Here are a few tips and tricks to help you and your dog during a time of extreme stress. They may seem like common sense but – sadly – you would be surprised by how often pet owners think of a “spanking” before the following:

Cuddling
Touch and contact helps both humans and dogs relieve anxiety, fear and stress. When a dog feels cut off from their human, their anxiety level is likely to increase. If they are hurting physically, just being close to you may help keep them calmer. Petting and cuddling your dog will help take away some of the anxiety.

Exercise
Anxiety can create energy that can’t always be controlled. Humans are told to get exercise to help relieve stress. It works for dogs too. Burning off some of that tension by going for a walk, a run, or playing in the yard or park is a great anxiety reliever for a dog. It will tire him out, perhaps enough to calm him down when he comes back inside after the exercise. Unless the vet says no exercise, or an injury or illness makes it impossible, exercise is good for both of you. Your dog will enjoy the time spent with you.

Check with Your Vet
If your dog seems overly anxious too frequently or can’t seem to relax or calm down, it might be a good idea to take her to visit the vet. Take note of the times and situations when your dog seems most anxious or is acting out of the norm, and bring that information with you to share with the vet. Even if your pet has no injury or illness that you are aware of, there may be something physical the vet can spot that you aren’t trained to notice.

There are, of course, other methods of relieving anxiety and if you would like to check them out please go to Canidae. You might be surprised by how effective toys or a “time-out” can help relieve tension in man’s best friend!

In the end, just spending time with your pup can do wonders!