https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:09:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784944 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:52:45 +0000 Happygal 1784944@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shellio: ouch. I'm sorry to hear about your other dog--I've had a few friends who have had to deal with that, and it's so tough! </p> <p>I had a friend with a very anxious dog who swore her pup hated the crate, but when I lent her one of my airplane ones, the dog loved it! Some crates are cozier than others. But if your dog has a bed she likes, that's a great start. If you check out Kikopup on youtube, she has some good videos on how to teach calming behaviors to dogs--hopefully those could be a help as well. Keep us updated! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784923 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:44:25 +0000 shellio 1784923@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks to everyone! </p> <p>We have a thunder shirt and did find it useful when we started using it but it doesn't seem to add anything these days. We did have a vet visit where my husband brought it up and it sounds like either he wasn't persistent enough or the vet didn't take him very seriously, I wasn't there but he said she suggested sedatives which doesn't sound quite right to me based on her symptoms. I will definitely ask specifically about Prozac as soon as we can get another appt. </p> <p>@Happygal: Thanks for all your great advice. She seems ok with sleeping elsewhere, we head upstairs to the bedroom and she just watches us go and then goes to the basement. She has never liked the crate and we've never needed one so I'm not sure we even have ours anymore. I had been walking her consistently and didn't really notice an improvement - the other complicating factor is that our other dog has ruptured her cruciate ligament and needs surgery soon and she absolutely flips out if we take the anxious dog out without her so it is hard to walk just the anxious one... oh, the joys of having dogs. I love the idea of giving her a comfy place of her own with a bone and/or chew toy that she can enjoy. I will also look into a behaviorist because having someone in our home to observe and guide us would be very helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784620 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:52:52 +0000 Cole 1784620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree about the thunder shirt option- I actually put a toddler t shirt on my 40 pound dog when he's nervous and it helps, although he admittedly looks absurd :happy: . It might not work if your dog isn't used to it but crating my dog really helps when he is starting to get nervous, he seems to feel like he is invincible in there. He has a few other den like places in the house he retreats to as well. </p> <p>We noticed an uptick in nervous behavior with him a few months ago and another thing that has helped is spending more time on training activities. It seems to help his confidence so while he is stool a nervous dog it isn't as pronounced.</p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784610 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:48:01 +0000 LC 1784610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thundershirt didn't work for us either. Our dog has always been anxious, but it got worse recently and I couldn't deal with the neediness and always being under foot - and I felt awful for her. She's now on doggie prozac and it's helping. We haven't nailed down the correct dosage quiet yet, but we're close. I highly recommend talking to your vet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784575 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:36:35 +0000 snowjewelz 1784575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thundershirt didn't really work for us. Our dog's triggers are thunderstorms and fireworks mainly. Vet told us to have her take some benadryl, but usually it's too late by the time she needs to take it so the vet said in the summertime when these noise happen it doesn't hurt to have her eat them regularly (she has allergies anyway). I'd def speak to a vet! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784564 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 08:31:54 +0000 Happygal 1784564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shellio: If you talked to your vet, did he gave her a physical exam just to make sure there's no new physical issues taking place? </p> <p>I know it's tough to get a dog walk in, but I would really try to make sure there's enough exercise taking place each day. Free romping doggie day care time is not the same type of exercise as a walk. I would also be interested in having a behaviorist come to observe in the home--a trained professional may see certain triggers or behaviors that you don't notice.</p> <p>At night time, could you crate her in the room with you? Or is she ok with not being in the bedroom?</p> <p>Does your dog know a "go to your place" command? That would be a good one that could help keep you feeling safe while in the kitchen so she's not underfoot, and may help her to settle. If she likes to chew on things, you can give her something a bone while on her bed/crate. Sometimes tethering a dog when you're close by also helps the dog to settle. Is her appetite the same? I might consider starting to feed her out of a Kong to keep her occupied twice a day. </p> <p>After trying those things out for awhile, I would consider medication. My dog freaks out about having to go to the vet, so we have meds to give her before we go. I felt funny about it, but it's helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784333 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 06:34:13 +0000 Mrs.Pinecone316 1784333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shellio: It would be worth it to try the thunder shirt before going to medication. I heard it helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784317 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 06:07:32 +0000 heffalump 1784317@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My dog had separation anxiety. We tried everything, and he ended up on Prozac. