Owning a dog can be lots of fun, but it can come with its own unique challenges. One of these is having to deal with an anxious canine. Anxiety can be quite common in dogs for a variety of reasons and can be caused by new places or being away from their humans. This can lead to undesirable behaviors, such as self-biting, excessive licking and destroying everything in sight. But don’t worry! There are a handful of all-natural ways to help your dog navigate these stressful emotions and relieve their anxiety.

Use a Thundershirt

The Thundershirt is a tight-fitting vest that applies gentle pressure to your dog’s body. Although originally created to help dogs overcome their fear of loud noises, it helps relieve all kinds of anxiety from situational anxiety to simply having an anxious personality.

Moderate to deep pressure has been shown to help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation in both humans and animals. The Thundershirt uses this same principle to help keep dogs calm. Its effectiveness has even been studied by scientists and found to significantly reduce anxiety and heart rate in dogs.

CBD Oil

Sourced from the flowers of non-psychoactive hemp plants, CBD, or cannabidiol, is a very potent medicinal compound that can promote wellness and reduce anxiety in your pet with no negative side effects. Since it doesn’t contain any THC, you don’t have to worry about Spot getting high.

CBD oil doesn’t have an unpleasant taste either, so it is very easy to give to pets. It can be mixed with their food or directly squirted into your dog's mouth. CBD comes in many different forms, and you can research which one your dog will prefer most. Just be sure to check with your vet on appropriate dosages.

Exercise

Taking your dog out for a run is another great way to bring down their anxiety. Just like in humans, exercise encourages your dog’s body to produce endorphins, which are feel-good chemicals that can reduce their stress. Getting out of the house will also help them burn all their pent-up energy, which could be what’s causing their anxiety to begin with.

While it can be scary dealing with anxiety in our furry friends, now you know some ways to help them when they’re not feeling their best. Best of all, these techniques don’t require you to resort to pharmaceutical medications for your dog. So next time your canine companion is feeling stressed out, try out one of these methods.

Here are a couple articles we think you’re going to find useful and interesting: