How do you help a dog with anxiety?
Posted on Nov 20, 2008 under what is anxiety |I have a 2 year old min pin and he has what I would believe is anxiety. He has a nervous shake. Everytime he gets excited or scared he will start to shiver. When there is nobody home with him he won't eat. He has become quite thin and I am now very worried about him. Is there anything I can do to resolve this problem without taking him to a vet?
First of all, feed him before you leave in the morning and then take up the food. Feed him again when you get home. When he gets used to this schedule, he'll eagerly eat when the food is there. Leave water out all day. While you're gone, leave on a tv on the soaps or the radio on talk radio so he'll hear human voices. Have regular play times and expose him to lots of people and different situations. If he is still having these problems after a month or so, you'll need to take him to the vet.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Dog psychiatrist.
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January 30th, 2008 at 10:01 am
try playing soothing classical music while you are not home and maybe some B vitamins
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January 30th, 2008 at 10:04 am
Feed him only while you are home. If he is refusing to eat at any time, you will need to consult with your vet. If he is generally anxious, there are things you can do to help calm him but most require some counter-conditioning and desensitization to the things that cause him fear. This usually requires a consultation with a professional animal behaviorist. You can try DAP (dog appeasing pheromone). Other ingestible remedies should be run by your vet before administering them.
See links for more.
Good luck.
References :
http://www.ddfl.org/behavior/StressRelief.pdf
http://www.animalbehaviorassociates.com/pdf/RMN_helping_shy_animals.pdf
January 30th, 2008 at 10:04 am
i saw a programme with a dog psychiatrist with a dog who was frightened of fireworks and to calm him down and stop him being nervous she suggested lots of rubbing of the ears, and when out she suggested like a hairband round the dogs ears
hope this helps, it did take about 3 weeks
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January 30th, 2008 at 10:09 am
First of all, feed him before you leave in the morning and then take up the food. Feed him again when you get home. When he gets used to this schedule, he'll eagerly eat when the food is there. Leave water out all day. While you're gone, leave on a tv on the soaps or the radio on talk radio so he'll hear human voices. Have regular play times and expose him to lots of people and different situations. If he is still having these problems after a month or so, you'll need to take him to the vet.
References :
January 30th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Call the dog whisperer.
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January 30th, 2008 at 10:13 am
He needs some confidence building / Training get with a dog trainer that will evaluate your dog and direct you as to what he needs in or town (PET-SMART) does an evaluate for free also check with the Humane Society as sometimes they offer classes for shy dogs. Dog Training For Dummy's is an excellent book for dog owner's (lots of good information) Good luck……
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January 30th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Does he feel safe at home? I crate trained my puppy half because he needed to be and half because my cats used to slap him around. If it is a safety issue create a safe place for him with a cozy dog bed and keep him away from other pets which may harass him. Is someone in your household abusing your dog when you're away? That can cause all sorts of problems.
My dog doesn't eat unless someone is home but that's because he knows eating will cause him to poo and if there is someone home to let him out it is safe to eat.
I would give him lots of love and petting and keep up the level of attention from now on. I'd also try to fatten him up by giving him hard to resist foods like cooked chicken and rice, tuna and rice or a drizzle of cod liver oil on a treat. It may make him a fussy eater, but it's better than having a dog starve to death.
It may be his food too. Are you feeding him a quality dog food? It may be making him sick. There was that dog food scare in the States where dogs died last year.
Shakes and seizures can also be caused by the glues in rawhide. Only give him chips or knots. Don't give him anything that is pressed or composite.
You may have to take him to the vet.
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