It’s no different in canines. Like humans, they also experience anxiety.

Sometimes we humans need help understanding our puppies’ motivations, intentions, and problems. It can be challenging because our puppies can’t talk like us and quickly share their concerns. So, the responsibility falls on puppy owners to decode what appears to be some silly whines and react appropriately.

As a puppy parent, you should attend to your puppy’s distress calls, listen to their problems carefully, and come up with workable solutions so both can live in peace and appreciate each other’s company. However, if no effort helps improve your pup’s situation, you should meet your vet.

Your vet can suggest physical or mental stimulation activities, including engaging in travel, adventure, and sports, spending quality time with your pup, calming medications, or other therapies to restore peace. At the same time, consider purchasing pet insurance for dogs to keep your energetic pet covered for primary dog medical aid.

Pet insurance costs can be much less than the upfront vet bills you may need to pay during unanticipated pet health scenarios. So, contemplate buying a pet policy. In the meantime, follow these tips to help your puppy stay calm and composed.

1. Create a peaceful ecosystem

Positive associations and interactions are essential elements that help preserve the calm in a pet household. For instance, if your puppy hates to use the crate or share its bed with another fur baby, respect its choices and make sufficient arrangements to help them feel safe and secure. You can gradually train your pup to use the crate by placing comfort objects in it and allowing them to learn there is little to be scared about. When it comes to a multi-pet household providing each fur baby with only pet essentials can help avoid misunderstandings and quarrels.

Also, if the puppy feels intimidated by other fur babies, guests, or unfamiliar people/animals, confine them to a calm area of the house to prevent fear-induced aggression.

2. Understand their body language

Usually, anxious dogs breathe heavily, drool, move back and forth, and whine when they feel anxious. It’s a sign if you notice dogs putting their tail between their legs or pinning their ears. Always be vigilant and observe your canine’s body language to help them calm.

3. Shower them with physical affection

Nothing can come close to soothing or calming an anxious dog than a hug from the pet parent. Pet parents can help release stress by hugging and holding them and showing physical affection.

4. Play some classical music

Music is a therapy that heals the soul. There are vibrations in the music that are soothing and help to heal and calm down. If your canine is going through a separation phase, then music therapy can be a great help.

5. Aromatherapy

An essential oil diffuser fills the air with fresh and calming fragrance such as lavender or chamomile. You can also try diffusing synthetic pheromones that can help calm dogs.

6. Provide a safe and calm place.

If you are aware that your dog is triggered by loud noises of horns, firecrackers, and thunderstorms, your canine must feel safe when these noises trigger them. A canine’s ear is more sensitive than that of a human. Consider placing a noise machine in the house to filter the noises that scare your pup.

7. Dress your dog in a calming vest. 

During a stressful situation, dress your canines in a calming vest. Wrap them around your dog, so they feel calm and safe.

8. Proper socialization.

Exposing and introducing your puppy to a vast social situation will help reduce anxiety at a very young age. Help them socialize in a limited environment primarily. Slowly expose them to more crowds. Mixing may help them create a good and healthy environment.

     9. Plan new strategies 

Desensitization and conditioning programs are reasonable solutions to gradually expose your puppy to the stressors and get used to them. However, these methods aren’t the best solutions for a puppy’s anxiety issues. Constantly introducing triggers can raise anxiety levels and adverse responses in a puppy.

It is precisely why the training must be slow-paced, reward-based, and conducted in a controlled environment. Incorporate an enriching environment, food, playtime, fun, toys, and treats into the training sessions, so your puppy learns to escape to a safe, calm environment or not to focus on the trigger but find an exciting diversion instead.

Schedule a vet’s appointment if none of the above tips work. Your vet might suggest behavioral modification training and anti-anxiety medications if necessary. Follow your vet’s advice to help alleviate your puppy’s anxiety levels, and improve its mood, mind and body balance, and overall quality of life.

Also, tackling unplanned vet bills for physical health issues is more accessible with pet insurance for dogs. Pet insurance covers a puppy’s testing and treatment costs during accidents, injuries, sickness, dental, and health emergencies, depending on the level of cover chosen. Although the dog medical aid of the best policies is comparatively higher, they ensure comprehensive health coverage, which is why you must consider signing up for one.