DOGTV - What Can I Give To My Dog For Anxiety (How To Treat Dog Anxiety Naturally)

Hi, I'm Dr. Courtney Campbell. And in this video, we'll discuss five ways you can calm your anxious dog. So if your dog suffers sometimes from stress or anxiety, or is generally nervous, watch this video and learn easy tools to help your dog overcome their anxiety. If you'd like to learn more and get daily tips and content fun and easy ways to help your dog be happier, less stressed and better behaved, subscribe to Dog TV's YouTube channel. Now just hit the subscribe button and become Dog TV's new pack member. And in case you were wondering, Dog TV is the first and only channel for dogs with scientifically developed programs to keep your dog calm and happy when you're away or while you're at home. Dog TV has thousands of stress reducing programs all colored in colors dogs can see with the music and sound that was proven by studies to reduce stress and relax their nervous system. Medications can be extremely helpful in calming your anxious dog. But in this video we'll discuss some techniques you can use in conjunction with those medications. You start to leave the house and your dog starts pacing, panting, drooling and whining. You feel horrible because you love your dog and you don't want them feeling a foreboding sense of dread every time you leave the house. So what can you give them to help? Sometimes it's very clear why your dog is experiencing anxious behaviors. Your dog's anxiety might be triggered when you leave them alone. Also known broadly as separation anxiety, but genetic and environmental factors definitely play a role. Your dog may develop anxieties due to previously traumatic experience. Imagine what your dog might be feeling if they were left all alone all day as a puppy or they heard scary noises and unpleasant people like in the case of a home invasion or situations where the ambulance has been called for an emergency situation. Your dog suddenly is greeted with lights and noise and strangers and they don't know what to think. Genetics. Now they also may play a role. And human specific categories of anxieties tend to run in families. These are just a variety of medical conditions that may contribute to the presentation of fearful behavior. So it's vitally important before giving your pet anything for anxiety that you have them evaluated by a veterinarian for common conditions like Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism pain or cognitive decline. Some medications themselves can also trigger anxious behaviors. Number one training. The first thing you can give your dog is proper training to help permanently decrease anxious behaviors. Training is better than any quick fix. It's the longest lasting and most effective solution. However, retraining or updates as I like to call them may still be necessary. Train your dog to assume a calm, relaxed posture while you gradually increase periods of separation. This exercise is commonly done when moving casually from room to room. One of the keys to having a dog bed or resting mat is that your dog is comfortable lying in that spot. So try there. Begin by moving a short distance away from your dog, then returning immediately and rewarding them with attention or a treat. You can repeat this technique until it's clear that your dog is very relaxed. Gradually increase the distance until you are near the exit of the room. Again, each step should be repeated until your dog is clearly comfortable with each level of departure. Once you can finally move out of sight, you can gradually increase the time that you're not in sight. And that way the dog knows that you are at a safe distance. Keep in mind, you will have the complete opposite effect on your dog. If you move through this process too quickly. Number two, a pressure wrap. A constant loving embrace can do wonders in calming anxiety. This is what pressure wraps are designed to replicate. Researchers found that pressure wraps help to lower heart rate, decrease the tendency of dogs to look for their human, reduce yawning and tongue flicking stress behaviors. It was also shown that pressure wraps could have value in reducing heart rates in dogs who suffer from separation anxiety. You can use a pressure wrap adjunctively with a comprehensive training program and it should be used specifically in dogs with anxiety diagnosis, but it should not replace behavior modification or prescribed medication. Remember your dog must be previously acclimated to this before it's used in stressful situations. Number three, probiotics. We share many of the same gut microbes as dogs because they have long been our companions since the paleolithic period. In fact, dogs have been recently regarded as a reliable model for the study of the gut microbiome connections with health and disease. Evidence indicates that bacteria in the digestive tract may influence emotions in both humans and animals. Studies suggest that probiotics may help reduce anxiety and aggression in dogs by modulating stress hormones. The results from recent studies indicate that the composition of the gut microbiome is associated with some types of anxious behaviors in dogs. A company sponsored study showed that 90% of dogs that were given their probiotic supplement experienced a reduction in their overall anxiety. Although the results are preliminary, they suggest that stressful scenarios influence the gut microbiome composition. And now before we get to the last few points, it's worth stopping and just asking ourselves a couple of questions to confirm whether your dog does indeed suffer from anxiety. When you get ready to leave the house, does your dog pant or pace? Do they seem stressed out? When you're gone, do you hear a lot of barking? Uh-oh. Has your dog actually engaged in destructive behaviors at home? And are your neighbors complaining? If so, these can all be signs that your dog is suffering from anxiety related issues. Number four, touch and massage. There's evidence to show that massage therapy alters dopamine and serotonin levels and decreases noradrenaline, therefore all positively affecting the immune system. There's a specific method of touch that some believe can help, including T-touch. This is a massage technique based on circular movement of your fingers and hands all over the body. There's a belief that as you apply pressure in a specific manner, you're helping to reduce fear, pain, and enhance cellular function and communication. Regardless of the specific method you use, touch can have a powerful impact on mood, movement, reduce pain and improve lymphatic drainage. This stimulates the healing process and exerts a calming effect. Number five, aromatherapy. The use of scents may not be the first thing you think of when helping to reduce anxiety in your dog, but there's some evidence that it may work. Researchers found that applying lavender and or chamomile to a dog bedding can help dogs relax. Conversely, the use of rosemary and peppermint seem to enhance activity. Essential oils must be used in caution and always discuss them with your veterinarian prior to use. Essential oils can be toxic to cats due to their deficiency in the enzyme UDP glucuronyl transferase. Dogs are also susceptible to levels of toxicity with essential oils, which means the use of these products should be used with caution in our canine friends as well. Whether a dog suffers from anxiety or not, dog TB can help. Dog TB is one of the main solutions for easing stress, anxiety and overcoming loneliness in a non-medicinal way. I recommend trying Dog TB for seven days free and experience this positive effect on your dog almost immediately. And don't forget to like and subscribe to Dog TB's YouTube channel to get more videos like this one and to help your dog improve their behavior, health and overall wellbeing.