What can I give my dog for anxiety?

Updated 2nd Feb 2026

Worried your dog might be experiencing anxiety and wondering how to ease the symptoms? Your first step should always be to speak to your vet—professional guidance for any canine health issue is essential. In the meantime, explore our vet-approved tips below to help support dogs with anxiety.

Signs of anxiety in dogs

Firstly, it’s important to be able to identify dog anxiety. The different types of anxiety found amongst canines can include generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and anxiety brought on by different health conditions. 

Here are some signs of anxiety in dogs to look out for:

• Excessive barking, howling or whining
• Excessive drooling, licking, panting, or chewing
• Out-of-character or destructive behavior
• Hunched or withdrawn body language
• Pacing
• Pupil dilation
• Shaking
• Patches of fur loss 
• Urination or defecation inside the home
• Avoiding their pet parents
• Licking at paws or legs, sometimes creating wounds 

Without treatment, dog anxiety can sometimes lead to canine aggression and other behavior problems. It’s important to remember that some of these signs and symptoms can signal another underlying issue, so it’s always best to speak to your vet if your pooch is displaying any of these signs.

What can you give a dog for anxiety?

Luckily, there are lots of ways to calm an anxious dog - below find a few suggestions.

Toys can act as an anxiety relief for dogs

Toys can act as both a comfort and a distraction, particularly for pups who suffer from generalized anxiety. Puzzle toys are perfect for occupying an anxious dog and help with separation anxiety training.

Other toys to help with separation anxiety include chewable toys and lick mats with peanut butter inside, squeaky toys, or any kind of comfort toy they can carry around with them.

Tips for using dog toys as an anxiety relief:

• Always use xylitol-free peanut butter, as xylitol is highly toxic to dogs.
• If using squeaky toys, check them regularly for signs of wear or cracks. A squeaker can be eaten accidentally and cause an intestinal blockage, which may need surgery to remove. 

Avoid fussing

If your dog is scared of something that you know won’t hurt them, fussing over them will actually reinforce that fear. Doing the opposite helps your dog to learn they’re safe. 

Our member @louisehunt was wondering what to do with her dog’s anxiety near a busy road, over on our community forum. Rob Kuty - certified master dog trainer, President of San Diego Pet Training and Director of Animal Training at Helen Woodward Animal Center - was on hand with his advice, informed by 23 years of professional dog training experience.

@louisehunt asks: “Any advice on how to help our dog with her nerves, particularly when walking her near busy roads?”

Rob responds: “Don’t cater to the dog during these moments by talking to them or petting them. You would actually be reinforcing the fear. Start by taking your dog to areas that allow space away from the main road so you could acclimate from a distance and start to desensitize your dog to the sights and sounds. As you start to notice your dog build confidence from a certain distance, you can slowly get closer. Be very patient during this process. Also be sure to stay consistent. Look at ‘chipping’ away at this process.”

Holistic treatments for dog anxiety

A calm set-up can help dogs to cope with stress and anxiety. Consider a crate filled with their favorite blankets and toys, or a bed that’s dogs-only, where they won’t be disturbed.

You may have chatted to other dog owners that recommend using small amounts of essential oils or even CBD oil as a natural relaxant for pups. However, these methods haven’t been verified and shouldn’t be attempted without talking to your vet about it first. 

Some oils may even cause a toxic or allergic reaction, so always proceed with caution and under the guidance of your vet.

Other holistic options include dog massages and prolonged cuddles that make them feel safe, secure and calm - now there’s a great start!

Consider a dog anxiety vest

Anxiety vests can help dogs feel calmer during thunderstorms, firework displays, or any time they may be around sudden, loud noises. They act like a compression blanket but allow your dog to walk about as normal, except this vest gives them a permanent gentle hug. This compression helps to calm your pooch and makes them feel safe.

Pheromone diffusers 

Pheromone diffusers are a natural way of helping your dog relax. The pheromones in these products are similar to the ‘smell’ your dog's mother gave off when they were a puppy, and it helps dogs to feel calmer and settled. Pheromone products come in different ranges, from collars that can be worn all the time, to diffusers that plug into the wall, and even travel sprays for those stressful journeys to the vet.

Supplements 

There are supplements on the market that can help your dog to relax and boost your their mood. These need to be taken daily to be most effective and can take a few weeks for effective levels to build up in your dog's system. Supplements are often available at your vet clinic without prescription, so talk to your vet if you’d like to consider trying anxiety-relieving supplements for your dog.

Anxiety relief for dogs and preventative measures

Luckily, there are things we can do to make sure our pups are trained to deal with stressful situations. If you live in an area prone to thunderstorms or you know you need to be away from home for periods of time, here are some helpful tips to prevent anxiety in your dog.

