6 Quick & Easy Tips To Help Calm Your Anxious Dog

Since every dog has its own unique personality, there are certain behaviours you’ll need to get used to because that’s just them being who they are - a little like people really.

However, if your dog’s showing signs of aggressive behaviour, anxiety, stress or even unnecessary nervousness, there are things you can do to help them.

One of the obvious ones that comes to mind is to consider dog behaviour training classes - while these can help some dogs, it’s not necessarily suitable for all.

There are things you can do yourself from home - whether in a local park or in your back garden - that can have a significant effect on helping your dog.

1. Walk or exercise your dog so that they're tired. In fact, studies show that increased levels of exercise in dogs are associated with lower levels of aggression, fear and anxiety.
    
2. Build a den so your dog has somewhere to hide and feel safe. Sometimes your dog just needs a quiet space with no stimulation, where they can "unplug" from all input.
    
3. Give your dog a long treat or a lickimat - something to concentrate on as chewing releases endorphins and also keeps them busy.
    
4. During noisy events, draw the curtains so that they don’t see any flashes/lights. This is relevant to events like fireworks or loud events/neighbours nearby.
    
5. Try not to panic or show fear...and therefore pick up your dog, as it makes them think they have a reason to be scared.
    
6. Play with them to keep them occupied and exercised. This goes along the same lines as exercise - it keeps them focused on something else.