How to Help Dogs with Anxiety or Behavioral Problem

"Dogs are really people with short legs in fur coats" -anonymous

Dogs have always been part of the human family since the earliest of times. They play with us, guard our homes, and amuse us with their tricks. They are our furry friends who give us unconditional love any time of the day. But just like any friend, even dogs sometimes may feel stressed out.

Yes, dogs experience anxiety too. This may be caused by a traumatic experience, a lack of proper training, or a genetic predisposition. Some dogs may be afraid of just one thing while others suffer from more than one fear at the same time. If you’re dog suffers from anxiety, don’t feel hopeless. There are ways to help your dog get over his fears.

Animal experts advise “desensitization" or simply put, allowing your dog to get used to a situation until he realizes that it is a non-threatening situation after all.

This method can be done for different types of dog anxiety. If your dog has fear of cars or a separation anxiety, it may take a couple of weeks until he gets over this fear completely. If you have a day job, you might need to ask a friend to practice with your dog for you or perhaps each member of your family can take turns in practicing the dog. Of course, desensitization takes time. It needs to be done slowly and with patience. Each step taken will greatly depend on the dog’s response.

A frequent mistake that owners do when their pet is afraid is to try to reassure them. While we may have the best of intentions, this does not help at all. The dog will only recognize this as a sign that he has reason to be afraid and therefore, the reinsurance you give reinforces his own fear.

The important thing to remember when desensitizing your dog is never ever try to reassure your dog if he shows signs of fear. If there is any shakiness or whimpering, it will be better if you don’t acknowledge it. Instead, simply ignore it. When giving instructions, talk to your dog in a calm, normal tone.

Also, keep in mind that this method is to be done gradually depending on your dog’s progress. Practice should last only a few minutes, everyday. Never force your dog to instantly get over his fear. Work at your dog’s phase. Don’t punish him if he’s not immediately responding.

Don’t forget to reward your dog by the end of each practice session especially if he’s done well. Give him his favorite treat, lots of pats and praises for each accomplishment. Let your dog know if he’s doing a great job.

If your dog is suffering from anxiety, take heart and be ready to take the steps to make him a healthier and a happier dog.

Is Your Dog Afraid of Riding Cars?

Cookie ride..., originally uploaded by simplycute becka.

Some dogs are terribly afraid of riding cars. Dogs with this fear associate the car with a terrible place or situation. Most likely because the only time these dogs get to ride a car is to go to the vet, an animal shelter, or places where they encounter stress or pain. Thus, the thought of riding a car makes them sick or afraid.

For these dogs, a car can only mean one thing – being taken to a dreadful location.

If your dog is afraid of riding cars, he thinks of the vehicle as a means to take him somewhere awful. Thus, your dog needs to see the car in a new light. In this case, the car is the threat and there needs to be a re-introduction.

The first step is to allow your dog to familiarize himself with the car from the outside. Walk him around the car and let him sniff, sniff and sniff his way to familiarize himself with an unmoving vehicle. This could be done for a few days until your dog is able to relax in the presence of the vehicle.

Next step? Let your dog inside the steady car. Coax him gently by putting his favorite toy or treat inside the car seat. Just let him get used to the feel of being inside the unmoving car until he can stay calm entirely. At first, do not close the car doors so your dog can go out freely in case he feels any tension. After some practice, you can have the engine running without moving the car and see if your dog can maintain his composure.

When your dog shows completely no sign of tension getting in the car and staying in, that’s the time to take your dog for a short ride. A ride around the block will do, just so your dog gets the feel of riding without the pressure of having to go somewhere. Remember that the dog thinks a car ride will take him to a place that he doesn't like. Eventually, when your dog is really ready, take him to a place where he can have fun and play.

Make sure that you take your dog to fun places as often as you can. Take him to the park or a nearby beach. This way, your dog will realize that riding a car isn’t such a bad thing after all but on the contrary, can be something fun and wonderful.

Subscribe to Squishedbugsmoothie

Help for Dogs Suffering from Separation Anxiety

Foofer..., originally uploaded by LukeDaDuke.