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784316 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 05:58:45 +0000 FliegepilzHut 1784316@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ditto the Thundershirt! You might consider having her checked up by your vet, if you haven't already (I can imagine a few medical conditions that might mimic anxiety-- like maybe thyroid problems?) and maybe consider seeing a behaviorist. We were having trouble with fear-related aggression, which has been more manageable with Prozac. Are your kids still very young and could she be reacting to (normal, but unaccustomed) crying, shrieking, or sudden movements? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784314 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 05:54:39 +0000 TheSwissWifeStyle 1784314@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can try putting a snug t-shirt on her with a few drops of lavender essential oil, I've used that successfully on hyper active dogs, but not sure how it would work on your poor girl. Definitely talk to your vet. Best of luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784311 Mon, 28 Jul 2014 05:50:49 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1784311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My cat is on anti depressants and its been life changing! I would highly recommend! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784262 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 23:42:52 +0000 Mirage 1784262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thunder shirt and reconcile (like Prozac) worked for my dog </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784235 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 22:23:00 +0000 regberadaisy 1784235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My ILs dog was like that. They put her on Prozac, I think, and it seemed to help a bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784227 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 22:17:33 +0000 fussygal 1784227@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So sorry! :( I was going to recommend the ThunderShirt like @LovelyPlum: did. We've never used it but I've heard great things. </p> <p>Also, my ILs dog is on anxiety meds (he saw his older dog brother get attack by a raccoon and has been acting weird since) and it seems to work pretty well. It's just one tiny pill in the morning with his food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784170 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 21:32:39 +0000 MrsH 1784170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Medication? I'd talk to your vet. <a href="http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/behavioral-medications-dogs" rel="nofollow">http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/behavioral-medications-dogs</a> this website is helpful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1784162 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 21:24:10 +0000 LovelyPlum 1784162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm sorry :( Have you considered a Thundershirt? We have one and love ours! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/doggie-anxiety-any-advice#post-1783597 Sun, 27 Jul 2014 12:14:15 +0000 shellio 1783597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any tips anyone has are welcome... I have a mutt, around 8 years old, 50 lbs. We have had her since she was 1 and she has always gotten what look like panic/anxiety attacks, where she shakes and wants to be right next to us. They used to be intermittent, and associated with thunder or new situations. For the past several months, maybe up to a year or so, it has gotten progressively worse she is just anxious almost all the time. She lurks around with her head hanging low and wants to be right next to us - she is literally underfoot and it feels dangerous in the kitchen or when we're carrying our LOs. I want my happy dog back! She has gotten progressively worse and over the past few weeks she doesn't sleep in our room anymore because she gets worked up and jumps on the bed, which she is not allowed to do and has always been really good about. </p> <p>She doesn't have any destructive behavior. My husband is home with her all day every day so this isn't a separation issue. We do have two kids but no specific change has seemed to coincide with bringing them home, and she does really well with them. I admit that we don't get her out for walks or to the dog park as often as I'd like but even after being at the doggie day care where we lodge them when we're out of town for a couple of days, she has the exact same behavior so I don't think exercise is the answer. She takes Composure, a vitamin supplement, which seemed to help her a lot when we first started giving it to her but now I'm not sure what it does. Our vet offered sedatives, I'm not opposed to medicating my dog but it seems like anti-depressants might be more what she needs. (I was not at the visit where they talked about it.) If you have read this far, thank you so much, I would appreciate any advice. I want my dog to be happy and enjoy things again, right now having a dog really just feels like a chore. </p>