anxiety Archives

What Causes Separation Anxiety In Dogs?

Dogs are social animals that form strong emotional bonds with their families. While some pups handle alone time well, others struggle with separation anxiety, leading to behaviors like excessive barking, destructive chewing, or frantic attempts to escape. But what exactly causes this distress? Separation anxiety can develop due to past trauma, lack of early socialization, sudden routine changes, or even genetics. Some dogs are naturally more prone to anxiety, while others may develop it after experiencing a major life shift, … Read more

How To Help Your Dog Cope With Sudden Changes To Their Routine

Dogs thrive on structure and predictability, so when their routine is suddenly disrupted, it can cause stress, anxiety, and behavioral changes. Whether it’s a new work schedule, a baby joining the family, or a move to a new home, these shifts can leave your pup feeling confused and unsettled. Since dogs rely on a routine for security and stability, sudden changes can lead to symptoms like whining, pacing, loss of appetite, or destructive behavior. Understanding that these reactions stem from … Read more

15 Signs Your Dog Has Anxiety And How To Help

Anxiety isn’t just a human experience—dogs can suffer from it too, and it can significantly impact their well-being. While some dogs only experience stress in certain situations, like thunderstorms or car rides, others may deal with chronic anxiety that affects their daily lives. Since our furry friends can’t tell us how they’re feeling, it’s up to us to recognize the warning signs and provide the support they need. From excessive barking and destructive behavior to more subtle signs like pacing … Read more

8 Possible Reasons For Your Dog’s Excessive Hair Loss

Dogs naturally shed their fur to get rid of old or damaged hair, but when hair loss becomes excessive, it may signal an underlying issue. If you’ve noticed an increase in shedding, bald patches, or skin irritation, your pup could be dealing with anything from allergies and stress to medical conditions or nutritional deficiencies. Understanding the cause of abnormal hair loss is essential in helping your dog maintain a healthy coat and skin. While shedding varies by breed, sudden or … Read more

5 Ways To Raise A Confident Dog

As unforgettably portrayed to American audiences in the classic movie, Home Alone, waking up to find that you are on your own can be entirely thrilling at times and utterly terrifying at others. Just like little Kevin in the movie, our fur babies tend to fall in one of two camps. They either grab the independent life by the horns, digging in the trash cans, chewing up the couch, and sleeping on our pillows or they take cover, burying themselves … Read more

The Meaning Behind Your Dog’s “Whale-Eyed” Expression

Trainers and behaviorists rely on dogs’ body language to determine their state of mind. One way they assess stress levels is by watching for “half-moon eyes” or “whale eyes.” This expression involves widened eyes with the sclera (white portion) visible at the corners or rims. A “whale-eyed” look accompanied by tense facial features and body posture indicates the dog is feeling anxious or defensive. Much like humans, dogs tense up and widen their eyes when they feel frightened or threatened. … Read more

11 Natural Remedies For Dog Anxiety Relief

How To Calm Dog Anxiety Naturally Anxiety is a condition that presents itself on a long continuum, both in humans and our furry companions. It can rear its worrisome head in reaction to a specific event, like a thunderstorm, or it can be a more general condition, almost always lurking beneath the surface. Related: The 10 Best Calming Supplements for Dogs Signs of dog anxiety can appear in a severe way with aggression, depression, and destructive behavior or it can … Read more

7 Natural Ingredients To Help Your Dog’s Fireworks Anxiety

New Year’s and the 4th of July are not times of celebration for most dogs! We all deal with stress from time to time, and our pets are no different. While some dogs are more anxious than others, most dogs will have at least one thing that causes them stress, whether it’s fireworks, a trip to the vet, or moving to a new house. There are medications that can help, but you might want to start with something a little … Read more

How To Build A Loving, Trusting Bond With Your New Rescue Dog

Taking in a rescue dog is one of the most generous and rewarding choices you will ever make. Whether you find a stray, take in a dog directly from a previous owner, or work with a rescue organization to become a foster or adoptive pawrent, the transition period can be quite stressful for your new pet. With patience, consistency and compassion, rescue dogs can overcome incredible odds to become loving, well-adjusted companions. Related Post: How To Help Your Dog Regain … Read more

7 Ways Your Pup Is Secretly Telling You He’s Stressed

When something is wrong, our beloved canine companions don’t have the luxury of being able to tell us what’s bothering them. Not using words at least. There are several ways our pups secretly tell us they’re stressed. They communicate with us nonverbally through their body language and actions. Think about the last time you took your pup to…dare I say it…the V-E-T. Here are 7 ways to tell if your pup is stressed. 1. They Shiver I’m a proud … Read more

Does Your Stress Impact Your Dog? Science Says Yes!

