If your dog tends to be anxious, they will look to you for protection. Here are a few ways to help your dog become less anxious:

Know What Scares Them

By knowing what triggers your pooch’s anxiety, you can help your dog become less anxious. If they get separation anxiety, help them by creating a comforting spot in the home that has your smell, plenty of food and water, and maybe even their favorite show (that’s right, dogs love TV, too). This way, they know they are taken care of even when you’re not around.

If you want to take it a step further, you can even get a treat dispensing camera. This means you can watch over your pup, send them a treat for being good, and even talk to them through the device. These devices are often controlled from an app on your phone and can mean the difference between a calm dog and a ruined pair of shoes.

Oatmeal and Chamomile

Oatmeal mixed with their dog food can actually help your pup calm down. Oats are known to be calming and have been used for centuries to soothe crying babies or help animals, children, and adults drift off to sleep.

If you want to help your dog even more during mealtime, add a half-cup or a cup of cold chamomile tea to their water. Unless they are particular or will notice the difference, your pup will slurp the calming tea down and hopefully relax and unwind. If they are finicky when it comes to the chamomile, you can also try flower essences. They have less of a taste and can be prepared in a more subversive way.

Avoid Punishment

When the pup begins to chew, scratch, bark, etc. because of their anxiety, try to avoid scolding them as it makes them more anxious and possibly more destructive. Instead of scolding, take them out of the stressful situation and reintroduce them to it in a structured manner. This will normalize your dog to the stressful situation and will show them that it is not always permanent. If they have done well by not chewing, scratching, biting, or barking, offer them a treat as a reward and distraction.

Give Them What They Need

Depending on your dog’s upbringing and personality, they will either need space or comfort. If your pup needs space, be sure to give them their own space with toys, food, a bed, and whatever else they need. If they need comfort, be sure to give them plenty of pets, treats, and talk to them in a calming manner. This will do wonders for a dog with anxiety and will make you feel like the ultimate pooch whisperer!