How to keep your anxious dog calm?

It’s always an uninvited sight to see your dog hideaway under your bed or a table, too scared to come out for whatever reason. As a pet parent, you can’t help but question yourself, by asking, “Is this anxiety a cause of something I did/didn’t do?”. If you aren’t aware of what may be happening or what you should do in such scenarios, this may help you:

• Medical conditions: Everyone feels down when they are unwell. Naturally, your dog too will have his/her energy drained out of them if they have an illness or some sort of painful physical wound.
• Aging: It’s a natural life process and happens to us all. At this stage, just give your buddy all the comfort and love they might need.
• Fear: If you have been a pet parent for a while, you may have come across this at some point in your experience.
• Separation anxiety: sometimes if your dog has had an experience of abandonment by previous owners or been neglected in the past, in the fear of it happening again your dog can develop signs of anxiety too.

Here are a few things you should consider doing to help ease the stress your dog may experience.

• Play calming music: if you are heading out and will be out for a few hours, try playing a set of calming songs for your home alone dog on the music system, assuring them that you will be back eventually.
• Distract them: Many loud noises can scare your dog to a point where they forget how to bark and start to uncontrollably whine. Getting them to exercise or training them is a great option to keep their minds off the loud sound and be productive at the same time.
• Try a massage: It doesn’t have to be any very intricate or complicated. All you need to do is comfort them, this will assure them that they are safe. You can even consider using a weighted dog blanket.

These are a few steps that would help your dog ease up a bit. But naturally, every dog is different and the reason behind their insecurity can often be multiple and vague. The most important thing to remember is that your presence, touch and playful attitude towards them can be the most effective of all to get them out of their anxious phase.