How to Calm a Frightened Dog

Dogs can be scared for so many reasons. Some of them are rational while some of them are not. Thunderstorms and fireworks are two main causes of fright among dogs. Others become frightened when meeting strangers, because of separation anxiety, and some when confronting unfamiliar animals and objects. What are the signs of a frightened dog? Signs that your dog may be frightened range from sudden flight to physical reactions like whimpering, urination, and shaking. But a sudden change in behavior may indicate a medical problem. Take your dog to a veterinarian if you notice him acting fearful for no reason.

To calm a frightened dog, consider these helpful tips.

Tip #1:

Identify what caused your dog to be frightened. Though dogs may have anxious personalities, your dog may not likely to be scared for no apparent reason. As much as possible, remove the cause of the fright or remove your dog from its location. When the source of the fear is gone, you can easily calm your dog.

Tip #2:

Dog can pick up any of our negative emotions. Many times, it could be frightening for dog owners if your dog suddenly becomes agitated. Stay calm because they are sensitive to your emotions. If you are angry, annoyed, aggravated, or upset with him, you won't be able to help him calm down. Fear is an involuntary reaction and your dog is not trying to get you mad. Take a deep breath and know that your dog's fright is making him vulnerable. He also needs you to be calm so he'll feel safe. Quietly speak to him and reassure him everything's going to be fine.

Tip #3:

Always create a safe environment for your pet. Fear can trigger a dog's fight or flight reflex and any dog will try to flee whenever he can especially if the fright level is high. Make sure that you give your pet a place where he feels safe and where he could calm himself whenever he feels anxious or frightened. You could use a large blanket to cover the dog crate and place soft blankets. Also place chew toys inside. You could also make comfortable bedding at the bottom of the closet or in the corner of a quiet room. Train your dog to retreat to these places when he is scared and he will learn to calm down on his own.

Tip #4:

Aromatherapy also helps calm frightened dogs. It uses natural mood-altering benefits of scents to produce a relaxed and calm feeling. You can use a few drops of lavender oil in a diffuser. It will help your dog feel calm and more relaxed. You can also place a few drops using a cotton ball and place it out of his reach nearer his safe place.

Tip #5:

One way to calm your dog is to desensitize him over time to the object or thing he fears the most. Identify the objects or things first then you could move one when he no longer show signs of fear.

Rhonda Moore has raised five dogs. She loves to travel and write about pet including dog's natural remedies, common pet problems, traveling, and other topics at www.dogfond.com

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6 Tips to Calm a Scared Dog

To calm a scared dog you must first know what signs to look for in a frightened dog. A scared dog might display a variety of strange behaviors ranging from trying to escape or hide in a safe place, barking, urinating, defecating, trembling and even becoming aggressive in an attempt to protect their own physical integrity.

It is quite common for some dogs to develop a fear of loud environmental noises. Below are six tips to help ease a scared dog experiencing noise phobias.

1. Do not pet and reassure a scared dog

This is a natural instinct but refrain from soothing and attempting to comfort your dog. Although this is what we commonly do with children, it does not work the same with dogs. On the contrary, dogs will tend to think that their fear is justifiable since, by trying to calm them down, you are acting as if the fear was indeed real and justified.

2. Act as if everything is normal and use distractions

Play with your dog's favorite toy or use treats as a positive reward for doing simple obedience commands such as sit or down. When your dog begins to show signs of nervousness, the goal is to distract them from the real source of their anguish which is the noise phobia. Ultimately you want your dog to slowly start associating the situation (the noise) with positive attention and fun rewards.

3. Desensitize your dog to environmental noises with a Mp3 Audio Download

On a regular basis play an audio that has a variety of loud noises that frighten a lot of dogs. Include the sounds that scare your dog but be sure to expose them to other noises that they may not have yet encountered. Start off by playing the audio very low and distracting your dog with play or food. Gradually increase the volume level and continue to distract your dog. Eventually your dog will become desensitized to loud sounds through repetition, consistency and positive rewards.

4. Create a safe and comfortable environment

Provide your dog with a shelter that they will feel at ease and reassured in such as secure room or a dog crate. Make this area available to your dog regularly so they are comfortable in it and it is familiar to them. This will allow your dog to hide out when they want to escape the factor causing the fear, or the fear itself.

