A stressed dog can take away the breaths of its owner within no time. Like humans, irritation is the most common thing elevating stress in dogs. Unnecessary and increased barking at everyone is not usual, and there must be an underlying cause, such as stress. Dogs get stressed quickly, but this depends on your dog’s breed.
If your dog is suffering from stress and anxiety issues, you must review these five tips helpful in lowering its stress levels.
Stress isn’t just harmful to the dog’s health and irritates the listeners. Here are five excellent tips to reduce the stress of your dog. It depends on which suits you and works best for your little pup.
1. Dog Exercises
Getting a proper exercise routine for your dog is essential to reduce various health risks. There are multiple options available that can boost the energy of your little friend. Pet owners commonly use balls to play running and fetching games. You can also play hide and seek with your dog in its favorite spot.
Dogs love to jog and run on open ground, a nice walking track, or your house stairs. The sole purpose is to keep your dog active no matter what activity it is.
If your dog suffers from anxiety and stress problems, make sure not to leave it alone now. Stay close to it and do your best to make it comfortable. Exercise can do both of these magics simultaneously for you. Exercise not only strengthens your bond with your dog, but it also improves the health of your little pup.
Anxiety and stress elevate your pet’s energy levels, so a simple walk or short run can drain out this extra energy. Spending more time talking to your dog can be helpful in this challenging time. Another benefit of exercise is the production of endorphins in the animal body, which reduces stress. Read more to know about other benefits of physical exercise.
2. Relaxing Massage
Whenever we think of massage, the only thing which strikes our mind is relaxation. Undoubtedly, massage is an excellent way of relieving tiredness and lethargy from your body. You can gently massage your dog’s body with warm oil for even better results. Anxiety is a significant source of muscle stretching and contraction. And the only solution to eliminate this construction is a warm and gentle massage.
The right way of your dog massage is to start pressing the neck and go down towards the lower body. With regular massage, you will be able to know which is your dog’s favorite body part to get this massage. Another main benefit of massaging your dog is improving blood circulation and mental alertness.
3. Try Aromatherapy
You heard it right; aromatherapy works amazingly for your dogs. This aromatherapy aims to relax and soothe your pet in case of stress or anxiety. There might be several reasons for stress, but relaxing is the only solution. You can use various essential oils for this aromatherapy, but ensure you are confident about using the right one.
Don’t even try to use regular essential oil for your pet; get a trusted essential oil from your veterinarian. When buying an essential oil for your pet, read all the ingredients. Doing this will ensure it doesn’t contain something your pet is allergic to. Another important thing is to know where to apply these aromatherapy oils. The best place is your dog’s back because your dog won’t be able to lick it off from there.
Cedar, chamomile, and lavender are the favorites, but it depends on your dog’s taste. Keep your dogs away from citrus, cove, and tea tree oil due to their harmful effects.
4. Music
Do you know one thing which relaxes both humans and animals? We are talking about soft music. No matter where you are, listening to pleasant music can completely change your mood. The same thing works for your pets, especially dogs. Dogs are big fans of soft music, especially when dealing with stress and anxiety.
Sometimes your dog feels irritated by the unnecessary sounds outside the street. Here you can also use some soft music to dim those unnecessary sounds. According to research, dogs are huge lovers of classical music. Other than this, your dog can listen to harp music to get an instant boost in energy and mood. But still, which music pleases your dog the most depends on your dog’s choice.
5. Soothing Actions
Who doesn’t love soothing and comforting actions from his close ones, especially when stressed? The same applies to your dogs or other pets. The everyday soothing actions include excellent music, aromatherapy, or relaxing exercise. You don’t need to worry if these things are not working on your dog. The easiest solution is to put your dog in a dark place for meditation and relaxation.
Nothing is better than touching your dog and smoothly rubbing your hands over its back to provide comfort and love. Remember to keep yourself relaxed and calm, so your dog doesn’t start feeling more worried.
To Wrap It Up
Stress is not a big problem and can be managed easily without professional help. But the key is to practice the most common strategies to get maximum benefit. The easiest thing is to keep them happy and away from stressful conditions. Try your best to avoid giving heavy medications to your little friend. Instead, go for simple exercises and tricks to reduce their stress. No matter what type of running games for dogs your dog likes, running will be it’s forever favorite. If you feel your dog is overstressing over little things, the best option is to talk to your veterinarian.