How to Relax a Nervous Dog: All the Keys

Each dog is unique, endowed with a distinctive personality. There are breeds that overflow with energy, hyperactive and agitated specimens whose behavior can adversely impact the harmony of the home in certain circumstances.

Commonly, dogs experience episodes of agitation and anxiety, depending on the context in which they find themselves. Are you unfamiliar with the method to appease a hyperactive dog? Here you will discover everything you need to calm your furry friend.

Symptoms of nervousness in dogs

To identify and calm a nervous dog, it’s crucial to recognize their signs of anxiety. These can arise for a variety of reasons, such as encounters with strangers, health problems, poor driving, car rides, or visits to the vet.

Indicators of nervousness include constant movement (running, jumping), tail restlessness, persistent barking or whining, escape attempts, tremors, hypersalivation, panting, disinterest in the surroundings, and refusal of food. In extreme cases, they may show aggression or destructiveness, and prolonged anxiety can lead to loss of appetite and general deterioration of health, including hair loss.

When faced with an excessively excited dog, the first thing to do is to consult a veterinarian to rule out health problems. If the dog is healthy, the support of an ethologist or expert in canine behavior may be necessary. In addition, following specific handling guidelines and never medicating the animal without professional supervision are essential steps to ensure its well-being.

Tips for relaxing a nervous dog

CBD oil petting and massage for dogs

Dogs greatly enjoy caressing and can find great peace in the massages we provide them. Learning specific relaxation techniques is helpful, although it is enough to spend time daily interacting serenely with them, ideally after a walk or before going to sleep.

One area they generally love is the top of their head, especially between the ears. This is where we can apply cbd for dogs and we can make gentle circular movements with our fingers, avoiding pressing too hard. Another area that is usually to their liking is the pectoral region. It is important to identify the preferred areas of each dog, remembering that the ears, paws and abdomen are more sensitive and perhaps not as appropriate for these pettings.

Physical activity

Every dog requires a certain amount of physical exercise and quality time outdoors with their owners, although this need varies depending on the dog’s breed. Exercise not only improves the physical health of dogs, but also contributes to their emotional well-being, helping them to stay calm.

To strengthen your bond with your pet and ensure their health, consider getting involved in activities such as:

• Ball games in green spaces
• Running together
• Interaction and play with other dogs
• Excursions in mountainous areas
• Days on beaches enabled for dogs
• Extended walks through different environments such as the city, beaches or mountain trails

Living at home

The home environment significantly impacts our pet’s emotional well-being . By cultivating a comfortable and tidy space for all members of the family, where individual spaces are respected and chaos is avoided, not only is general anxiety reduced but also restlessness in the dog.

Mental stimulation

Mental stimulation is just as essential for dogs as physical exercise. It is essential to provide them with challenges that keep them mentally active. This involves spending time on daily interactions, offering them games that stimulate their intelligence, or toys designed to encourage skills such as smell. Including activities that combine exercise and obedience, such as Agility, or simply allowing them to explore with their sense of smell during their walks, also contributes to their well-being. By becoming familiar with their surroundings in this way, dogs increase their confidence and decrease their nervousness.

Compensate for moments of good behavior

This practice will help your dog understand and adopt behaviors that are appropriate for different situations, integrating them into their daily routine. In addition, it is beneficial to optimize their behavior and to calm their episodes of stress.

Consistency and routines

If you’re looking for ways to relax your dog, it’s essential to remember the importance of establishing routines. Dogs, being creatures of habit, benefit greatly from a regular schedule that allows them to foresee changes in their environment. For your peace of mind, it is recommended that activities such as walks, meals, playtime, and absences occur at approximately the same time each day

Bibliography and Digital Sources

• Russo, E. B. History of cannabis and its preparations in saga, science, and sobriquet. Chem. Biodivers. 4, 1614–48 (2007)
• Coile, D. C. Cannabis and CBD science for dogs: natural supplements to support healthy living and graceful aging. (Assisi Bio Press, 2016)
• Izzo, A. A., Borrelli, F., Capasso, R., Di Marzo, V. & Mechoulam, R. Non-psychotropic plant cannabinoids: newtherapeutic opportunities from an ancient herb. Trends Pharmacol. Sci. 30, 515–527 (2009).
• Brenneisen, R. Chemistry and Analysis of Phytocannabinoids and Other Cannabis Constituents.
• Velasco, G., Sánchez, C. & Guzmán, M. Anticancer mechanisms of cannabinoids. Curr. Oncol. 23, S23-32 (2016).
• Hasenoehrl, C., Storr, M. & Schicho, R. Cannabinoids for treating inflammatory bowel diseases: where are we and where do we go? Expert Rev. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 11, 329–337 (2017).
• Regulation (EU) No 1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the European Council.
• Pisanti, S. et al. Cannabidiol: State of the art and new challenges for therapeutic applications. Pharmacol. Ther. 175, 133–150 (2017).
• Mechoulam, R. & Hanus, L. A historical overview of chemical research on cannabinoids. Chem. Phys. Lipids 108, 1–13 (2000).
• Svízenská, I., Dubový, P. & Sulcová, A. Cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), their distribution, ligands and functional involvement in nervous system structures–a short review. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 90, 501–11 (2008).
• Elphick, M. R. The evolution and comparative neurobiology of endocannabinoid signalling. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci.367, 3201–3215 (2012).
• Lötsch, J., Weyer-Menkhoff, I. & Tegeder, I. Current evidence of cannabinoid-based analgesia obtained in preclinical and human experimental settings. Eur. J. Pain (2017).