Crate training

A crate can be a safe space for your dog, and crate training from a young age with positive reinforcement will allow them to see it as the place where they feel calm, and secure in the knowledge that they won’t be disturbed.

Regular socialization

For when you’re away from the comforts of home, socialization training from a young age is essential for helping dogs with anxiety, or rather, preventing dog anxiety from developing.

Introduce your dog to other pups, group situations and environments that you know they’ll be exposed to throughout their life. This regular exposure will help your pup to feel safe, and avoid any reactive behaviors or canine anxiety.

DOGTV

Did you know that there is a TV channel created specifically for calming anxious dogs? The founder of DOGTV spent years finding out how to calm canine anxiety—pouring over scientific research studies to figure out what kinds of music dogs find most calming. 

They looked at studies tracking dogs’ eye movements, to see which images they found most interesting on screen, and adjusted the colors to make the channel easier for dogs to see. 

In addition to the relaxation videos, DOGTV also has stimulation content (designed for dogs who may be more bored than anxious) as well as educational and training videos. 

Lick mats

Dogs have a natural ability to self-soothe, and licking and chewing are ways they’re known to calm themselves. 

Lick mats provide a welcome distraction from potentially anxiety-inducing situations, and can help to reinforce feelings of safety.

They’re like a shallow dish about the size of a pie pan, typically made of silicone or rubber. The mat has small nubs that poke out from the surface, allowing you to spread a soft treat like peanut butter or a meat paste, and inviting your dog to lick. 

Separation anxiety training

Canine anxiety is treatable with patience, socialization and consistent training. If you're struggling to train your dog and they're suffering with separation anxiety, consult a behaviorist.

Paw-positive reinforcement

Like the suggestion of using toys, dogs thrive on positive reinforcement. This should be a big part of all their training and offered daily. Treats, cuddles, and playtime all count as forms of positive reinforcement.

5 dog anxiety medications

Your veterinarian may prescribe medication to help with your dog's everyday life. Some of the most common include:

• Prozac (antidepressant)
• Trazodone (antidepressant)
• Clomipramine (antidepressant)
• Benadryl (antihistamine)
• Xanax (short-term, light tranquilizer)
• Diazepam (benzodiazepine, sedative)

Before giving your dog any anxiety medication, be sure to consult with a veterinarian to decide if medication is really the best course of action and to be sure you know the right dosage and method of application. Often, behavior modification and positive reinforcement of good behavior is safer and works better long-term.

Causes of canine anxiety

Just like in humans, dog anxiety can be brought on by a variety of causes, and knowing the cause of your dog's anxiety is just as important as knowing how to face the symptoms. The most common forms of dog anxiety are:

• Separation anxiety. Separation anxiety is very common in dogs in general, but dogs that were previously abandoned or neglected, or spent time in a shelter before finding their forever home are especially prone to it. 
• Noise anxiety. Sounds might be too loud; they might be unfamiliar and therefore scary to your dog; there might be too many sounds at once; or your dog might hear frequencies that hurt their ears, while you can’t even perceive them. 
• Social anxiety. If your dog has gone through past trauma involving other humans or animals, or isn’t yet used to being around other people and pets – for example if they grew up in isolation or were previously neglected or abused, they could also be suffering from social anxiety.
• Environmental anxiety. Environmental anxiety is triggered by certain places or by being in situations that are loud, busy, or otherwise scary to your dog. 
• Resource guarding anxiety. Resource guarding in dogs describes the act of protecting something or someplace the dog considers theirs by showing anxious or even aggressive behavior. 
• Aging-related anxiety. Just like humans, dogs might start to suffer from physical or cognitive issues when they get older, which can also lead to anxiety. 

General anxiety. Sometimes dogs suffer from ‘general’ anxiety rather than a specific form of anxiety, meaning they have anxiety attacks that follow no (obvious) trigger.

Useful resources

• Separation anxiety in dogs: how to calm an anxious dog
• What are dog calming pheromones and how do they work?
• Crate training a puppy: A step-by-step guide to success
• Anxiety wraps for dogs: A gentle hug
• 6 dog anxiety vests to calm a nervous pooch
• 5 of the best dog toys for separation anxiety
• Everything you need to know about cat separation anxiety

Meet our veterinary expert, Corinne

This article has been checked by veterinarian Corinne Wigfall BVMBVS(Hons) BVMedSci(Hons). Corinne is originally from Wales and moved to New Zealand after graduating university. She started her career with a university based equine internship and moved onto mixed and small animal practice. Currently she splits her time between online tele triage and working in an after hours vet clinic.

Got any tips and tricks on how to help dogs with anxiety? Share your wisdom on our Community Forum.