Does your dog suffer from anxiety? Is it even worse during the stressful holidays? Even dogs that don’t normally have anxiety, can over the holidays. Your dog doesn’t have to suffer. There are 5 simple and easy steps you can do to help your dog with anxiety during the holidays.
Causes of anxiety in dogs during the holidays
If your dog suffers from anxiety, chances are you already know about it. Your dog’s anxiety can increase during the holidays. In addition, dogs that don’t usually have problems can have anxiety manifest during the stressful holidays.
Most homes go through a lot of changes during the holidays, from decorations, to different lights and scents, visitors, parties, and you may be gone from home more than normal attending festivities. All these changes can be overwhelming for your fur-baby and cause stress and anxiety.
Symptoms of stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety in dogs can manifest in different ways, usually with unwanted behaviors. Your dog might start having accidents in the house, chewing things they shouldn’t, but also depression, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, increased activity-being hyper, or worse, aggression. If these problems persist, it can cause significant health issues for your pet.
5 Easy Steps to Help Your Dog with Stress Anxiety during the Holidays
#1 Have your dog help with the decorations to decrease stress
Of course your dog isn’t going to be hanging the ornaments on the tree. But just imagine waking up from a nap, and your house has totally changed. That’s what it might feel like for your dog. There are new decorations, things with moving parts and music, new scents, flashing lights, and a big tree in the corner. Can you blame your dog for being overwhelmed?
Having your dog there when you are decorating can help decrease stress. Let your dog smell the decorations as you put them out. Show your dog you are excited and happy with these new changes you are doing to your home. When it comes to decorating, doing things slowly and showing your dog as your doing them, can make them feel that they are part of this holiday tradition.
#2 Doggie exercise to decrease anxiety
Just like exercise helps reduce stress in humans, it can help reduce stress in your dog. Many of the unwanted behaviors, caused by anxiety can be decreased if your dog gets more exercise. During this time you may even want to provide your dog with more exercise that normal until after the holidays.
If you are not home much because of holiday obligations, make sure to give your dog lots of attention with walks and exercise games when you are home to decrease separation anxiety.
If you are having a holiday gathering at your home, you may choose to have your dog secluded to prevent any unwanted behaviors with your guests. Give your dog lots of exercise prior to your guests arriving. If your time is limited on these days, ask your spouse or kids to take your dog on a long walk or play some active games. Exercise will help reduce calories, tire your dog out, release endorphins (feel good hormones), and decrease stress and anxiety.
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#3 Provide your Dog with entertainment when your not available to decrease separation anxiety
Hopefully, your dog is tired from all the exercise and is sleepy when you are not around. However, depending on how long you are away from your dog, they will need more than just a nap.
Provide your dog with stimulation toys to keep them busy when you can’t be there. You can also fill a Kong toy with treats. These will give your dog something to do while they anxiously await your return.
You might also want to give your dog a piece of your clothing while you are away. Having your sent near them can help reduce separation anxiety and provide calmness. However, you may not want to leave your dog with an article of clothing you are planning on wearing again. Just in case!
# 4 Seek professional help for Dogs with more severe anxiety
Let’s face it, you know your dog better than anyone. You are “their person”. If you know your dog already has anxiety issues, you may want to see your vet prior to the start of the holidays.
There are different things your vet can help with when it comes to treating doggie anxiety. First, your vet will want to make sure your dog’s anxiety isn’t caused by a medical problem.
Next, there are medications and products your vet can prescribe or recommend. CBD is becoming more widely accepted for its many benefits with dogs. Doggie anxiety being one of them. Also, Chewy carries Stress and anxiety calming bits. Purina Pro Plan has a highly rated Calming Care Probiotic. These may be options for your dog.
Make sure to check with your vet before giving your dog any medications or supplements!
Your vet might also recommend a thunder vest. A thunder vest can help when a dog gets stressed during a thunderstorm. However, they can be used any time your dog might be in a stressful situation.
#5 Keeping your own stress level in check during the holidays will help your dogs anxiety
We all know just how stressful the holidays can be. Your dog can pick up on the fact you are stressed. If your dog feels you are stressed, they might wonder why. This in itself can cause your dog to feel anxious.
Keeping your stress level down can help you and all those around you, including your dog. So do what you can to help yourself stay calm. It might be yoga, meditation, a long bath, a glass of wine, or even better, a long walk with your dog. Together, you both can become less stressful.
Stress and anxiety in dogs can increase over the holidays, whether your dog normally suffers from anxiety or not. Dogs often show stress and anxiety with unwanted behaviors. These unwanted behaviors can cause its own stress for the dog parent. Following these 5 easy steps can help reduce anxiety in your dog over the holidays. Which in turn can lead to less stress for you!
Wishing everyone and their pets a stress-free and happy holiday season!
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