So, you are seconds away from going off on your trip and you can’t wait to see all the places you have planned to visit, experience new cultures, and create long-lasting memories. But then you start thinking about whether you made sure to confirm your reservation, you packed everything you needed, or whether you will like your hotel, have a nice trip, and so on. Some of these worries are things you can fix and control, and some are not, but they can all cause you to be equally as anxious.
Just like you can feel anxiety before, during, or after a trip, so can your dog. Anxiety in dogs is not only caused by thunderstorms and fireworks. Being in an unfamiliar place, being away from the comforts of home, or being away from certain people or their usual surroundings can feed your dog’s curious nature, but it can also cause them to feel anxiety. And since anxiety can dampen the joy of travel for your dog, and traveling should be fun for the whole family… How do we fix it?
First, we have to learn to identify it.
Signs
According to the American Kennel Club, the symptoms of anxiety are as follows:
- Aggression
- Urinating or defecating in the house
- Drooling
- Panting
- Destructive behavior
- Depression
- Excessive barking
- Pacing
- Restlessness
- Repetitive or compulsive behaviors
What to do?
Anxiety is often caused by discomfort, stress, and fear. So helping your dogs be more comfortable while traveling by appealing to their senses could help them associate travel with a pleasing and familiar experience.
Nevertheless, to prevent stress from causing anxiety it’s not enough to just manage specific external factors. It’s also important to train your dogs so that they can feel safe and knows how to behave in any situation.
To be able to travel with your pups anxiety-free, you will have to teach them to no longer fear people, vehicles, or the new environments, all throughout their life.
That’s why we have compiled a series of articles where you will find information about the situations that can cause anxiety in your pet as well as tips to make sure your faithful partner does not miss any adventures.
1 – Traveling can produce anxiety not only in your pet. Plan in advance and consider these tips so that to traveling together can be a fun experience for all.
2 – If your pets suffer from stress, they can develop new habits to avoid the discomfort, that if isn’t managed early on, can lead to problems like anxiety.
3 – When planning a party or a family get-together, apply these simple strategies to prevent your dog from feeling anxious.
4 – A new house is one of the most common factors of anxiety in the pets, these tips will help you prevent your dog from feeling affected by this change in environment.
Things You Need To Know When Moving To A New House With Your Dog
5 – A baby in the family will bring modifications to your lifestyle and it might raise your pet’s stress levels.
6 – If your dogs have experienced a traumatic situation, they can display some unusual behaviors due to the stress endured, and may, in time, produce anxiety.
7 – Kinetosis or motion sickness might be the reason why your dog experiences discomfort or anxiety while on the road.
8 – A fun match is an ideal way to evaluate the socialization level and behavior of your pet, especially in the presence of other dogs.
9 – Drawing a clear line between permitted behaviors and those that aren’t will help you to teach your dog to be well behaved, both at home and out in public. This will allow your pup to be better equipped to adapt to different or new situations or environments.
10 – With some basic dog training techniques you can easily begin to train your dog. Explore training courses in our academy.
If all else fails, and your dog continues to show signs of anxiety when you travel, you should consult your vet to see if there are any natural or prescription medication that could help.
Remember that whatever the reason for your dog’s anxiety, following these tricks could help solve the issue, so that your loyal companion won’t miss any dog-friendly adventures.
