Did you know stress can impact your dog’s health, like their immune system? If you want to learn how to calm down a dog, we can help.

In this guide, we’ll go over ways to help a stressed dog. You can try these techniques out to help destress your beloved pet.

Want to learn more about stress relief for dogs? Keep reading.

1. Pick up a Calming Shirt or Coat

Calming shirts or coats place constant and mild pressure on your pet’s torso. Your dog will feel as if it’s wrapped in a swaddling cloth like a baby.

If your dog has separation anxiety, stranger anxiety, or travel anxiety, pick up one of these.

2. Don’t Forget About Physical Contact

One way to soothe your dog is through physical touch. You can pick your dog up, pet them, or cuddle with them on a comfy chair.

If they seem anxious, call them over to you and spend some time together.

While you watch a movie, pet your dog and tell them how much you love him or her. Your dog will feel a lot more relaxed.

3. You Can Massage Your Dog

Massage helps anxious and tense humans relax and can do the same for anxious dogs.

Anxiety will help release tension in dogs’ muscles and relieve tension. Begin to massage their neck and work down their back.

Keep one hand on your dog while you use your other hand to massage them.

4. Try a Time Out

Having an anxious reaction isn’t bad behavior. Yet, sometimes, your dog needs some time-out if it’s acting up.

Isolate your pet in a quiet and safe spot. This way, your dog can calm down and relax. You could make sure the space has low lights, soft music, and even a special treat.

5. Exercise Can Help Your Dog Destress

Does your dog seem to have separation anxiety? You can try and ease their mind by bonding with them during walks or playing together.

Pet owners need to leave their pets alone for a little bit. Anxiety will increase your dog’s energy. Bring your dog on a long walk or to play catch before you need to leave home for a bit.

Lots of physical contact and time spent talking to them will benefit your pet. Exercise produces beneficial endorphins for your pets during training too.

6. Are There Triggers You Can Remove From Your Home?

Sometimes, there are potential stressors or triggers in your home that you can remove.

If you visited your vet and ruled out different illnesses, begin to watch your dog at home. Do you notice that certain things stress them out?

Remove the stressors. Your dog’s anxiety may begin to lessen. If your dog is afraid of other people or dogs, don’t head to the local dog park.

Take your pet for a walk in an area where there aren’t a ton of other people. You could also play games at home.

7. Try Grooming Your Dog

Another way to spend more time with your dog and help relieve their anxiety is by brushing them each night. Spend up to 15 minutes brushing their fur.

Your dog will love this attention and will feel good. You’ll also have a chance to see if your pet has any sores or abrasions.

8. Stimulate Your Dog’s Mind

Teach your dog a new trick. When your dog focuses on learning something new, it diverts its attention.

Try to engage with your pet one-on-one. Dogs tend to crave this attention if he or she were away from their owners during the day.

A lot of dogs tend to become stressed or anxious because he or she feels bored. You can help ease this response by spending quality time together.

Physical exertion is essential, but so is mental effort. Try something new with your pet so it can feel challenged and have some stress relief.

You could bring them on a different route during your walk. Your dog will have a chance to meet new people and sniff various shrubs or bushes.

You could also give your pet a puzzle ball to play with and boost his or her mental stimulation.

9. Consider Looking Into Supplements

Pet owners sometimes will treat stress or anxiety with melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that tends to arise naturally in the dog’s bloodstream during sleep.

Melatonin could help your dog remain calm for a short period. Give melatonin to it during a car trip or a thunderstorm.

Another common supplement recommended by veterinarians is L-tryptophan or L-theanine supplements. These supplements can help with moderate or mild anxiety.

Zylkene is a derivative of a milk protein. This can help calm your pet. With senior dogs who have a new symptom of anxiety, vets tend to recommend zylkene.

You can give it to your pet daily or for specific situations when your pet needs to calm down.

CBD chews, and oil has also become another option for pet owners to try. You can read more here.

Now You Know How to Calm Down a Stressed Dog

We hope this guide on how to reduce dog anxiety was helpful.

You can try calming down your stressed dog by providing it with plenty of mental stimulation. Bring your dog on lots of walks during the week. Make sure you spend quality time together.

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