How to help a dog with dog anxiety

Updated 19/05/2023

It’s no secret that anxiety in humans is a very common issue – but did you know that your pupper can suffer from it, too? Dog anxiety comes in many different shapes and sizes but according to a Finnish study, up to 72.5% of dogs might show signs of mild to severe anxiety during their lifetime. That’s a lot of anxious pooches.

Fortunately, once you recognize that your fur baby is anxious and maybe even figure out what causes their anxiety, there are numerous ways to calm or even cure them, from exercise and simple changes to their environment to natural remedies and prescription drugs. So, let’s start by taking a look at the most common causes and symptoms of dog anxiety before telling you a little more about how to help a dog with anxiety.

What causes dog anxiety?

Just like in humans, dog anxiety can be brought on by a variety of causes. The most common forms of dog anxiety, however, are:

1. Separation anxiety

Dogs are pack animals and as such are happiest when they are with their pack. So, while some dogs are perfectly fine with being left alone for a few hours, most dogs, especially high-energy and ‘working’ breeds, will suffer whenever they’re separated from their humans for too long – even more so, if there aren’t any other humans or pet companions around to otherwise keep them company. Separation anxiety is very common in dogs in general, but pooches that were previously abandoned or neglected, or spent time in a shelter before finding their forever home are especially prone to it. This is because they are anxious about being abandoned again.

2. Noise anxiety

Dogs have very good hearing – much better than humans. Your dog can hear sounds four times farther away than you, and have a much wider range of hearing, too. This means that dogs won’t just hear sounds ‘louder’ than you, they will also hear ‘more’ of them. In other words: noise levels that are still perfectly fine to you, might be really uncomfortable to your dog. Hence it comes as no surprise that noise anxiety is another very common form of dog anxiety. Sounds might be too loud; they might be unfamiliar and therefore scary to your pupper; 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. By the way: yelling at your dog can also be literally painful or even physically harmful to them because of their keen hearing and sensitive ears. Dogs will attempt to avoid or escape the sound. If this isn't possible, and they are trapped being exposed to the noise, it can be incredibly stressful for them.

3. 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. Depending on how severe their social anxiety is, those dogs could get stressed and fearful whenever they’re around (too many) people or animals they don’t know, whenever they are around humans or pets outside their pack, or sometimes even when they’re just around their own family and/or other family pets depending on the behavior of the individuals.

4. Environmental anxiety

Environmental anxiety is anxiety that is triggered by certain places or by being in situations that are loud, busy, or otherwise scary to your dog. Such places include, for example: the vet’s office, a place where they’ve been previously hurt or scared, crowded places, streets with loud traffic noises, or simply outside/close to windows during thunderstorms. Certain scents and smells can trigger environmental anxiety too.

5. 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. Examples would be a dog snapping at other dogs – or even humans – trying to take their toys or going near their dog bed. A really common trigger is if another dog or human tries to touch their food. Dogs can also be resource-guarding their humans. In this case, they might get ‘jealous’ of other people or pets interacting with their humans and react by barking or even showing hostile behavior towards the other person or animal, even if they’re ‘part of the pack’, like their owner’s partner.

6. Age-related anxiety

Just like humans, dogs might start to suffer from physical or mental issues when they get older, which, in turn, can also lead to anxiety. Your dog’s hearing could get worse with age, making it more prone to being scared by things ‘suddenly’ appearing next to it; an older dog that’s not as fast or mobile any more might be overwhelmed by younger playmates; and of course, senior puppers might also suffer from chronic pains, which could also contribute to them feeling more anxious or moody.

7. 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. General anxiety is rather common in dogs with traumatic backgrounds as they tend to be more anxious in general, but sudden, unexpected anxiety attacks can also occur in dogs that have always been treated with love and kindness and are generally well-trained. In the latter case, the triggers are often simply not obvious to the owner rather than there not being any trigger at all.

8. Boredom

Lastly, boredom can also cause anxiety-like symptoms in dogs. High-energy or working dog breeds, especially, tend to suffer from this if they don’t get enough exercise, stimulus, or attention.

What are the most common dog anxiety symptoms?

Dogs can’t tell you when they feel anxious, so, in order to be able to help your pooch whenever they feel anxious, it’s important for you to be able to recognize dog anxiety from its many possible symptoms.

