Ways To Calm Your Pets Anxiety

Pet Care

oi-Padmapreetham Mahalingam

By Padmapreetham Mahalingam

Saturday, March 14, 2015, 13:55 [IST]

You might have come home after a long day at work and you came to know from your neighbour that your dog has been driving the neighbourhood completely mad with his unvarying barking and howling. Are you familiar with this scenario? This means that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. It is predictable behaviour when you leave your pet at home alone. And sometimes due to loneliness, some pets react with anxiety, boredom or fear. Check out for different ways to calm down your pet in this article.

Anxiety is the most common among pets for a variety of reasons. It can be situational or it can be based on their personality. Some pet’s anxiety behaviour include nonstop barking, peeing in the house, chewing up furniture (shoes or garbage), eating his own poop, aggression towards other dogs (people and other animals). If you want to calm your cats then there are effective herbs to tranquil your kitty which can be purchased in the market. Here are some of the ways & tips to calm down your pet. It can help to ease their anxiety.

Exercise
One of the tips on how to calm your pet is to make sure it gets plenty of exercise in a day. Nothing is better for relieving stress other than physical exercise. Physical exercise is a great stress reliever and it should be included in your dog’s routine. Before you leave for work, start by taking your pet for a walk. Exercising kindles the production of serotonin (feel good chemicals) and at the same time it helps to get rid of tensions that intensify anxiety. If you want to reduce your pet’s anxiety, try making him or her run alongside you.

Catnip
This is one of the easiest ways to calm down your pet. If you are looking for ways to soothe your cat then try using herbs like catnip. Remember you should give it 15 minutes earlier in case you are planning to take your cat for regular check up at the veterinary clinic.

Say Good Bye
If your dog is facing separation anxiety then take a moment to tell your pet that you would miss him/ her before you leave for work. Remember to smile, display affection and say goodbye to your dog long before you leave. These are ways you can calm down your pet.

Aromatherapy
Never assume that dogs don’t experience scents. You might like the smell of essential oils for altering your mood and for your psychological well being, the same way it does give a calming effect for your pet Before using aromatherapy ask your vet what smell may successfully work on your pet to soothe his tension. Lavender helps to bring down the stress in dogs.

Toys
It is always better to create a habit for your pets to entertain themselves when they are left alone. When you are bringing a new pet into your home, let it become accustomed to being alone for long hours so that it can get used to the separation. Before leaving out, try to give toys for your pet to play with so that they can chew on them instead of nibbling on your dirty shoes. This way you can calm down your pet and it can relieve the stress.

Chamomile
If you want to calm down your cat then try natural flower essence to relieve the tension. Remember natural medications such as chamomile and valerian do not require a veterinarian's prescription if you are looking for ways to soothe your cat’s anxiety. Make sure to add one of these medications in liquid form to your pet's food and water an hour prior to your road trip to the vet or anywhere else.

Socialise
Never leave your pet for more than 8-hours alone. If your job doesn’t allow you to come home early then assign somebody the task to release your pet out so that they can have a break for some time. Make sure to allow your pet to socialise or exercise in the evening so that they won’t be painfully pinning for your attention. This tip can calm your pet.

Play
Look for ways to reduce the pent up tension in your pet. If your dog has the habit of feeling stressed when you take him or her for a car ride, then reframe the situation that can shrink the anxiety. Try to play the fetch ball game with your dog that he loves to take part in. You can put the ball near the car and then later try through the back seat of the car. These are ways you can motivate him to enjoy the experience of the car ride.

Massage
The other ways to calm your pet is through massage. Try long and gentle strokes on the various parts of the body for calming an anxious pet.

Distraction
If your pet is nervous about different situations such as crowd or loud noises then try to engage their brain with some tricks rather than leaving it unnoticed. It is always better to practice tricks that your pet is familiar with such as sit, stand and lie down or shake hands. It is better to treat them with food when they obey your commands. This way they associate with frightening things such as stranger or noise and would find it less intolerable.