What are some strategies on how to calm an anxious dog?

5 years ago

An Irish Wolfhound sitting on a field watching the sunset

Hi Domino,

Thanks for your question.

The first thing that I would say is that I’m not a dog trainer, but I absolutely advise against a prong collar, a choker chain, a shock collar, or any other form of training that’s involved in negative feedback or punishment. This applies to any dog let alone a one with severe anxiety and high-stress levels. Just imagine what punishment is going to do to that dog. There’s a potential for them to develop a phobia and fear of you or they’re just going to become even more anxious.

Now with problems as severe as you’re describing, to give you the best chance of a successful outcome you really need to be thinking about working with a certified veterinary animal behaviourist if that’s at all possible in the area that you are in. Seeing a certified veterinary animal behaviourist is definitely the best option for them coming up with a treatment plan that’s suitable for your dog and your home situation.

I would suggest not walking him by yourself if you’re not strong enough to control him, especially when he’s panicking. You really need to be strong as well and some of these really large breeds, if they want to go, they will go no matter how strong you are. So really think twice about walking him by yourself and if possible walk your dog with a friend so that way both of you have a hold of the lead and you’re more able to control him. Also, use a harness and a short lead as retractable leads are seldom a good idea. The mechanism might fail or you suddenly try and stop your dog when they’re running out and they’ll just pull it out of your hand. Harnesses allow for better control rather than just a collar around the neck and then I would use a short study lead with a really sturdy clip to make sure that nothing breaks.

You also want to avoid anything that acts as a trigger. When we’ve got a phobia or anxiety, for every negative experience, it makes that behaviour more ingrained so we want to try and avoid that if at all possible. Lastly, talk to your vet as soon as possible, especially if there’s going to be any delay in seeing a veterinary behaviourist to see what suitable medications are available for your dog in the short term. Unfortunately, with behavioural problems, there’s seldom a quick fix but if you get onto it sooner, then it’s going to be easier to control and to potentially reverse.

I hope this helps.