Signs of anxiety in dogs range from subtle to obvious, while many of them can also signal other things. Barking, for example, can be a sign of anxiety, but it can also mean your dog is simply excited, feeling threatened or happily playing. Shivering, on the other hand, is another sign of anxiety but could also signal your dog having a fever or being too cold. For this reason, it makes sense to know all potential symptoms of dog anxiety and then see how many of your pupper shows; the more of them, the more likely it is, they are indeed suffering from anxiety.

Remember though, some of these signs (like urinating too much) could be a sign of another health condition. So, check out this blog on down syndrome in dogs if you're worried.

Some of the most common and obvious dog anxiety symptoms are:

• hiding and/or cowering under furniture or in a corner
• trying to run away
• Vocalization 
• panting and/or shivering
• urinating/defecating in the house
• biting or destroying furniture or environment
• digging in flower pots, outside, or even on carpets and floors
• excessive licking or chewing, often so much the area gets irritated
• aggressive behavior
• loss of appetite
• excessive drooling

And some further, more subtle signs of anxiety in dogs, are:

• pacing and general restlessness
• avoiding eye contact
• trying to lick your lips or hands (to appease you)
• pushing you away/lifting their paw
• visible whites of the eyes
• barking or howling
• repetitive/compulsive behavior

What breeds are prone to dog anxiety?

Just like with humans, there are dogs who have a more anxious disposition then others, and anxiety in dogs can happen in puppers of any breed. There are, however, a few dog breeds that are more prone to developing anxiety, especially high-energy/worker breeds, or breeds that are very social and therefore get lonely or scared easily whenever they are separated from (their) humans.

Some popular dog breeds that tend to suffer from anxiety more easily are:

• Australian Shepherds
• Bedlington Terriers
• Border Collies
• Bichon Frise 
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
• Chihuahuas
• Cocker Spaniel 
• German Shepherds
• German Shorthaired Pointer 
• Golden Retrievers
• Italian Greyhounds
• Jack Russel Terrier 
• Labrador Retrievers
• Papillons
• Poodles
• Pugs
• Springer Spaniel 
• Vizslas
• Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies)

How can I calm a dog's anxiety when I’m pet sitting?

If you’re looking for some in-detail pro tips on how to calm a dog while pet sitting, check out these ways to calm a dog while pet sitting.

In case you just want a quick overview, though, these are some things you can try to calm a dog with anxiety:

• Make sure they get plenty of exercise
• Play and cuddle with them
• Create a safe space for them
• Distract them with toys, treats, or games
• Give them a doggy massage
• Play them some music or special dog podcasts
• Make sure to stick to their feeding routine as closely as possible
• Make sure they have access to fresh drinking water 

While doing any of these things, especially trying to cuddle or massage them, be sure to pay attention to the dog’s body language. While some dogs find great comfort in people’s company and touch, those with certain forms of anxiety, especially social anxiety, might not appreciate it at all.

If playing, cuddling, distractions, and exercise aren’t enough to calm the pooch, there are also some natural remedies and anxiety meds for dogs you could give them – provided the dog’s owner has asked you to in advance.

5 natural remedies to calm dog anxiety

• Put them in a dog anxiety vest to make them feel hugged
• Get them an anxiety dog bed for extra comfort and a feeling of safety
• Use pheromone sprays, collars, or diffusers to make them feel calmer
• Give them calming supplements containing melatonin, vitamin B1 (thiamine), chamomile, L-theanine, or L-tryptophan (only if the dog’s owner has asked you to)
• Give them alternative remedies, such as homeopathic/Bach flower rescue remedies (again, only if the owner has asked you to)

5 dog anxiety medications

If you’re a pet owner yourself with a particularly anxious or nervous pooch, your veterinarian may recommend medication to help with their 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 for you and your dog. 

Knowing how to help anxious dogs should be part of any good pet sitter’s repertoire, and after reading our article, we’re sure you’re all set. Should you notice strange behavior in a pet you’re sitting, it’s still important to contact the owner to ask for advice, and in case you’d like to get a professional opinion during your pet sitting trip, don’t forget that, as a TrustedHousesitters pet sitter, you also have free access to a team of 24/7 veterinary experts anytime while on a sit.

Meet our veterinary expert, Emma

This article has been checked by veterinarian Emma Chandley, BVetMed MRCVS PGCertSAS. Emma graduated from the Royal Vet College in London in 2011. She has a keen interest in surgery and went on to do a postgraduate certificate in small animal surgery and was then awarded advanced practitioner status in the same discipline.

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