Dog of a Day?
Is your furry bestie not quite feeling their paw-some selves?
Pacing, yawning and excessive barking are all signs that your pooch could be stressed.
Here are the de-tails…
Like us humans, our 4 legged friends can also feel the pressures of day to day life.
Stressed about home-life, nervous when interacting with new friends and feeling uneasy when their daily routine is turned on its head. The more we know about what triggers our pup, the quicker we can turn those ‘ruff’ days around.
What causes anxiety in dogs?
- Being separated from their humans.
- Visits to the vet (and who could blame them not wanting a thermometer shoved up their butt!).
- Moving house.
- A new addition to the family (human or the 4 legged variety).
- Loud noises such as thunder or fireworks.
- A change to their daily routine.
- Genetics can also play a part in an anxious dog.
Every dog is different and can show they are stressed in different ways. Below are some of the signs you have an anxious pooch on your paw:
- Panting and drooling
- Whining or barking
- Yawning
- Hiding behind your legs
- Shedding their coat
- Dilated pupils
- Destructive behaviour such as chewing
- Pacing
- Aggression
- Tail tucked away
- Disinterest in food
Ok so you know your dog is feeling a little ruff around the edges, what next?
Well the easiest way to help a hound out is to avoid the triggers and remove them from the stressful situations. Find a quiet spot for them to calm down. Be sure to reassure them and avoid punishing them for their reactions.
Familiar commands such as sit and heel can be reassuring for your dog and provides them with a distraction.
Get physical! Burning off some steam down at the park is a great stress reducer for both you and your dog. Like humans, your pooch also enjoys a safe comfortable spot at home where they can relax and come home so be sure to set up an area thats all theirs.
Stress is a part of life for us all so helping your fur baby manage it, is the unit-mutt goal...And if it gets too much ALWAYS remember, ‘stressed’ spelt backwards is ‘desserts’, now thats not so scary, is it.