Owning a dog is a highlight for pet lovers. They’re loyal, intelligent and offer unconditional love. However, they can deal with serious bouts of anxiety. In particular, separation anxiety afflicts many pets when you leave for work or school. Learn about this ailment and how modern products can ease anxiety responses.
Defining Pet Anxiety
Anxiety arises from three main reasons, including the aging process, fear and separation. Regardless of the anxiety’s origin, most pets will engage in certain behaviors that indicate stress. For example, a dog might bark incessantly until the owner arrives home. Alternatively, the pet relieves itself on the floor although it’s completely housebroken.
Specifically, separation anxiety will often arise whenever an owner leaves the home. Domesticated dogs are still pack animals, and a missing owner means part of the pack is gone. Because dogs cannot cognitively anticipate the owner returning, they react with stressful behaviors.
Top 5 Clever Products to Ease Anxiety
Whether you’re leaving for an 8-hour shift or a half-hour lunch, your dog reacts to this separation with various behaviors. Leaving out a few of these products for stimulation can help your pet deal with the separation. Take a close look at each item. Your dog might prefer one over another. Indeed, they all comfort the dog on several physical and mental levels.
Lick Mats
Dogs tend to lick their paws, their bedding and other items as a soothing habit. Certainly, they might lick their owners’ hands for the same reason.
As an anxiety solution, offer your dog a lick mat. This rubber product sticks to walls or other surfaces. To encourage licking, add peanut butter or other substance to the mat. As a result, the dog has a special place to lick for soothing purposes while gaining a reward simultaneously. Therefore, the dog’s anxiety may be lessened or removed altogether by using their instinct and favorite treat.
Pet-Friendly Candles
Humans love scenting a room with oils and candles, and your pet is no different. Indeed, dogs respond to pet-friendly candles, which often include cedarwood, lavender and other calming scents. Ideally, enjoy the candle with your best pet friend before heading off to school or work. In the next few hours, the lingering scent can lull the pet to sleep.
Music or Television
When the home is full of loved ones, everyday sounds are the norm. Music, television, appliances and many other sounds create a household hum for the pet. It makes sense that a pet would feel anxious when the home is suddenly silent.
Ease your pet’s anxiety by leaving a music station on or a favorite TV channel. Depending on the pet, some animals enjoy the visuals on a TV for amusement. In the end, these familiar sounds will soothe the pet.
Puzzle Toys
Trendy pet toys today involve puzzles. Essentially, these toys have a set of mazes or other challenges that encourage the pet to play with the item. Adding their favorite treat to the puzzle is usually the attraction.
Consider your pet’s size and interest level. Some dogs, for example, can play with a puzzle toy for hours. In contrast, other pets tire after a few minutes. Experiment with this toy and your pet to see if it’s a useful tool against anxiety.
Video Chats
Today’s technology makes it easier than before to be virtually at home for your pet. Consider a video system designed for pet use. For example, several products available today can be installed at the dog’s level where owners “call” the dog throughout the day. The live audio and video appear on the product’s screen, which gives the pet a comforting feeling.
With these products, however, you’ll need to practice with the device before trying it remotely. If a dog isn’t in the room with the device, then a healthy conversation won’t be possible. Ideally, place the device close to the dog’s bed for the best connection.
Considering Other Helpful Strategies
There are other ways to reduce your pet’s anxiety, too. First, try wearing them out. This strategy involves stimulating the pet until they’re too tired to feel anxious. For example, take the dog on an extended walk or play fetch with a ball before you leave for work. When you leave home, they simply sleep instead of looking for you.
Second, consider behavioral training. Try leaving the house for 5 minutes and returning, for instance. After a few hours, leave the house for 10 minutes and return. This type of training involves several weeks of leaving and returning at progressively longer periods to have a positive effect.
In the end, every pet responds differently to these products. Owners may need to experiment with one or several items to see what works for the pet. With some time and compassion, your pet’s anxiety doesn’t have to dominate each day.
