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Anxious Dog: Relax Your Four-Legged Friend with These Tips

By Kate Bryant
Published on 12/29/2023
Reviewed by Dr. Monica Sanders

Causes of Fear in Dogs

A storm is approaching, and your dog is gradually becoming a bundle of nerves. Or the neighbor with the distinctive voice comes by, and your previously docile four-legged friend snaps at him. If your pet frequently experiences fear in everyday situations, you should investigate the causes and assist them. In this guide, you’ll learn how to calm your anxious dog and boost its self-confidence.

Fear of Unknown Situations

Dogs often react cautiously to an unfamiliar environment, a stranger, other animals, or unfamiliar noises initially. This is entirely normal. However, if an animal consistently reacts with panic in the same situations, such as during a thunderstorm, you should take action. You might have an “anxiety dog” that needs your help. The reasons why a dog reacts fearfully in specific situations usually lie in its past.

Many animals…

have had negative experiences with people,
were not or were incorrectly trained, or
have a predisposition for fear.

In some cases, the animal was separated from its mother too early in puppyhood and is traumatized. This lack of essential socialization periods hinders the dog’s ability to cope with new situations. In other cases, the mother dog herself was afraid—perhaps of the owner or other dogs. This fear often transfers to the puppies. It could also be that the dog was mistreated, left alone, or ignored by a previous owner.
By the way, some dog breeds are more fearful than others, as a study by the University of Helsinki has found. The researchers discovered that the “Chinese Crested Dog” is the least insecure. In contrast, the “Cairn Terrier,” an English breed, is particularly fearful.

Initially, it is crucial to recognize and understand the fear in your companion.

Signs of Anxious Dogs

An insecure dog has various ways of dealing with a frightening situation. Veterinarians refer to the “4 Fs” – Flight, Freeze, Fight, and Fool around.

Flight: The animal tries to escape the situation by fleeing. If it is on a leash and cannot run away, it will choose one of the other three coping strategies.
Freeze: The four-legged friend adopts a stiff body posture and remains motionless. This behavior is similar to prey animals that play dead, hoping to be overlooked by the attacker.
Fight: The anxious dog reacts aggressively and goes on the offensive. It growls, barks, and snaps at the opponent to fend them off.
Fool around: The animal starts playing but looks around anxiously. It may jump on people and other dogs, exhibiting so-called “displacement behaviors” that the four-legged friend uses to calm itself.

Fear in dogs is expressed in body language

You can recognize that your four-legged friend may be afraid when it…

yawns excessively.
bites the leash.
adopts a crouched body posture and tucks the tail.
bends the hindquarters.
trembles or twitches.
licks – briefly runs its tongue over its nose to alleviate stress and excitement.
exhibits avoidance behavior – the dog tries to avoid certain situations or places or hides.
displays aggressive behavior – because it feels threatened.

First Step: Consult the Veterinarian

If your dog consistently reacts with panic in everyday situations, it’s best to consult a veterinarian. The veterinarian will initially examine your four-legged friend for physical ailments because even a sick dog experiencing pain or illness can appear anxious. If the veterinarian can rule out physical complaints or poisoning in your dog, they will likely provide tips on how to calm the animal yourself. They may also refer you to an animal behavior therapist or dog trainer.

By the way, there are many calming aids for stressed dogs, including herbal remedies and various pheromone products available as sprays, for example. The scents intended to have a relaxing effect on pets can also be integrated into a “calming collar.”

Important:

Only give your dog such aids after consulting a veterinarian. Never administer tranquilizers meant for humans to your pet, as even small doses can make your four-legged friend ill or even lead to poisoning.

Helping Your Dog Relax

The best way to support your anxious dog is by keeping calm yourself. If your dog becomes afraid of an object or person, remain calm and relaxed. Speak to your pet calmly and position yourself protectively between it and the object or person. Show your pet that, as the “pack leader,” you have everything under control, and there is no danger to them.

Important: Don’t ignore an insecure dog, but also don’t overly comfort them. Otherwise, they may learn that their fearful reaction is being rewarded. Never scold them. Otherwise, their fear may intensify in a similar situation. Instead, stay close to them and speak soothingly.

Tips for Dealing with Anxious Dogs

With a lot of patience and loving attention, you can help your pet remain calm in anxiety-inducing situations.

For Fear of Thunderstorms:

If your dog starts trembling and howling at the first roll of thunder, offer them a retreat like a blanket or a travel crate.
Remain calm yourself and reassure your pet that everything is okay.
Close-fitting T-shirts for dogs, known as “Thundershirts,” can have a calming effect due to the gentle pressure on the body.
If you and your anxious dog are caught outdoors in a thunderstorm, leash them securely so they cannot flee.
Even before a storm, you can condition your pet to calmness and relaxation. Practice when your pet is feeling comfortable and relaxed. Teach your dog, for example, to lie on a blanket and reward them for it. Over time, they should associate a pleasant situation with the blanket. Train with them daily for several weeks. During a thunderstorm, you can apply relaxation training to alleviate your dog’s fear.

For Fear of People:

Does your dog constantly bark at pedestrians or crowds? Here’s how to help them manage their fear:

Maintain a certain distance when passing other people.
Make sure you position yourself between your four-legged friend and the person.
Try to find out what frightens your dog. If your best friend reacts nervously to a wheelchair, a large backpack, or an umbrella, train with them at home. Open and close an umbrella, for example, in front of them. Once your dog remains relaxed, reward them for it. Positive reinforcement helps them stay calmer in real encounters.

