What's Causing Your Dogs Phobias

By Catherine V. Testaratti

Our pets share the same instinct that we as humans have. We have an innate reaction to a threat that we have been born with. It's a flee, flight or fight reaction to a dangerous situation; real or perceived.

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.

Constant and unwarranted fear of a certain sound that can cause your dog to react such as fireworks or thunderstorm is considered a phobia. These are the most common fears that are associated with a phobia for dogs. They may have experienced something in the past and are associating that with a memory causing a response.

The older your dog gets the more he might experience anxiety to separation. Memory loss and loss of thinking can cause these reactions to being alone. Dogs between 12 and 36 months are beginning to socially develop which is when these anxieties typically will begin. Withdrawal or severe fear is normal in pups between 8 and 10 months.

Now we will talk about some symptoms associated with anxiety. Obsessive licking and biting themselves can be a sign of anxiety. If your dog is trembling, withdrawn or is tucking its tail then there it's possibly exhibiting signs of mild fear.

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-- weeks of their puppies' life can manifest a fearfulness in your puppy.

Some other factors that can cause these conditions are separation issues such as abandonment. Prior neglect or moving to a new home with a new owner can cause this anxiety for a dog. It's important to know that owners need to provide a secure, safe environment for their pets from the beginning.

Most dog's phobias and anxiety issues can be helped with medications and by modifying the behavior. However, medications can take up to 2 weeks for results and not all dogs will respond to modifications. Giving your dog a lot of love a happy home can be some of the best medicine. - 31975

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