If you think your dog understands your feelings, research shows you’re on to something. A study from the journal Learning & Behavior found that on average, dogs moved faster to open a door and reach their human when their human made crying noises than when they hummed “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” So if your pup has some understanding of your mood, does your stress impact your dog? Scientific indicators point to yes. Think about the different ways you show stress: … Read more

15 Things Your Dog Wants You To Know

Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or you’ve had dogs your entire life, there may be things about your dog that you don’t truly understand. How many of these things do you already know, and how many are new to you? Here are 15 things your dog wants to make sure you know. #1 – I’m incapable of experiencing guilt. Even though I look guilty when you scold me for doing something wrong, I’m just responding to the tone of your … Read more

RelaxMyDog Is A Surprisingly Simple Way To Soothe Your Pup

Dogs aren’t the only ones who get anxious – you may already be feeling the heat as a pup parent with a dog who can’t stand fireworks. Fourth of July comes only once a year, and along with the flags, hot dogs and pool parties come the earth-shaking booms that send our dogs into a frenzy. There are tons of tips online about keeping your dog safe and calm when the Fourth comes, but not all dogs will respond the … Read more

Why Hemp Oil Might Be Your Dog’s Best Friend During a Thunderstorm

There are few things more terrifying to a dog than a thunderstorm. There are also few things more frustrating to a loving owner than trying to make their terrified pup feel calm. In the last few years, many dog owners have stumbled upon Hemp or Hemp oil as a natural way to calm a nervous pup. I recently blogged about my personal story of how Hemp played a part in remedying my dog’s separation stress and fear of fireworks. Hemp … Read more

I Finally Cured My Rescue Dog’s EXTREME Separation Anxiety. Here’s the Bizarre Steps I Took.

Curing Dog Separation Anxiety Quickly First off, if you're reading this, you're probably going through the excruciating process of dealing with canine separation anxiety. I know how hard this is. And I want you to know one thing: you can beat it. The process I am going to share here contains pieces of advice you will hear other places, but also few very unique things that I stumbled upon that finally beat separation anxiety for good. In fact, I've shared ... Read more

6 Reasons Your Senior Dog May Be Slowing Down

Depending on size and breed, dogs generally become seniors when they are 7 – 9 years old. While “slowing down” can certainly be a part of the natural aging process, it may also be a sign of something more serious. If your older dog seems excessively lethargic, see your veterinarian to rule out the following problems. 1. Pain/Arthritis Arthritis is one of the most common ailments affecting older dogs. Painful, inflamed joints cause many seniors to sit on the sidelines … Read more

How Long Is It OK To Leave My Dog Home Alone?

Even though more and more stores, restaurants, and workplaces are becoming dog-friendly, sometimes leaving your dog home alone is unavoidable. How long is it OK to leave your dog home alone for? There is actually no easy answer. It depends on a lot of factors such as your dog’s age, breed, health, and whether or not he has separation anxiety. Puppies In general, puppies need to pee one hour for every month of their age. That means your two-month-old puppy … Read more

Is Your Dog’s Anxiety Causing His Health Problems?

You’ve probably felt some negative physical effects from stress or anxiety in your life. You start to have stomach problems or headaches; maybe you start chewing on your nails. Could your dog’s anxiety be causing some of his chronic health problems the same way stress and anxiety cause you to suffer from health problems? Dogs aren’t all that different from humans in the way that they process stress. And just like us, many of their health problems can be tied … Read more

5 Tips For Calming Your Anxious Senior Dog While You’re Away

Separation anxiety is common in dogs, and can develop or worsen as they age. Pup parents may be especially surprised if their once-calm companion starts stressing out in their senior years, even if they never seemed to have a problem before. Related: The 10 Best Calming Supplements for Dogs Older dogs may become more dependent on their owners as their joints stiffen and their senses start to dull, leading to nervousness while they’re all alone. They may also become more … Read more

Why Is My Dog Aggressive Towards Some Dogs But Not Others?

Some dogs are happy-go-lucky with every pooch they meet. They have never encountered a furry face they didn't want to befriend. Unfortunately, these social butterflies are the minority in the dog world. Most only enjoy spending time with certain pups and some seem to have no use for their own kind at all. The reasons behind your dog's choice in companions often comes down to basic canine communication. “Dogs communicate with each other in ways that we don’t get, that ... Read more

Can Dogs Suffer From PTSD? What Can I Do For My Dog?

Can dogs suffer from PTSD? Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was not added to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980. Even then, it remained a controversial and poorly understood diagnosis for decades to come. One question that is asked more and more frequently from individuals rescuing pups from shelters or abusive conditions is – is my dog suffering from PTSD or some kind of lingering trauma from past abuse or neglect? It is no … Read more

Does My Dog Need Antidepressants?

