How to Help Your Pet with Anxiety

Just like humans, dogs and cats can suffer from anxiety. Some pets are anxious by nature while others are anxious based on situational factors. Fear, aging, and separation can all cause anxiety. Anxious pets can become aggressive, depressed, and restless; others are more likely to pant, bark, or get into destructive behaviors like chewing.

The good news is that there are many things you can do in order to ease your pet’s anxiety. Here are some proven ways to keep your pet calm and stress-free.

Try Distracting Your Pet

Is your pet afraid of loud noises or strangers? If your pet is nervous because of a certain situation, distraction often works really well. Engage your pet’s brain by playing or teaching him a new trick. This will allow him to focus on something else, which keeps his mind off of the anxiety-causing situation.

Try a Stress-Relieving Product

There are all sorts of products out there that are designed to help dogs and cats that suffer from anxiety. Some of the most commonly used options include:

• Thundershirt
• Pheromones
• Herbal supplements

You can even play calming music in order to relax and soothe your pet.

Make Exercise a Priority

Both dogs and cats need regular exercise and stimulation in order to maintain their physical, mental, and psychological well-being. A pet that is well-stimulated is much less likely to pick up on destructive behaviors like chewing or urinating in the house.

When you’re home, spend plenty of time with your pet playing and burning off energy. Play tug-of-war or fetch outside with your dog. Pique your cat’s interest with a laser toy or a new mouse. The more stimulation, the better!

For times when you’re away from the home, consider investing in a sliding door pet door. A pet door allows your pet to exit and enter the home as he pleases. This way, if your dog or cat is feeling anxious, they can head outside to run around, romp, and play.

Anxious Pet? We’ve Got the Pet Door for You

Keeping your pet cooped up inside the home for hours on end can be anxiety-causing in itself. Give your pet the freedom to go outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air, even when you aren’t home. With a pet door insert, you don’t have to worry about accidents or pent up energy.

At Australia Pet Doors, we offer a wide variety of sliding door pet door options. From sliding door pet doors to simple cat flaps, we’ve got the product you need. We offer pet doors in a wide range of sizes, including a small, medium, and large dog door for a sliding glass door.

Browse our website or contact us to learn more about how our products can help an anxious pet.