And don't forget the white noise. Reduce the volume level of your dog's noise phobia by turning on a fan, some music or the television. It helps!

5. Exercise

If you are able to plan ahead; exercise, exercise, and more exercise because a tired dog is a good thing. Get out and get some exercise before the thunderstorm rolls in or before the neighborhood kids start lighting fireworks at dusk. Exercising will make your dog more physically and mentally tired, thus reducing their responsiveness to the noise. It will also increase the serotonin levels of the brain, a hormone that acts as a sedative.

6. Sedating your dog with medication

Anxiolytic medicines might be an emergency solution in the case you cannot manage to calm a scared dog and the anxious behavior is increasing. Valium is more useful if administered 30-60 mn before the loud noise starts. Be aware that strong medicines can cause liver damage and should only be administered by a veterinarian. Numerous vets and dog specialists will only sedate a dog under extreme circumstances. It is recommended to first look into herbal remedies, including lavender and geranium oils, chamomile, peppermint extract and D.A.P - a product acting like a pheromone and supposed to appease your dog.

By the way, do you want to learn more about ending your dog's fear of loud noises?

If so, I suggest you check out how to environmentally desensitize your dog safely with the Scared Dog Audio Program.

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How To Naturally Calm an Anxious or Stressed Dog

Does your dog get anxious during a thunderstorm, car rides, or at the vet? Many dogs struggle with anxiety at different levels. There are several treatments for dog anxiety and stress, but the hard part is finding natural treatments that work. Dogs can become destructive, scared, and noisy if you don't resolve this issue. In this article we will discuss the various methods available for natural dog calming.

Natural Dog Calming treatments come in different forms, such as supplements, aromatherapy, and pressure treatments. But before you go out and find a treatment for anxiety, there is a solution you could try at home without purchasing anything. Many dogs today are being left at home all day in a room or crate without space to move around. They have a high level of built up energy that needs to be used. You could take a walk with your dog in the morning or evening to expend some of that energy. If walking is not for you, try a fetch toy and train your dog to bring it back to you after each throw. These methods may solve the problem and wear your dog out enough to take the edge off.

Natural Calming Remedies such as Pro Calm by K9 Granola Factory focus on herbs as a means to calm dogs. They utilize Kava Kava and Valerian Root to relieve tension and anxiety. One of the wonderful things about herbal methods is they are not addictive. Herbs have been used for a long time with great results in both humans and animals. Kava Kava and Valerian Root do not sedate like tranquilizers. Your dog will still have the mental and physical capacities they had before, just calmer. Many trainers in the dog show industry use these herbs to help dogs focus for their events. Most herbal treatments have a quick effect (usually within 20 minutes). This means you can plan ahead for what triggers your dog and take care of it before it begins.

The essential oil of lavender is used to calm dogs. The scent of lavender has been known to calm humans and animals alike for many years. Spot Organics Chill aromatherapy spray uses lavender as the active ingredient. It's easy to use, just spray on the dog bed, or directly on your dog's neck or back.

Thundershirts are the most common form of pressure treatment for dog anxiety. It works by applying gentle constant pressure to the dogs' body and in return you have a calmer dog. Pressure treatment has been used with much success in both dogs and humans.

Dogs are naturally wired and we now know how to naturally calm them. There is no need to have sleepless nights or destructive car rides because of an anxious dog. Natural calming treatments are an affordable and healthier way to calm your dog with a great success rate. Try one today and get rid of the anxiety caused by dogs in your home.

About Brandon Fritz:

Brandon Fritz, owner of NaturalPetWarehouse.com provides pet owners with the best natural dog stress and anxiety treatment products available. They also sell a wide variety of vitamins and supplements that cover a multitude of conditions.

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Keeping Your Fearful Dog Calm During Storms

Do you have a dog that shows fear with thunderstorms or maybe even fireworks on 4 July. Watching your dog suffer with anxiety is no fun. There are some things you can do to help your dog during these difficult times. Let's talk about a few of them and see if we can find one that will help your dog.

One of the options it's available is what's called a Thunder Jacket. A thunder jackets actually wraps around your dog's torso. It's important to make sure that it's fairly snug. Thunder Jackets seem to work great with some dogs and have absolutely no effect on other dogs.