Those who rescue dogs have huge hearts, and anyone who’s active in the rescue world realizes that pups with a past may also be dealing with their fair share of trauma. This can lead to anxiety or depression. With all that said, pups who live in loving families may also have been traumatized by something seemingly minor, like a loud noise that scared them once, or an altercation at the dog park. According to Paws Abilities: “Too often, we get caught … Read more

Researchers Identify Possible Risk Factors For Anxiety & Aggression In Dogs

According to VetStreet.com, as many as 90% of all dog owners report behavioral problems – most commonly in the categories of anxiety and aggression. Not only do these issues compromise the dog’s wellbeing and their relationship with the humans and other pets in the household, they also increase the dog’s risk of being surrendered to a shelter. A group of researchers in Northern Italy conducted a study to shed light on how and why behavioral problems develop in certain dogs. Their … Read more

Why Do Dogs That Weren’t Abused Develop Fear / Anxiety?

When a rescue dog is afraid of certain people or objects, it is often assumed that he was traumatized by a similar thing in his past. While this could very well be true, there are other dogs who’ve been raised from puppyhood and still develop irrational fears, despite being loved their entire lives. This can get pet parents upset and frustrated, wondering, “Did I do something wrong?” If this sounds like you, don’t be hard on yourself. The fact is, having … Read more

How To Help Your Anxious Pup Banish The Holiday Blues

Dogs depend on a reliable routine in order to feel secure. Unfortunately, chaos tends to rule when the holidays roll around, leaving many pups feeling anxious and confused. We spend our spare seasonal hours cooking, cleaning, entertaining guests, wrapping gifts and decorating the home with strange objects (including a baffling indoor tree). All that holiday hullabaloo is enough to put any pooch into an emotional tailspin! Unfortunately, with the extra demands on our time, it can be easy to overlook … Read more

How To Help Your Nervous Dog Get Through Grooming Sessions

A fresh haircut and a relaxing mani-pedi is a welcome change from the stresses of our day-to-day lives, but grooming services can have the opposite effect on our dogs. There are several reasons why a dog may experience fear and anxiety during grooming. The pet salon is full of strange sights, sounds, and smells, not to mention other animals giving off their own auras of stress. Some dogs may have had a negative experience in the past such as a … Read more

Your Dog And Separation Anxiety: What You Can Do To Help

Most dogs don’t like being left home alone, but sometimes they make leaving the house unbearable for their humans – but what’s even worse is knowing that they’re suffering. Luckily, there are things we can do to help. We at iHeartDogs asked Dr. Michel Selmer, DVM, CTCVMP, about some ways to help out pups with separation anxiety. Also known as “The Caring Vet,” Dr. Selmer is a Certified Veterinary Food Therapist (CVFT) who uses principles from Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) … Read more

This Unique & Powerful Scent Can Calm Your Dog’s Separation Anxiety

Somewhere between 10 and 40 percent of dogs suffer from some degree of separation anxiety. If you’re the owner of one of these dogs, you understand how heartbreaking and frustrating it can be to try to keep your dog calm when you leave the house. Even if you’re at home most of the time, you have to leave the house occasionally to run errands and socialize, and you don’t want your fur child panicking and possibly hurting themselves or destroying your house in … Read more

6 Amazing Ways Dogs Can Help Those Suffering From Depression

Are you currently stuck in the mental black hole that is depression? Do you worry that your life is never going to get better and that you will never feel normal again? Maybe the words “happy” and “fun” have lost all meaning in your life. Perhaps your life has become a charade of pretending to the world that you’re okay when you actually feel empty inside. The good news is that it is possible to feel normal again. The better … Read more

If You See A Dog With A Scarf Wrapped Around Them, There’s A Good Reason For It

Anxiety associated with separation from loved ones, storms, car rides, etc. plagues many of our furry friends. Solutions like desensitization therapy, soothing pheromones, and prescription drugs can help provide relief, but there is another technique that is catching on with pet parents. Not only is it simple and safe, it is also highly effective and totally free! The calming technique is known as the “half wrap” and all you need to pull it off is a scarf or an Ace … Read more

The 7 Real Reasons Why Your Dog Keeps Licking

Some dogs just can’t seem to hold their “licker”! Whether they are licking you, your furniture, the floors, themselves, or just flapping their tongues, there is usually a medical or behavioral explanation. Read on to find out why your pooch is licking and what you should do to remedy it. 1. Affection When your dog showers you with joyful licks after a long day apart, it really does mean he’s happy to see you! Affectionate licking starts at birth. Mother … Read more

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