How Can I Calm My Nervous and Stressed Dog?

What Signs Should I Look Out For?

You can usually first tell if a dog is nervous from some common subtle signs like:

• Licking their lips/nose
• Looking away
• Yawning intensely
• Trying to back away or hide

However, these symptoms are very context-specific. A dog yawning after just waking up shouldn’t be seen as an instant notification that they are stressed. Only if these symptoms occur often in new situations can you measure whether your dog is nervous or not? More Serious nervous signs include:

• Cowering
• Tucking Tail between legs
• Panting

If you notice any of these signs you should immediately address them as the dog is very stressed. Do not force the dog to confront these kinds of situations as they may growl, bark, or lunge at whatever is causing their nervousness. Do not punish the dog for this behavior as they are simply defending themselves and this will only intensify their reaction. Be calm and simply remove them from the situation.

What Products May Help?

Apart from using toys and treats to distract your dog from the stressful situation, there are many products that aim to calm your dog.

Thundershirt

Thundershirt works by exerting a gentle, constant pressure on your dog that has a dramatic calming effect. Based on surveys completed by over two thousand customers, over 80% of dogs showed significant improvement in symptoms when using Thurdershirt. This makes it a great idea to use one when introducing your dog to a stressful situation.

DAP

When the DAP Collar is in snug contact with the dog’s skin. The dog’s body temperature warms the collar and encourages the diffusion of natural canine appeasing pheromones into the local environment. It helps comfort puppies and adult dogs in situations they may find worrying. Or which make them apprehensive and can help to establish the puppy in a new environment.

To Summarise

You should expose the dog to the situations it is nervous about gradually. Distracting them if they start to get nervous with positive reinforcement such as treats or toys and removing them if they become aggressive. With a lot of patience and time, your dog will become a lot more stable.

Hopefully, this advice will help you calm your nervous and stressed dog.

However, if the problem doesn’t improve over several weeks, it always best to seek the advice of a vet or animal behaviour specialist.]]>