Anxiety in dogs is a familiar source of concern that has troubled many poor canines and their worried owners through the years. Unfortunately, unlike humans, dogs cannot effectively communicate their phobias. They express themselves only through harmful and destructive conduct. These unreasonable and serious dog fears are the reasons why many of their victims tear through carpets and walls in their state of panic until they are raw and bleeding.
One of the most common of these phobias is the fear of thunderstorms. If this is your pet, consult with your veterinarian as to how to treat your dog best. There are many pharmaceutical medications available that will help your dog deal with this; however, it must be noted that these medications will not cure the phobia. Usually, these will only serve to sedate and calm your dog.
Because drugs and chemicals are often harmful to any immune system, work with methods that are natural and non-invasive first. We will discuss various things you can do to treat dog fears without having to use medication, specifically those concerning noise phobia.
An easy way to calm anxiety in dogs is to play relaxing music, more specifically harp music. It has been scientifically proven that music therapy has tremendously helped human beings reduce stress levels; and studies have shown the same results in animals. After playing 10-20 minutes of gentle and soothing music, the canine will be in a more relaxed state.
When the canine is tense, his nerve receptors become extra sensitive. The constant and sustained pressure of a body wrap will reduce the sensitivity of the stimuli effectively dispelling the nervous energy. Bind the animals torso with any stretch fabric or old t-shirt. Wrap him firmly before he gets tense so he does not associate the phobia with the body wrap.
Counter conditioning is a technique many dog behaviorists use in training animals. This is done by displacing the source of fear with another situation which has been proven to get a favorable reaction from the dog. For instance, you are simulating a thunderstorm at home. Begin very softly with the sound of thunder. As the intensity of the volume subtly grows, feed the dog his favorite doggie treats to keep him distracted.
For more severe cases and the aforementioned tips do not succeed, consider having the dog take melatonin. Melatonin is an over the counter prescription for people who have insomnia. When you give the dog the correct dosage, he will stay awake and stop being terrified of the storm. Take care and note that different manufacturers have varying qualities and dosages so you cannot use the same measure for all. Check with your vet before you go on.
The degree by which the fear of thunderstorms in dogs will manifest varies. Some say that street dogs or rescued dogs are more likely to be traumatized by irrational and often, difficult to deal with phobias. Visit the vet for regular check-ups so you have an accurate diagnosis of the problem that besets your dog.
One of the most common of these phobias is the fear of thunderstorms. If this is your pet, consult with your veterinarian as to how to treat your dog best. There are many pharmaceutical medications available that will help your dog deal with this; however, it must be noted that these medications will not cure the phobia. Usually, these will only serve to sedate and calm your dog.
Because drugs and chemicals are often harmful to any immune system, work with methods that are natural and non-invasive first. We will discuss various things you can do to treat dog fears without having to use medication, specifically those concerning noise phobia.
An easy way to calm anxiety in dogs is to play relaxing music, more specifically harp music. It has been scientifically proven that music therapy has tremendously helped human beings reduce stress levels; and studies have shown the same results in animals. After playing 10-20 minutes of gentle and soothing music, the canine will be in a more relaxed state.
When the canine is tense, his nerve receptors become extra sensitive. The constant and sustained pressure of a body wrap will reduce the sensitivity of the stimuli effectively dispelling the nervous energy. Bind the animals torso with any stretch fabric or old t-shirt. Wrap him firmly before he gets tense so he does not associate the phobia with the body wrap.
Counter conditioning is a technique many dog behaviorists use in training animals. This is done by displacing the source of fear with another situation which has been proven to get a favorable reaction from the dog. For instance, you are simulating a thunderstorm at home. Begin very softly with the sound of thunder. As the intensity of the volume subtly grows, feed the dog his favorite doggie treats to keep him distracted.
For more severe cases and the aforementioned tips do not succeed, consider having the dog take melatonin. Melatonin is an over the counter prescription for people who have insomnia. When you give the dog the correct dosage, he will stay awake and stop being terrified of the storm. Take care and note that different manufacturers have varying qualities and dosages so you cannot use the same measure for all. Check with your vet before you go on.
The degree by which the fear of thunderstorms in dogs will manifest varies. Some say that street dogs or rescued dogs are more likely to be traumatized by irrational and often, difficult to deal with phobias. Visit the vet for regular check-ups so you have an accurate diagnosis of the problem that besets your dog.
About the Author:
Fear of thunderstorms is one of the many forms of anxiety in dogs pet owners have been attempting to learn more about. Discover your beloved canine's most misunderstood dog fears and set him free by downloading Geraldine Dimarco's informative articles here.
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