Our furry friends are a source of joy and laughter in our lives. Irrespective of the age or the breed of the dog, their daily activities often leave everyone rippling with laughter. Hence, it’s safe to say that imagining something that can be wrong with such a happy, active creature can be hard to believe, but unfortunately, it is true for many. Animals, just like us humans, experience behavioural and emotional problems like anxiety. In moderation, this is healthy and normal, but an excessively hyper and anxious dog will soon become difficult to deal with, causing problems for itself and everyone around him.

What does anxiety in dogs look like?

While all dog breeds have different behaviour, energy levels, and need for physical activities, anxiety looks quite similar and equally unpleasant for all. An appropriate amount of physical stimulation regularly is one of the most important aspects of a dog’s routine. Often ill-maintained or lack of regular playtime causes the pent-up energy which they lash out with the first chance they get.

A hyperactive dog all the time is not healthy behaviour and needs to be addressed. Hence, dog parents must devote significant time and energy to ensure that their pet is getting high-quality dog food with chicken flavored CBD treats for dogs, enough off-leash exercise, regular walks, and playtime to keep the energy of their furry one’s regulated. Apart from this, other causes of anxiety in dogs can manifest themselves in the following ways:

Separation Anxiety. Dogs associate happy times when they have human company. Ergo, for them, the absence of human presence equals no food, play, walk, or affection that they get from you. This is the biggest source of separation anxiety among dogs that can lead to destructive behaviour if not addressed with proper training. Hence, if your pet is ruining furniture when they’re home alone, peeing excessively indoors, excessive barking, or howling, they’re experiencing separation anxiety and need training to handle independent alone time better.

 Fear-related Anxiety. It is often noticed that dogs strongly abhor loud noises, such as loud horns, construction work, and especially firecrackers and thunderstorms. For some dogs, strange people or visual stimuli can also induce fear, such as someone coming without knocking or the picture of an animal or thing your dog is scared of. These fears can cause your dog to act out in its defence either by attacking the thing or creature or retreating in order to protect itself by digging, shaking, or hiding behind things.

Age-related Anxiety. Age can also contribute to senior dogs showing symptoms of anxiety due to Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS). Similar to humans, dogs too show signs of memory loss, a decline in awareness, slow learning like the signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Noticing deterioration in self can induce confusion and make older dogs anxious, which can show in their changing behaviour, depressions, excessive defecating in the house, drooling, panting, etc.

Since dogs cannot clearly articulate their fears and discomforts, detecting anxiety disorders can be difficult; but are nonetheless critical. Therefore, listen closely to what your beloved pet is trying to communicate with his behaviour and help calm its fears with positive reinforcement in the form of CBD treats. Citizen Hemp’s deliciously flavoured dog treats can help regulate your pets’ hyper behaviour and make training exercises more fun. So, place an order today for a pack of nutritious bites made with 100% natural ingredients and see your furry one calm and happy!