For Fear of Other Dogs:

If your dog feels uncomfortable when encountering other members of its species, you should train with them:

When another dog approaches, observe your dog closely. If they remain relaxed, reward them. Always reinforce the desired behavior.
Practice such encounters with a well-socialized dog from your environment, for example. Both animals should initially be leashed, allowing them to get used to each other. Encourage your anxious dog and make sure not to overwhelm them. If necessary, interrupt the training and resume it at a later time.
To calm a stressed puppy, it’s best to stay calm yourself and offer them a retreat. Familiarize them with other members of their species as early as possible, ideally in a puppy training class.

Fear of Being Alone:

Does your dog bark when left alone? Is it restless and even scratches furniture? Or does it suffer quietly and withdraw? Four-legged companions are naturally pack animals and don’t like being left alone. Most dogs suffer from separation anxiety and feel helpless without their owner. It’s best to train your dog for solitude from a young age. Here’s how to prepare your dog:

Offer your dog a toy or a chew bone. If the animal relaxes, briefly leave the room. Ideally, it shouldn’t even notice that you’re not there.
Then extend the time you spend away. Get your dog used to the fact that you’re gone for five minutes and then for 15 minutes.
Re-enter the room when your dog is relaxed. If it barks and is restless, ignore it at first. Pay attention to it when it calms down.
If the training is successful, and your dog remains calm when you leave the room for an extended period, you can also leave the house.
Important: Try to avoid “rituals” like putting on shoes and jingling the house keys before leaving the apartment. For a dog suffering from separation anxiety, these could already be “stress triggers.”

Fear of Car Travel:

Unlike cats, dogs usually have fewer issues with car travel. However, among these canines, there are anxious animals that won’t even approach a vehicle. Here’s how to acclimate your beloved pet to the car:

Place the dog crate in the vehicle and leave the car door or trunk open so your pet can look around and sniff.
Place treats in the crate and encourage the dog to jump into the car.
If this works, and the animal willingly takes its place, close the car door and start the engine to get it used to the sounds. If it remains calm, reward it.
If the animal starts to howl during the ride, speak calmly to it. Ideally, have a passenger sit next to the dog.
For motion sickness with nausea and vomiting in dogs, medications prescribed by your veterinarian can help. You can also read about how to transport your dog safely in the corresponding guide.

Fear of the Vacuum Cleaner:

Many dogs react fearfully to loud noises like mixers or vacuum cleaners. To acclimate your dog to the latter, follow these steps:

Don’t turn on the vacuum cleaner for a while when your dog is nearby.
Then leave the door to the room where the device is open.
If the dog no longer barks at the vacuum cleaner, place it in a room that the animal uses.
If the dog avoids it, lure it with treats, placing them closer to the device each time.
Only when the animal has accepted the vacuum cleaner, turn it on—ideally, when the animal is outside. Later, the dog can be in an adjacent room when you use the device.
Once the dog remains calm, you can use the vacuum cleaner without restrictions.

Important:

If, after several weeks of intensive training, you notice that your fearful dog is not making progress, seek help from an expert. This could be a trained dog trainer or an animal behavior therapist.

Working with an Animal Behavior Therapist

Animal behavior therapists and dog trainers help you understand and deal with your four-legged friend’s fear. You’ll likely never completely free an anxious dog from its fear. However, targeted training can reduce the fear, and your pet learns to react more calmly in specific situations.

Part of the relaxation therapy for anxious dogs is to identify the trigger for their restless behavior. In a specialized training, professionals slowly and controlledly expose the dog to the anxiety trigger. At the same time, the owner tries to distract the animal, play with it, and cuddle to provide pleasant moments. Over time, the anxiety trigger no longer elicits the unwanted, anxious behavior, or does so less intensely. Experts refer to this as “desensitization.”

Preventing Fear: Dog Training for More Confidence:

Dogs that have a strong bond with their owners and are confident are more likely to calm down in stressful situations. By engaging in diverse dog training, such as in a dog school or with a qualified dog trainer, you strengthen the bond with your four-legged companion.

For example, when you conquer an obstacle course together, praise and reward your dog. This is crucial for its self-confidence. Over time, you’ll become a well-coordinated team, and it learns that it can trust you completely—even in new situations.

Frequent Questions and Answers about “Fearful Dogs”

What are dogs afraid of?

Many dogs react insecurely and stressed to new situations, loud noises, and unfamiliar objects. The most common fears in dogs include:

Thunderstorms and fireworks
The veterinarian—read our guide “Tips and Tricks for Vet Visits” for more information
Car rides
Being alone
Vacuum cleaners
Umbrellas and large backpacks
Strangers and playing children
Other conspecifics and animals

The puppy can’t be calmed down: What can be done?

To calm down an overexcited puppy, it’s best if you remain calm yourself. Sit down quietly and gently stroke the animal. The dog looks to you for guidance. Set up a quiet place for it, like its basket, associating it with relaxation. Offer activities here that won’t further excite it.

Important: Reinforce calm behavior in your puppy. As soon as it relaxes and sits down, give it a treat and praise it.

Are there calming aids for dogs?

There are many different calming aids for dogs on the market. Some are plant-based, including Bach flowers, valerian drops, and St. John’s wort tablets. Others are pheromone products offered as sprays or in collars.

Important: Only give such aids to your anxious dog after consulting with a veterinarian and only for a limited time. These medications only address the symptoms, not the causes of fear.

What can be done if the dog trembles during a thunderstorm?

Since dogs have excellent hearing and are startled by thunder, offer your pet a retreat where it can hide. This could be behind the sofa or in its dog crate. This allows it to calm down. Act as normal as possible in the situation. If you react in a panic, it transfers to your pet. Speak calmly to the animal and gently stroke it.