Anxiety can be the explanation of the majority of the behavior problems dogs experience.  This anxiety can be displayed in many ways, these can range from destroying items in the house by chewing them , barking , growling a lot , grunting , doing their business in the home , attacking because of fear , or by becoming hyperactive.  There are a wide range of reasons for this anxiety.

Some dogs are scared of noisy storms or people not known to them, or have an aversion to people of a certain age, race, or gender. Other dogs develop hostility toward other animals or more worryingly toward humans. The simple task of the owner shouting at a dog can turn a commonly carefree dog into a very nervous one. 

A dog is by nature a creature of habit , they always lay in a certain spot or play with a specific toy -  so if their daily routine is suddenly changed it is likely to make the dog insecure .  Good examples are when you are sick and just can’t take them for their normal exercise, or perhaps the arrival of a new born or even simply a houseful of guests .  It is so important that in these instances you take a little time to make your dog feel ensure your dog feels safe and calm until they are used to the new ways.

It is important for your dog to have their own spot where they can simply relax – They should have a dog bed or blanket in one area with some toys to keep them amused and make sure they do not get bored.  When you have decided on this space it is best not to change it too much as it can be very upsetting for your dog.

Young dogs ( and even aged ones) that are left on their own for long stretches of time can feel separation anxiety. As domesticated pets they do attain a very powerful connection to their masters.  A dog suffering from seperation anxiety will generally display the following traits :

• the dog constantly follows you around at home
• the dog tries to stay near to items that smell of you
• when you leave the house they chew personal items of yours
• on greeting you the dog goes beserk and is clingy
• the dog sleeps with you
• this happens if you are only away for a short period of time

So now we know a lot of our bad dog behaviour and dog biting problems are purely anxiety, what is the best way to cure our anxious dogs? 

I personally do not recommend medicinal drug as it is not only very pricey it can also lead to nasty side effects.  One great way of curing your dogs is aromatherapy, it is an effective, yet safe way to treat anxiety and nervousness in dogs, whether it be because of a thunderstorm or separation anxiety .

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

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

If this is the first time you have used aromotherapy on your dog test a small patch of skin to check there is not a reaction . Instead of applying the oil directly to your dogs skin you could use a diffuser that will slowly release the scent into the air. One important note – this recipe should not be used on or near cats as some essential oils for dogs can be dangerous for cats.