Anxiety can be the explanation of a lot of the behavior problems dogs have.  Anxiety can be displayed in a variety of ways, ranging from chewing articles in the house , barking for no apparent reason , growling , grunting , doing their business in the house , attacking because they are scared , or by becoming overactive.  There are a wide range of reasons for such anxiety.

Some dogs are scared of thunderstorms or people they do not know, or have an aversion to people of a certain age, race, or gender. Other dogs develop aggression toward other dogs or even toward humans. Even the task of the owner yelling at a dog can turn a ordinarily happy, peaceful dog into an extremely scared one. 

A dog is a creature of habit , they will always lay in the same place or play with a specific toy -  so when their habitual routine is suddenly altered it is likely to make the dog insecure .  Good examples are when you are sick and are unable to take them on their regular walks, or the arrival of a new born or even just a lot of visitors .  It is so crucial that in such circumstances you take a little time to make your dog feel ensure your dog feels safe and at ease until they get used to the new routines.

It is extremely important for your dog to have their own space where they can relax without interruption – It is advisable to have a dog bed or blanket in one space with a fewplaythings to keep them amused and not let them get bored.  When you have decided on this area you should try not to alter it very often as it can be extremely unsettling for your dog.

Young dogs ( and even senior ones) that are left by themselves for long stretches of time can feel separation anxiety. As domesticated dogs they acquire a very strong connection with their masters.  If a dog is suffering from separation anxiety they will in general display the following characteristics :

• the dog is always following you around the house
• the dog tries to stay near to things that have your scent
• they chew your personal items when you leave
• the dog goes beserk when he greets you and is clingy
• the dog sleeps near to you
• this happens even if you are only away for a short time

So now we know a lot of our bad dog behaviour and dog biting problems can be put down to anxiety, how should we cure our anxious dogs? 

I personally do not recommend medication as it is not only very pricey it can result in unpleasant reactions.  One effective way of curing your dogs is aromatherapy, it is a safe and effective method of treating anxiety and nervousness in dogs, for whatever reasons .

The video below gives an aromatherapy formula you can try on your dogs:

It is important you keep this formula in a sealed dark glass bottle.

When trying aromatherapy for the first time on your dog test a small area of skin to verify there is not a reaction . Rather than applying the oil directly on your dogs skin you can use a diffuser that slowly releases the scent into the air. Also do NOT use this recipe on or near cats as some of the oils for dogs can be toxic for cats.