ANXIETY IN DOGS

Anxiety in dogs is an emotional response to a perceived threat or danger, even if there's no actual threat. It can cause a dog to act fearfully, and can manifest in a variety of ways.

Signs of anxiety in dogs: 

Behavior: Pacing, trembling, hiding, excessive barking, whining, drooling, licking lips, or destructive behaviors 

Physical appearance: Crouched body posture, tucked-under tail, flattened ears, dilated eyes, or showing lots of white around the eyes 

Elimination: Urinating or defecating in the house 

Other: Reduced appetite, symptoms of gut upset, or aggression 

Common causes for anxiety in dogs include: 

Separation anxiety

Loud noises

Fear of other dogs, animals, people, objects, things

Pain & medical conditions

Past Trauma

Age related anxiety

Lack of socialization

Environmental changes, moving etc.

Anxiety disorders in dogs are chronic conditions that require lifelong management however with the proper treatment and management can be reduced significantly.  Treatment usually involves behavior modification training, counter conditioning, desensitization and anti-anxiety medication.

A dog experiencing anxiety on a regular basis has a lower quality of life and a usually a much higher rate of medical conditions.  

For more information or to request a Behavioral Assessment and Consultation contact us below or call (805) 978 6945.  

We provide your Behavioral Assessment and Consultation free of charge.  At the consultation we will discuss in detail with you what problem behaviors are occurring, what you would like to see happen for you and your dog as a result of training and will perform a Behavioral Assessment of your dog.  This will allow us to evaluate your needs, the current behavior of the dog, what you would like to see from the training and other variables in order to develop a Behavioral Training Plan specific to your dog and situation.