’t hurt him to take a pill for his own good. I wouldn’t use the pills for anything other than a storm.
Why don’t you act as if you are leaving on a Sat. or Sun. and then sneak looks at him and watch what he does when you leave him? This might give you some insight. I really don’t know how you could solve this without watching him. You could set up cam corders in different areas of your house to watch him.
When you hear the ice cream man coming get him out there very quickly and to the van. Buy him ice cream and listen to the music. Show him the ice cream man is his friend………
April 6th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
My dog sufered the same. Just cuddle at night and let him sleep in your bed. My dog went blistic at night. he was cenial. I dragged him up the stairs and pet him till he calmed down and finally falls asleep. I fthis doesn’t work, your dog is suffering from night terror, this can also happen in the daytime. My friend once gave his dog a setitive because fireworks were scaring him, maybe u should try that.
April 6th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Do you have a kennel?? When there is a storm put him in his kennel with a bone and leave him be…it will help SOME.
Do this when you are not home also.
April 6th, 2010 at 6:55 pm
One of my dogs also suffers from anxiety. I took her to the
vet and before trying any medications I tried some other
things that the vet suggesed.
First of all, I can’t even pick up my dog or walk by her cause
she will pee, so I play ball with her. I do it every day for
about 45 min. She is fine when she’s playing. However
the rest of the time, I can’t go to her, she has to come to
me and quite often she still pees if she feels anxious.
She is terrified of loud noises. When I take her outside to
pee, if she hears anything, she won’t go. When we get
a storm or God for bid there’s fire works going off the
poor dog just hides under the bed for hours.
I would suggest medication. I know alot of people think
badly of it, but if it will help your pet, than it’s at least
worth giving it a try.
April 6th, 2010 at 7:14 pm
1. Does he get long walks? Dogs should never be cooped up inside all day. If he doesn’t already, give him at least 1 hour of good walking time per day.
2. If a storm moves in or he’s going to be exposed to anything you know will be strenuous on him, keep the tablets in reserve just in case.
3. Look into doggie day care or at home pet-sitting to give him interaction and exercise during the day while you’re gone.
4. There is a product called Comfort Zone, which you plug into the wall just like an air freshener. It emits soothing pheremones into the air and can be very effective in treating severe chronic anxiety. Research it online and see if it sounds like it will help you. You can order it through http://www.petedge.com or check Petsmart or Petco.
5. If you must continue to leave him home alone, buy him a crate and a soft bed and crate him. It’s not cruel, dogs perceive crates as soft, warm dens. Wild dogs are den animals, and domestic dogs retain that instinct to feel comfortable in dark enclosed spaces. It will allow him to rest and relax and not feel the need to destroy anything. You can give him indestructible toys or bones, and a water bottle if you’d like, but you shouldn’t offer food or treats in the crate, just to avoid any accidents.
Good luck!
April 6th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
dogs with is troubles can’t be babied and petted during an attack…i can’t help much over the net…i would look for a behaviorist if u can find one if not look for a GOOD trainer….also dogs are pack animals so being home alone all day in its self is very frustrating for them and keeshund are very pack oriented…i would look in to get him a friend and/or crating him in a large crate while u are gone…before he hurts himself….had dog like this once….it takes alot of work on ur part to fix the problems. and yes even after years there is hope.