Collaborative Post
Keeping a pet can be a source of great stress. For all that they bring you joy, they can also cause worry and upset, not least when they’re sick. If you’re complaining “my dog keeps vomiting” to your vet, then you’re concerned, frustrated, and have been cleaning up lots of dog vomit: a recipe for stress.
What you might not appreciate is that dogs can also suffer from stress, anxiety and other mental issues that affect their health and happiness. Sometimes stress comes with a physical problem, sometimes it’s a purely mental phenomenon, but it’s a problem for your pets that you need to be aware of, so that’s what we’re taking a look at today.
Different Kinds of Stress
There are lots of different kinds of mental stress your dog can experience and they’re not all the same.
- Separation anxiety
Some dogs find it hard to be left alone – this can come from the lack of stimulation they have when by themselves, or from the worry of seeing someone they’re emotionally attached to leaving and not coming back.
If your dog lacks for stimulation when you go out, you need to make sure it has more toys and is practised at amusing itself for longer. If your dog reacts badly to being left alone because it fears abandonment, you need to commit to a course of training to build its resilience. Leaving your dog alone while you’re in the house for longer periods, then leaving and returning and finally taking full trips away can help your dog to cope without you for an extended time.
- Pain
Pain can cause stress for dogs, and lead to behaviours like growling, barking and even biting. If your dog becomes much more aggressive without warning, then it could be a sign they are in pain, and it’s a good idea to get them to a vet. If there’s no obvious injury then it’s even more important to get them checked out!
- Loud noises
Most dogs like a stable, calm environment with as many as 49% of dogs in the UK showing signs of fear connected with sound. Firework night and the surrounding days are one of the most difficult times of the year for dog owners.
At times when there’s lots of loud, unexpected noise and it’s upsetting your dog, there are simple things you can do to help: close the windows and curtains to cut down on the sound; put on the radio or television to provide a soothing background noise; and give your dog the space to find somewhere in the house it feels safe and let it shelter there until the disruption has passed.