Okay. That whole calm-and-peaceful vibe sounds nice—but what if you have a dog that’s so nervous, so stressed, that calm just isn’t an option? A dog that can’t handle anything? What then?
There can be so many reasons why a dog feels the way it does. But sometimes, a dog is SO stressed that it doesn’t even know why it’s stressed. And that makes it really hard to figure out what’s causing the anxiety in the first place.
One way to help a dog who’s really struggling with life is to find the things it does like. The places where it feels safe. The moments where it’s calm—not hyper, not anxious. And then… do more of that.
When a dog gets to do more of what makes it feel calm and happy, it also learns not to stress. Because stress creates more stress. And when a dog is used to everything being scary, and new things always feeling dangerous, then stressing out becomes its default reaction to any new situation.
If you have an especially anxious dog, this is super important. So instead of jumping into the hard stuff, start with what your dog already can do. The things it can be proud of. That way, it builds confidence—and trust in you. The goal is to help your dog feel:
“Oh… okay. This is actually fine. Maybe even kind of fun. I can do this. I’m good at this. Everyone says I’m doing great. I’m a pretty awesome dog. I’ve got this.”
Once your dog starts to feel that some things can be easy or fun or cozy, it starts to believe in itself—and in the world. It realizes it doesn’t have to panic every time. That life can actually be… nice.
And from there, it’s all about baby steps.
If your dog feels safe in the backyard, start there. Maybe you just bring out the leash and hang out calmly together in the yard. Then maybe you clip the leash on—but still stay and play freely. Then maybe you take a little stroll in the yard, on leash. Walk slowly to the fence. Look around.
The point is: go really slow. Move at your dog’s pace. The moment it starts to get overwhelmed—you’ve already gone too far. That just means it’s time to take a step back and try something smaller.
Comments