It can be quite unfortunate to find your pet in a challenging situation, and it helps if there is something you can do to help remedy their predicament. For many canine health problems, a visit to the vet, and a strict treatment regimen can help solve the issue. But for most canine mum and dad, treating social anxiety in their dog could be an uphill task. Before addressing any problems in your pet, you want first to understand what you are dealing with.
What is Social Anxiety in Dogs?
Just as it is common for humans to suffer from anxiety due to several reasons, dogs also get their fair share of stress. A dog suffering from social anxiety would have difficulties adjusting to changes in their environment. The condition is characterized by a feeling of fear, anger, and disassociation from others.
Some other factors can cause animals to show signs of social anxiety, and the good thing is that the condition can be treated easily. So, you want to avoid panicking about the situation and check out ways to resolve the problem below.
Treating Social Anxiety in Dogs
You want first to understand the reasons why your pet is suffering from such problems. And many factors can lead to fear and aggression in animals. So, you want to have a good understanding of your pup if you are going to find out what’s wrong.
Causes of Pet Social Disorder
It is always a change in the norm that usually sets your dog on an anxiety spree. And you want to narrow down the problem to be able to treat. Some of the causes of social disorder in pets are
- Change in ownership or when you get your pet to stay with someone else for long. Animals are quick to feel lonely when apart from family and familiar faces, so you want to check if your pet has been isolated lately.
- Death of a family member could also cause your dog to feel disconnected from their routine. This is more so if they are close to the person and take them a while to get back to their routine.
- It is also common for puppies or older pups to suffer from anxiety when they are brought home for the first time. The type of social disorder usually subsides after a few days, especially if you try to integrate them with other family members. You can check this guide https://thebark.com/content/guide-bringing-dog-home-first-time on bringing a dog home for the first time.
- A change in environment is also another reason why pets could suffer from stress and anxiety. Dogs are territorial animals, and a change in locations they are used to could trigger fear and anger response even to close family members.
Signs to Watch out for
The next step is to highlight the signs and symptoms that your dog is having social anxiety problems. While most times, they are evident to the dog owners, other times, they could go undetected. The signs you want to watch out for include
- Howling, barking, and charging at strangers and people they should be familiar with.
- Scratching, scattering, digging and attempting to break down windows and doors, probably in a bid to escape.
- They could also drool and pant more than they usually would, and this is one big sign that your pet is anxious.
- Pacing about the place like they are searching for something even when there is nothing in sight.
Best Ways to Treat Dog Anxiety
The best treatment method for mild anxiety in pets is to try to get them back to their normal setting. While you don’t need to move back to the old house, you need to take some of the old things with you, so the pup feels at home in the new place. Some of the things you can try in both mild and severe anxiety cases in canines include
- Leave old clothes, toys, and furniture that your pet is happy to be around lying about the house. This is an excellent way to get them interested in playing and activities they usually engage in.
- Try using treats your dog will love to get them to be friends with you. Yes, you have to bribe your pet occasionally if you want them to play ball. If you don’t mind hemp treats, you can go to this site to learn how to use CBD oils for dog anxiety.
- If they get angry when in contact with other animals, try and limit going out to the park or always keep them on a leash.
- You can also try anxiety medications to help your dog feel better. But you should be careful using some specific type of medication to avoid complications with your treatment.
Final Note
Most of the time, social anxiety in dogs fade away after a few days or weeks, but in severe cases, they can last longer. You should check with your vet if your pet is suffering critical stress and anxiety.