The most common anxiety or fear issues among dogs in the US are the following:
- Fear of Noise or Noise Anxiety – 17% of all dogs or over 13 million dogs.
- Separation Anxiety – 13% of all dogs or 10 million dogs.
- Reactivity towards people and/or dogs – 12% or nearly 9 million dogs.
- General Anxiety – 5% or 3.5 million dogs.
- Travel Anxiety – 5% or 3.5 million dogs.
The most common NOISE fears or anxieties among the 13 million dogs are:
- Fear of Thunderstorms – 86%
- Fear of Fireworks – 74%
- Fear of Vacuum Cleaners – 41%
The rest of the survey can be found here.
What are some of the signs your dog may exhibit?
- Aggression
- Urinating or defecating in the house
- Drooling
- Panting
- Destructive behavior
- Depression
- Excessive barking
- Pacing
- Restlessness
- Repetitive or compulsive behaviors
How can you help treat your dog for anxiety?
One of the first things you’ll want to do is speak with your veterinarian about your specific dogs behavior so that together you identify the type of anxiety your dog suffers from and the possible causes and triggers. Veterinarians can also rule out any other medical conditions that could be causing your dog’s symptoms.
One way to treat anxiety in your dog is through training and conditioning. Because training an anxious dog is not easy, you may want to seek the advice of a professional dog trainer; however, if you prefer to train on your own, then we suggest checking out this dog training series with videos on YourDogAdvisor.com.
Another option to help treat your dogs anxiety can be with the help of medication. Your veterinarian will be able to discuss if an SSRIs or antidepressants is an option. Alternatively, there are some over-the-counter all-natural dog treats and tinctures that claim to help ease a dogs anxiety.
We always recommend checking with your veterinarian before beginning any new supplement with your pup just to rule out any health conditions that may be causing their behavior.