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In our fast-paced and ever-changing world, anxiety appears to be a feature and not a bug. While more has been done to shed light on people suffering from anxiety, we should not neglect our furry friends.
Dogs can also suffer from anxiety— separation anxiety, to be specific. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to treat this, including the use of CBD for anxiety in dogs. Before we look at treating separation anxiety in dogs, we first need to understand what exactly it is.
Separation Anxiety in Dogs — What Is It?
While it may come as a surprise that cats can experience separation anxiety and miss their owners, it is not quite as surprising when it comes to dogs. While cats are notoriously independent, dogs are known for being close to their owners. But how close is too close?
Separation anxiety is what people or animals experience when they fear being separated from someone. In toddlers and children, it is when they fear being separated from their mom or primary caregiver. The same can be said for dogs.
When looking at a dog, separation anxiety is manifested when they are too connected to or overly reliant on family members. When anxious dogs are separated from their owners, they become incredibly agitated and exhibit distress behaviours. These include vocalisation, damaging items around the house, or even pooping around the place.
How to Help Dogs with Separation Anxiety
Dog owners are not without help, as there are different ways to treat the symptoms of a dog with separation anxiety.
Methods to treat separation anxiety in dogs include the following:
- Looking at getting your dog separation anxiety training
- Using CBD oil to treat anxiety in dogs
- Making lifestyle changes as a dog owner
- Exploring home remedies for separation anxiety in dogs
1. Separation Anxiety Dog Training
Separation anxiety training for dogs involves counter-conditioning and desensitisation. If your dog experiences mild separation anxiety, you may look at just a counter-conditioning treatment.
This is the process of changing your dog’s anxious, fearful, or even aggressive attitude to a pleasant and relaxed one. You achieve this by connecting the display of a feared (or despised) situation with something the dog finds enjoyable.
For example, every time you leave the house to run an errand, leave a bowl of dog treats for your dog on the floor by the kitchen counter. Or return from your errand with a cute little toy for your dog. Over time, your dog will realise that when you leave the house something good will come out of it, such as a dog treat or a new toy!
Counter-conditioning focuses on building an association between being separated from you and a pleasant outcome for your dog.
2. Use CBD Oil for Pets
CBD oil can help to alleviate the symptoms experienced by dogs with separation anxiety. This is because cannabinoid receptors are all throughout the bodies of dogs, and when engaged, they produce balancing and homeostatic reactions. This can help to reduce your dog’s incessant howling (i.e. vocalisation), destruction around the house, and other symptoms of anxiety.
While you don’t need to get a prescription to buy CBD oil products, it may be worth paying your dog’s vet a visit so they can have a look at your dog. This will help rule out medical issues that may be causing them to poop around the house and to determine if CBD oil will be beneficial for your fur baby.
3. Making Lifestyle Changes as a Dog Owner
If your dog is exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety out of nowhere, you may wonder why this is the case. Well, maybe take a look at the energy you bring into your home when you walk through the front door.
Like our partners and roommates, perhaps even more so, our dogs can sense when something is off about us. So when you’re bringing anxious vibes home from all the deadlines you tried (and failed) to meet at work, it may rub off on your furry friend.
Dogs are sensitive to human emotions and our stress can rub off on them. Consider making small but impactful changes such as calmly walking through the front door when you get home and not slamming doors around the house. Don’t make sudden movements and be more, shall we say, sophisticated in how you move around the house.
Other lifestyle changes you can implement include providing your dog with an outlet to channel excess energy, such as playing fetch and running around the garden. Go for long walks in the evening after work to help relieve yourself, and your dog, of stress.
Lastly, consider taking your dog to a dog park where they’ll get to socialise with other dogs and make new friends. This can help to greatly relieve their stress and separation anxiety by encouraging play and independence.
4. Home Remedies for Separation Anxiety in Dogs
If you’ve been wondering how to cure separation anxiety in dogs but prefer more natural remedies, this may be a better option for you. Besides using CBD oil to treat separation anxiety in your dog, you can also use herbs, Bach flower essences, essential oils, and hydrosols. But we’ll focus on herbs.
Herbs such as chamomile, valerian, and St John’s Wort can help soothe your dog’s separation anxiety. Chamomile is renowned for relaxing and soothing, valerian for gently calming nerves, and St John’s Wort for being a safe and effective alternative to antidepressants.
All three herbs can be used in tea, tincture, or capsule form. It’s more convenient to use a tincture as you can use exact measurements and it’s easier to administer to your dog.
How to Treat Separation Anxiety in Dogs and Bring Relief
Dogs cannot speak for themselves, but they do exhibit behaviours out of the norm when they are feeling distressed. Thanks to vets and scientists, we can understand and respond to our dog’s needs. Get your dog the help they need to get rid of separation anxiety once and for all.
