Many people choose to get a dog to lessen their anxieties. While canine companions help calm our nerves, we can sometimes transfer our stress to them. Unfortunately, this problem isn’t so uncommon.
Thankfully, there are things we can do to prevent our dogs from picking up on our apprehensions, which is not only better for them but ultimately for us, too. Listen to what @sarahsayspets suggests to keep everyone calm and happy.
@sarahsayspets🐾 Do you have an anxious dog? You may be contributing to their anxiety. If your dog chews up your shoes or carpets while you’re gone, do you stay calm or get angry with them? 😡 If your dog gets reactive on leash, do you retreat from the trigger and soothe them or do you drag them through it and jerk on their leash to correct them? 🚨 If your dog barks, whines, and paws for your attention, do you ignore it or do you give in and reinforce their behavior? 🙉 If your dog destroys things when you’re gone, coming back and getting angry at them will only intensify their anxiety. If your dog gets reactive on leash, you need to pull them away from their triggers and give them space and time to recover. If your dog barks, whines, or paws for your attention, just ignore them. 🙈 If you always give them attention when they beg for it, they’ll never learn to self-soothe and regulate their own emotions. Sometimes they have to learn your present but not accessible, and when they do want your attention, encourage them to sit and wait patiently. 🙇♂️ So always remember that your reaction to your dog’s behavior is very important. It will either soothe their anxiety or reinforce it. —— #dogtrainer #dogtraining #dogtrainingtips #puppytraining #puppytrainingtips
Trainer Sarah Hodgson explains that if we have an anxious dog, we may contribute to their anxiety. She presents some common examples to help us decide if our actions are causing them stress.
Related: Trainer Lists Important Points To Consider Before Adopting a Dog
Ways pet parents make their dogs anxious
Sara explains that if our dogs chew on something like our rugs or shoes when we’re gone, and we yell at them when we get home, we are making the situation worse. Our anger only intensifies their anxiety, she tells us. When dogs are reactive on a leash, we shouldn’t drag them through a situation that’s making them uncomfortable. Instead, she recommends removing them from the trigger and allowing them time to recover.
She advises that when dogs are pawing, barking, or whining for attention, we stop feeding into their demands. Ignoring them helps them learn to self-soothe and regulate their emotions. She reports, “Sometimes they must learn that you are present but not accessible.” Instead, when they want our attention, she recommends teaching them to sit and wait. This is very similar to how well-behaved young children are taught to ask for something from their parents. She calls for us to remember that our reaction to our dog’s behavior is very important as it will “Either soothe their anxiety or reinforce it.” That’s an excellent point.
Additional tips for reducing stress in dogs
The AKC also suggests that we learn to read our dogs’ body language to help soothe their anxiety. Doing so can help us spot their apprehension earlier, allowing us to remove or calm them in stressful situations sooner. Additionally, they suggest finding ways to build our dogs’ confidence. In the same way Sarah suggested that they earn our attention, requiring them to earn rewards like treats can also be invaluable. This can be as simple as asking our dogs to sit before we put on a leash or put down their food bowl.
Enlisting the help of a certified trainer or dog behaviorist can also help you identify your dog’s triggers and provide you with ideas for managing them effectively. That way, everyone can feel more relaxed.