One of the most common fears in dogs is being left alone. Dogs are pack animals and naturally seek companions. While most dogs will just sigh and wait when their humans leave home, other dogs can show uncontrollable behavior.

The moment their master leaves the house, these dogs will incessantly bark, howl, drool, urinate, defecate in the house or destroy things. In extreme cases, some dogs even starve themselves or go through self-mutilation. 

Also known as separation anxiety, this type of fear is true, especially for some dogs who came from shelters or dogs who have been passed around from one owner to another. These dogs have a tendency to be overly dependent and are extremely afraid of being abandoned.

The best way to help a dog with separation anxiety is to not give any emphasis to your departure.

Undoubtedly, your dog had already identified hints from your actions when you’re about to leave. For instance, checking on your door locks or taking your car keys, putting on your shoes or picking up your bag on your way to the door may be obvious hints for your dog that you are about to go out. These routine gestures give you away. To help your dog, you need to help him get used to these clues.

Owners usually pat their dogs or give them a hug just before they walk out the door, and although this is a sweet and endearing gesture, it is unhelpful for dogs with a separation issue. Your departure has to be as low key as possible. Don’t draw attention to yourself when leaving. Don’t even say goodbye.

Go through these gestures frequently even when you’re not really leaving the house. At the start, focus on just one of your ready-to-go signs and do this particular action over and over for a few days, even when you are not going out of the house until you see that your dog is not responding to this certain action anymore. Then go on from one action to the next. It could take a while especially if your dog has already recognized your “going away” rites well enough.

Another trick is to leave the house for a few minutes. Just when your dog is starting to panic, immediately go back inside the house. Don’t try to do anything special before you go out and also when you’re getting in. Just act like everything is normal. 

The moment your dog starts to get impatient, surprise him by going back in the house right at that instant. Start with short absences such as five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, increasing the length of your absence as your dog progresses. You might need to practice this repeatedly in a day and continuously until your dog can’t tell the difference any more. It can really take days, even weeks, so if there is no way you can stay home for a long period, you will need someone to practice your dog for you.

Dogs get bored too. So give your dog something to do. Give him something which he can focus his attention on.

They can get really depressed if all there has to do is watch the door waiting for you to walk in every minute.

Some toys available in the market are the Kong, Buster Cube, Squeaky toys, Floatable, etc. But before you go out and buy one, find out which you think will work best for your dog. Not all dogs like the same things. Each dog has a different toy that he likes to play with. It is up to you to decide which toy is best depending on your dog’s personality.

It is also worth mentioning that just like humans, dogs need enough exercise to be healthy, both mentally and physically. They need to get out, play, and run, to interact with objects. They need to socialize with other people and other dogs too. If your dog only stays inside the house all the time, he may get depressed. 

Walk your dog and you’ll be surprised that it has double benefits. You and your pet will get good exercise at the same time! Also, if you’re dog is tired from walking or running, he can spend the rest of the day sleeping while you’re away.

Bugging Spencer (the dog) and gosmelltheflowers!

Spencer is a nine year old, Golden Retriever and volunteers as a therapy dog at Northridge Hospital, CA. What a sweet fellow, don't you just love you him??!!!

Do Dogs Dream Too?

Watch a dog sleep and you may notice that occasionally its eyes or legs twitch. Is it dreaming? Despite the fact that there is no scientific proof that dogs dream, there’s really no reason to believe that they don’t.

photo

Do dogs dream?

In fact, when dogs sleep they also go through the two stages of sleep- the rapid eye movement (REM) and the slow wave sleep (SWS)- as humans do.

Just like in people, the REM is the deeper sleep and during this stage, the body completely relaxes, while the unconscious mind becomes active. This is the point where the eyes move rapidly, thus the term REM (Rapid Eye Movement).

On average, an adult dog spends about ten to twelve percent of its sleep time in the REM stage while younger dogs and puppies spend more of their sleep time in the REM mode. It is possible that dogs can see images or "dreams" in their REM sleep although they are not able to tell us about these dreams when they wake up.