Some of my clients have had great results using audio as in an audio CD or recording of thunder, lightning or fireworks to help desensitize their dog. These recordings are commercially available online. Simply go to Google and type in desensitizing your dog to thunder and fireworks CD, you'll find many options to choose from.

The key to these CDs is to start with the volume low and over a period of time raise the volume so that is very loud. Hopefully your dog will become accustomed to the sound and it won't be something that causes fear.

You can also try some herbal remedies and aromas. A product that is used quite often is called rescue remedy and it's a popular treatment for noise phobia. I've had some clients recommend D. A. P. Which is a pheromone from a lactating mother. It is a smell that he remembers from being a puppy and is supposed to calm your dog. Like everything else these remedies work for some dogs and not for others.

Having a place for your dog to go during storms or fireworks can also be a good solution. An example would be his crate in a dark room are simply a place that you can burrow into as if it's his cave.

Of course you can always try to drown out the sound of the fireworks a storm by simply turning up your TV or stereo. This works in some cases

In conclusion hopefully one of these methods will work for your dog. Another option you can certainly consider to help your dog is talking to your veterinarian. Your vet may possibly prescribe a sedative that you can give your dog during these fearful times.

Wayne Booth is owner of Canine Behavior Specialists, http://www.CanineBehaviorSpecialists.com in Nashville, TN where he helps people train their dogs and solve behavior problems. Wayne has been teaching people how to become Professional Dog Trainers since 1990 and he is the Training Director of the Canine Behavior Specialists Network, http://www.K9-University.com.

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Top 20 Dog Breeds to Own As a Pet

While there is a countless number of dog breeds available, especially now with "designer" dog breed becoming popular, there are some dog breeds that are considered the best dogs for families to own as a pet. Below are what many feel are the top 20 dog breeds to own as a pet, and why these dogs are so popular and loved.

The Top 20 Dog Breed to Own as a Pet

o Collie
o Boxer
o Bichon Frise
o Labrador Retriever
o Basset Hound
o Whippet
o Pomeranian
o Irish Setter
o Golden Retriever
o Great Pyrenees
o Cairn Terrier
o Shih tzu
o Poodle
o Airedale
o Beagle
o Pug
o Newfoundland
o West Highland White Terrier
o Schnauzer
o Pembroke Welsh Corgie

In this article, several qualities have been taken into consideration to determine the top 20 dog breeds for pet ownership. Qualities such as temperament, intelligence and activity levels have been evaluated to determine which dog breeds are the best for families.

When determining which of the top 20 dog breeds to own as a pet, there is a good reason why the above listed breeds are usually chosen by families. Even if you do not have a large family, when seeking a dog to have as a pet you want one that has certain traits. Your pet should be friendly, yet loyal and protective. Your pet should also be tolerant and patient. All of the top 20 dog breeds listed above have each of these qualities.

Some of these dogs such as the Bichon, Basset Hound, Shih tzu, Cairn Terrier, Collie, Pomeranian and Pug are the best dog breed for families with younger children because they are more tolerant of the "accidental" poor behaviors of children like the occasional rough petting or tug. Of course, good and bad dogs can be found in almost any dog b reeds, so if you do have young children you should take your dog ownership seriously and be a responsible pet owner and parent, and never leave your children unattended with your pets.

For people looking for calm dog breeds to own as a pet, there are plenty to choose from in the top 20 dog listed above. The Basset Hound, Shih tzu, Collie, Boston Terrier and Pugs are all playful in their own right, but are also well-known for being calm dog breeds and are perfect for those families that are looking for a dog that is a little less demanding.

Dog ownership can be very rewarding provided you find the right dog breed for you and your family. The best way for you to find the right dog breed is to thoroughly research each of the breeds that you are interested in, and learn as much as you can about them. Dog ownership should be taken very seriously. Even if you find a dog breed within this list of top 20 breeds and you conclude that the dog is not a good fit for you and your family, then you should find another dog to adopt. However, once you take the time to ensure that you are getting the best dog for your family, you will enjoy many years as a happy and proud dog owner.

Global Pet Village ([http://www.globalpetvillage.com/]) is a worldwide family friendly community for pets, ([http://www.globalpetvillage.com/]), and those who care about pets. Our goal is to provide an environment where pet owners can come together and exchange information, pictures, videos, diaries, common interests and useful ideas about.

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