A farm in Devon, has seen the strangest of ‘best friend’ combination; the miniature pig (William) and a giant lop-ear rabbit (Charles).
Wililam is taking more initiative in their friendship by actively pursuing the companionship of Charles. The rabbit however does not seem to mind when the pig gobbles its food.
Just like humans, dogs have their own unique personalities. Some are calm and placid while others are nervous and high strung. If you happen to be the owner of a high strung dog, you probably know how hard it can be to get your dog to relax. Your dog jumps at the least little sound and begins a chorus of nervous barks. Are there ways to help a nervous dog relax? Here are some suggestions:
How to relax a dog: Be calm yourself
Dogs tend to respond to the emotions of their owner. If they detect nervousness or anxiety in their owner’s voice or actions, they’re more likely to be uptight themselves. When you’re around your dog, speak in a soothing tone and avoid abrupt movements, sounds, or gestures.
How to relax a dog: Socialize your dog
High strung dogs tend to be most nervous when they’re in the company of dogs or humans they find threatening. Adequate socialization can sometimes modify your dog’s high strung tendencies. Take your dog to the dog park on a regular basis or let him socialize with other dogs and humans at a doggy day care facility once a week. This can help your dog be more well adjusted and secure.
How to relax a dog: Give your dog adequate exercise
If your dog has a tendency to be nervous or high strung, exercise is critical. Not only will this dispel some of his pent up energy, it can help to soothe his nerves biochemically by releasing natural stress relieving hormones known as endorphins. Make it a practice to take your dog on a thirty minute brisk walk at least once a day. If your dog enjoys ball or frisbee this can be an excellent way to dissipate nervous energy.
How to relax a dog: Give your dog a relaxing massage
A daily twenty minute massage may help to relax a nervous dog. Find a calm, quiet place to perform your dog’s soothing massage. If you don’t know how to do a calming dog massage, see this article for complete instructions. This can be a nice way to bond with your dog and promote good health at the same time.
How to relax a dog: Play soft music
Soft music can have a calming effect on high strung, nervous dogs. Of course you’ll want to make your music selection carefully. Select classical or new age music over hard rock. Keep the volume low as dogs have more sensitive ears than do humans.
If you try these techniques to calm your dog and he still seems high strung and anxious, have your dog seen by his veterinarian to rule out medical causes for his hyperactivity. Your veterinarian may also recommend some behavioral training techniques to help lessen your dog’s high strung behavior.
Taking your dog to the vet isn’t always the easiest of tasks. It’s almost as if the dog knows that he’s going somewhere he doesn’t want to go before you even start to put him in the car. While the veterinarian’s office can be a scary place for a dog, you can help to make the experience easier by doing a few simple things.
Bring a favorite toy or a blanket for them to cuddle up with. Having something familiar with them will help to ease their fear of visiting a strange place. They can curl up on the blanket in the car as well as when they are waiting to go into the exam room. The toy will be good for them to play with in the waiting room.
Exercise with your dog before you go to the vet. You can take him for a nice long walk or you can play catch and have him run back and forth. The more energy the dog burns before he goes into the office, the less likely he will be running and moving all over the place.
Have your dog go to the bathroom before going into the office. It is best to take him out to go to the bathroom before he even gets into the car so that you won’t end up having a mess to clean up. Also, some veterinarian’s offices have a place outside the building where you can take the dog as well. If your dog ends up going to the bathroom in the waiting room or exam room, it isn’t something that the staff isn’t used to, but it is still a nasty mess that’s going to have to get cleaned up, especially if your dog gets it on himself.
Keep your dog controlled by leash or by carrier. Chances are there will be other animals in the waiting room so you want to make sure that your dog doesn’t get injured. The other dogs could be temperamental, especially if they don’t feel well.
Give your dog plenty of praise, love and hugs while they are in the office as well as after they leave. You want to make sure that your dog knows that good behavior, such as behaving well through a scary experience at the vet office, is very much appreciated.
Don’t yell at your dog. The dog will already be frightened, so yelling at him will only agitate him and upset him even more. Speak to him in a calm, but firm tone if he does something that you don’t like. The rest of the time it is best to use a soft voice to talk to him and relax him.
The trip to the vet can not only be a scary and nervous experience for the dog, but it can be nerve-wracking for yourself as well. A little planning can help to make the trip much easier.
