Anxious dog training: the ManyPets guide

This article was written by veterinary clinician Dr. Kirsten Ronngren (DVM MRCVS) with contributions from certified canine behaviourist and trainer Adem Fehmi (BSc MCFBA). The intention is to inform, not replace advice from your veterinarian. We love our pets like family, so it makes sense that their emotional and mental well-being has come to the forefront of our minds. Pet behaviour has rightfully been a big focus in recent years. Vets see a high volume of pets with phobias, aggression, and anxiety, so pet parents need to help our dogs get the best quality of life they can. That happens through three methods: understanding, treatment and training. Over the course of this article, I’ll lay out the best strategies for training an anxious dog and help you learn what’s making them anxious in the first place. I’ll draw from my own clinical experience, as well as a discussion with certified dog trainer Adem Fehmi (BSc, MCFBA). What's dog anxiety exactly? Canine anxiety is a complex issue. It would be wonderful if there were an easy fix, but as an experienced veterinary clinician I can tell you that’s simply not the case. To make things a bit clearer, dog anxiety is a behavioural disorder characterised by excessive fear or worry. These are the most important points I’ll emphasise: Some dogs have fears or phobias that can be more readily managed with desensitisation training or minor modifications to their routine. But many dogs struggle with more complex anxieties. These can only be addressed when we dig into the problem and develop a long-term management plan. How to tell if your dog has anxiety Common symptoms of anxiety in dogs When trying to classify whether a dog has a behavioural condition such as anxiety, it’s important for pet owners to recognise signs that a dog is anxious. Let’s recap some common indicators: Being able to identify these signs as stress can help you know when your dog is anxious. Then you can try to identify the triggers or instigators of that anxiety. Often when a dog can be classified as aggressive, what they’re actually showing is a manifestation of anxiety or fear. Types of anxiety disorders in dogs Anxiety in dogs can manifest in many ways. Possible anxiety disorders in dogs include: Generalised anxiety This is where dogs experience a general state of fear that may not be associated with a distinct trigger. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Dogs can have OCD, and appears as excessive repetitive actions such as licking, pacing or tail chasing. Phobias and sensitivities Dogs dealing with noise sensitivities and phobias will often appear anxious. Separation anxiety Separation anxiety is a separate issue, and we have a guide covering separation anxiety in dogs. We also discuss more on this later. Social anxiety Dogs can become socially anxious, especially if they’ve had negative experiences in the past. Understanding the causes of dog anxiety There are several ways we can break down behavioural conditions in dogs. Here are a few groups we consider: To successfully understand and improve these behaviours, it’s helpful that we try to uncover what type of condition is at play, and what the underlying triggers are for that particular dog. Root causes of anxiety can include genetics, environment, previous traumas or experiences, a dog's daily routine, and even how we humans interact with them. First, it’s important for your veterinarian to make sure there are no underlying medical conditions that may be causing your dog to display unwanted behaviours. A common one that is often missed by owners is actually pain, as sometimes little cues from our pets can be subtle. Addressing these conditions appropriately can help you to determine if the behaviour will persist even when your dog is physically healthy. If it does, you can continue to work on diagnosing and managing the issue. In some cases, prescription medication for anxiety or behavioural conditions may be warranted. (I’ll address this a bit more in the “When to seek a professional” section). Effective dog training for anxious dogs There is no one perfect way to work on training or behavioural modification for an anxious dog. Training your pet isn’t like following a recipe; there’s no single formula that can work for every dog. Anxious reactive dog training is complicated. While this can be daunting, it also means we have the opportunity to personalise this training for every dog, which increases the chance of success. It’s important to start by identifying the specific condition, then identifying the potential triggers. Let’s use the example of a dog that barks at other dogs while on the leash. Some may see the dog as aggressive. The owner, meanwhile, may classify the dog as an anxiety sufferer. While both of these assessments could be true, let’s rewind and think about why this dog barks. The barking could be due to many reasons, like: That’s a long list of possibilities, which means that trying to tackle your dog’s anxiety could require a variety of different interventions. We know that dogs respond best to positive rewards for positive behaviours . But it’s easy to make mistakes. For instance, in the scenario where a dog is barking at other dogs while on a leash, the owner may be inclined to provide extra attention to their dog in the hopes of calming them down. But this is actually an example of rewarding unwanted behaviour. The extra attention comes from a place of caring and a desire to decrease your dog’s stress, but this type of attention can accomplish the opposite of what we want; in other words, it can encourage the behaviour by showing your dog that they’ll receive increased attention and vocal recognition when they bark. So, what's the most effective approach? A more effective approach could include trying to uncover why the dog is barking in the first place. If it’s because the dog has had previous unpleasant experiences on a leash with other dogs, then a reasonable place to start would be slowly introducing your dog to positive experiences with other dogs while on a leash. This may be as simple as distracting your dog with something they love (like a ball or a treat) and then