My Favorite Dog Breeds

Here are three large dog breeds that I would love to have. I know, they're all big and active dogs and right now, I'm just not ready for them. But when I get to live in a bigger house, it will have a spacious lawn and I will have a Labrador Retriever, a Golden Retriever or a German Shepherd!

Golden Retriever

The Golden Retriever is the second most popular dog breed (next to Labrador Retriever) in the world. We are all familiar with popular movie heroes like Shadow (from the movie Homeward Bound) and Air Bud (from the movie of the same title). When I saw Homeward Bound, I instantly wanted my Golden Retriever puppy. Do you remember that scene when Shadow almost didn’t make it?

Golden Retrievers are gentle, friendly, handsome, intelligent.  The breed is a hunter’s loyal companion and a genuine family dog. However, they are energetic dogs who crave for physical activity. They don’t like to mope around doing nothing. They yearn for company, for something to do.  Golden Retrievers can get bored very easily and boredom can lead to behavioral problems.

Because of their affectionate temperament, Golden Retrievers are extremely friendly even with strangers, so if you want a dog who will protect your home, you may want to get another breed. If you want a loving companion to spend most of your days with, a Golden Retriever will never disappoint you.

German Shepherd

Our neighbor has three German Shepherds and each time I pass by their gate, I dare not breathe. Such big dogs! Such commanding presence! Oh, how I’d like to have one of my own.

German Shepherds are intelligent, active, sociable and loving breed. Because of their size, appearance, strength, and intelligence, this breed is usually used for police and rescue operations but they are also great as family dogs. 

In fact, they are ideal as family protectors especially when given a professional training. However, they need to be trained early, starting in their pup years.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed. Back in the 17th century, Labradors were used as fishermen companions. They are big, strong, and fine-looking dogs that will capture anyone’s attention. 

Labrador Retrievers are instinctively fond of water too!  They love to swim so it’s best for them to live near the water. They are very playful and have lots of energy.  Just like Golden Retrievers, Labradors are gentle, friendly, kind and very generous. Because of their loving nature, they are affectionate with everybody- children, other animals, and even strangers.

Photos: 1, 2, 3

Are You Ready to Be a Dog Owner?

Some years ago, a friend asked me in his email what breed of dog I want because he intended to send me one. I replied that any breed would do. BIG MISTAKE! Back then, I was only thinking that I love dogs so much that any breed will do fine. I now realize the importance of choosing a dog breed that is most compatible with my personality and lifestyle. So, are you ready to be a dog owner? Here are some things you should consider when choosing a dog:

 

 source

Choosing the Right Dog Breed

Are you a morning a person? A dog's temperament and energy level varies depending on its breed. Some dog breeds are more energetic than others and they require more physical activity. If you're the type of person who jogs daily in the morning, you should definitely get a dog who can run with you.

If you're more of the adventurous type, work dogs who have really high energy would make great buddies.  On the contrary, if you have full time work, choose your dog very carefully. Some dogs get very lonely when left alone. If you can't walk your dog on a daily basis, choose a small breed so that it can at least get a daily dose of exercise while indoors.

Consider Dog Adoption

Where should you get your dog? Don't forget to pay a visit to your nearest rescue center and see what types of dog they have. Adopting a dog from a shelter may take time. It's important to know the dog's history before adopting one. Some of these dogs may have had behavioral issues that needs to be properly addressed. Animal adoption centers do offer basic training for rescued dogs. If you are ready to care for a dog, it would mean a lot for these loyal human friends in shelters to finally find a loving, forever home.

Being a Dog Owner Is A Commitment

Be realistic. Don't get a dog just because you think it's cute to have one around. Seriously consider if you can live up to the commitment. If you really do not have the time and the resources to take care of a dog, you may need to wait until you're ready.

Too many dogs have ended up in the pound or were abandoned because their humans initially thought they were prepared for the responsibilities of having a pet when they're not. Having a dog with a behavioral issue is not a justifiable reason to just get rid of it, especially without making sure that you have done all possible solutions to help your dog.  Giving up a dog is sad but at least see to it that the poor animal will have a good home.

Being a dog owner is a serious responsibility and when problems arise, you must be there for your dog in the same way it will never abandon you.