For people and dogs the same holds true; when presented with an external threat, whether real or not, we have a common instinct. This reaction to perceived danger is to freeze, fight or flight. That's the survival instinct in all humans as well as animals.
An automatic reaction to a fearful situation is a trait we are born with. Our dogs are the same and they experience some of the same reactions as we do. Abnormal behaviors displayed in your dog, over time, can be changed.
Your dog can exhibit symptoms of anxiety in ways such as excessive barking, uncontrollable urination or whining. These are triggered by either visible stresses or separation. The most common stress a dog experiences is separation anxiety.
Loud, sudden noises like fireworks or thunder claps can cause your dog anxiety. Your dog might have a phobia which can be described as a unjustifiable fear of sudden sounds. Dogs can be trained to "unlearn" this behavior by observing signs of the onset of this patterned behavior and stopping it.
As dogs get older, they may experience more separation anxiety then in the past. This can be caused by the decline in memory and thoughts. Anxieties and phobia see their onset around the beginning of social development which is about 12 to 36 months. Between 8 to 10 months they may experience a fear or withdrawal which is normal.
Some signs that your dog might be suffering some phobias or anxieties can vary. Tails tucked, withdrawn behavior or trembling can be identified as signs of mild fear. Some fears and anxieties are hard to diagnosis due to no identifiable stimulus.
There are many reasons for the development of such phobias and anxieties in our pets. Being locked in a crate can cause a phobia or panic due to the inability to escape or get out. Also for puppies the lack of exposed to social interaction for the first 14 weeks of their puppies' life can manifest a fearfulness in your puppy.
Many abandoned dogs who are adopted out by a new family will suffer from separation anxiety. Dogs coming from abusive situations might have fear phobias. These precious animals need a lot of love and positive reinforcement and can eventually live happy lives.
Not to worry, most of these behavioral issues can be treated with medication and behavior modification. However, some dogs may not respond to the behavioral modifications. Additionally, medications can take up to 2 weeks in some cases before you will see results.
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