providing a reward or praise when your dog doesn’t react to the other dog. You can then progress to introducing your dog to other leashed dogs. Just make sure you do so in a way that lets your dog know they can exit the situation if they feel overwhelmed, and that leaves them feeling safe in general. This slow progression takes time and dedication on a dog owner's part. But it can be extremely successful. An essential part of behaviour modification is using what canine behaviourist Adem Fehmi refers to as a “lure.” This is an object such as a favourite toy, or a high value treat that will defuse unwanted behaviours and refocus a dog's attention in most circumstances. The lure can be used in several ways including gaining attention, granting a reward, helping to overcome a fear/phobia, and more. Anxious dog training examples Desensitisation and counterconditioning Gradually expose the dog to anxiety triggers in a controlled, low-intensity way while pairing them with positive experiences (e.g., treats, playtime) to change their emotional response. Positive reinforcement and reward-based training Encourage calm behaviour by rewarding desirable actions with treats, praise, or toys, reinforcing confidence and reducing anxious reactions. The importance of routine and consistency Maintain a structured daily schedule for feeding, walks, and training to provide stability and reduce uncertainty, helping the dog feel more secure. Tools and aids for anxious dogs Use anxiety-reducing tools like calming vests, pheromone diffusers, white noise machines, and interactive toys to create a soothing environment and support training efforts. How to help a dog with separation anxiety The same concepts can be applied to things like separation anxiety. It’s essential in these situations to get an in-depth look at the animal’s daily routine. As people return to work or leave for more social activities, dogs that are used to having their humans around consistently will often experience new feelings of stress and uncertainty. This can manifest as destructive behaviour. Owners need to make sure their dogs get ample and regular exercise. And in general, the way you behave toward your pet when you’re at home can play a key role in mitigating your dog’s stress when you’re gone. Behaviourists typically encourage owners to employ calm voices and behaviours prior to leaving the home, and also upon return. Routine actions like putting shoes on or jingling your keys can also stimulate the onset of anxiety once your dog begins to associate these things with you leaving. Breaking this association and subsequent anxiety can be extremely helpful. For example, when you put your shoes on or get your keys you can give your dog a high value treat or toy and then continue doing other things without directing excessive attention toward your dog. This can help decrease the anxious link in their brain between shoes or keys and the stress of you leaving. And upon return, you should avoid excitable energy and try to remain in a calm state. When to seek a professional As I’ve mentioned, some dogs have mild fears or phobias that pet owners can address over time with things like safe desensitisation. These cases require time and effort, but you can likely manage them without the help of a professional. And the earlier you intervene, the more likely it is that you and your dog will achieve success with training. Dogs who display anxious behaviour in response to a stimulus or trigger can become harder to treat — and their behaviours may become more severe — as time and repeated exposure continue without intervention. There are some dogs who may need the assistance of a professional when it comes to treating or managing their behavioural conditions. These are the pets that maintain the anxiety that impacts their quality of life, their safety, or the safety of other pets and people around them, even after you’ve tried to intervene. First, I encourage dog owners to have a veterinarian evaluate their pet’s health to rule out potential underlying pain or medical conditions (such as arthritis , thyroid disease or kidney dysfunction). A thorough physical examination and basic diagnostics such as blood and urine testing can give you an overview of your pet’s physical health. Addressing pain or disease first can have a huge positive impact on your pet’s behavioural conditions. If these tests don’t uncover any underlying health conditions, then setting up an in-home consultation with a certified dog trainer/behaviourist, or specialty veterinary behaviourist, is the recommended next step. “The value of having an expert assess your pet’s daily life and routine is immeasurable”, says Adem. This allows a trainer/behaviourist to work with your pet in your pet’s own territory and help determine what the underlying triggers of anxiety are. Sometimes an extended-duration appointment with a veterinarian with experience in behavioural modification can also help, as it’s an opportunity to discuss whether anti-anxiety supplements or prescription medications may be warranted. In severe cases, it’s not uncommon for dogs to do best with both behavioural modification and medication. Take a deep breath, you've got this As more dogs come home with more people, instances of canine anxiety and related behavioural conditions are only going to increase. While treating these dogs can feel frustrating and daunting, there are many fabulous resources available these days. If you get your pet as a puppy or young dog, it’s essential to focus extra attention on training, behaviour, socialisation, and exposure to new experiences. But don’t fret, even adult dogs can still be supported and managed to improve anxiety and related behavioural conditions. If you’re not sure whether your dog's behaviour should be classified as anxiety and treated, ask your veterinarian! Vets can help you decide if a certain behaviour is “normal” — and, if it’s not, they can help you find the best resources to address it. Our pets do so much for us, so let’s treat their emotional and mental wellbeing to the best of our ability. They deserve it.

Anxious dog training: the ManyPets guide

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