Whether your dog is anxious when he goes for a walk, hears loud noises such as fireworks, thunderstorms and lightening or you’re just looking for ways to keep your dog calm when he is on or off the leash – you’ll need to find a way that effectively works for your dog.
But what are some of the best ways to calm your dog, you might ask?
You’re in the right place! While most people know about the most common ways to calm a dog – we’re taking things further!
Down below, you won’t only find the most common ways, but you’ll also find some ways that will make you intrigued before you actually put it to use!
When and Why Should You Calm Your Dog?
There are many different situations in which you should calm your dog down.
Whether your dog gets super hyper around other dogs, is super hyper when outdoors, or is super hyper whenever someone comes into your home – these are just some of the reasons why you should calm your dog down.
If your dog is too anxious or he is worried, scared, afraid – knowing how to calm your dog is especially important.
Not only this will allow you to help your dog, but it will also help train your dog, so you feel confident when you let it off the leash in the park!
Ways to Calm Your Dog
The first step to calming your dog is knowing how to calm your dog efficiently. Down below, I’ll share some of the most effective ways to calm your dog down efficiently.
1. Exercise
There is no better way to calm your dog down than exercise. Wearing your dog down is not only important for its health, but it’s also important to keep him at ease.
Most dogs have separation anxiety and exercise is probably the best way to help work on their anxiety, while getting the well-needed daily exercise that will keep them calm for the rest of the day.
That’s why most people like to walk their dog first thing in the morning!
2. Physical Contact
If a dog is scared, worried, or anything else is bothering him – there’s no better way to calm him down than with physical contact.
Dogs love contact and that’s exactly what they look for as it’s not only fun and feels good, but it’s also soothing.
If you notice that there are certain moments when you really need to calm your dog down – try and pinpoint where the feelings are coming from so as this might help you calm your dog any other way (for example, avoiding a certain action).
3. Massage
Massage does wonders for humans, but did you ever try to massage your dog?
If not – it’s time to do it! Massage also does wonders for dogs too as it relaxes the tense muscles.
It can also be considered as a great therapy to relax the dog which will ultimately make him calm.
4. Time-Out
Isolating your pet when they’re not behaving well or they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing might be considered as a punishment – but it can actually be beneficial for the dog.
However, keep in mind that you should give your dog time out in a space he knows well as this will help them stay calm without acting out or having separation anxiety.
This can even be combined with aromatherapy which is something you should definitely look into!
5. Calming Coats
Have you ever tried using a weighted blanket?
Believe it or not – there is a similar solution for dogs known as calming coats (can also be a t-shirt).
It’s a coat or a T-shirt that applies mild pressure to the fur which can help dogs feel relieved at all times.
I believe this is especially suitable for dogs who are not calm when being transported in a car, or when they find themselves in noisy or less-known scenery.
6. Music Therapy
Music is powerful and not only can it calm people down but it can also do wonders for the dogs.
Whether you’re looking to calm down your dog when you’re at home or traveling in a car – playing classical music can alleviate noise sensitivity and block the surrounding noise which puts the dog’s mind at ease.
Even though any classical music will help – there is special music for dogs so this is something you can look up.
Benefits of Calming Your Dog
Your dog might be just super hyped up about certain things, but it can also lead to dangerous situations, especially outside or even in-doors.
Knowing how to calm your dog will help you keep your dog rational and help him stay calm in situations that are tough or emotional for the dog.
While the earlier tips are long-term tips that will work on your dog’s mind to help him understand how to be calm (as a therapy), down below, I’ll also show some of the quick tips that will help you get your dog calm in minutes.
What to Do if You Need to Calm Down Your Dog Quickly?
Depending on the situation you and your dog find yourself in – you might have to quickly calm your dog down.
The situation that applies to this the most is when the interaction with other dogs goes wrong. It might not be avoidable, but the tips below will keep everyone safe!
1. Don’t Encourage Excitement
Some dogs get so excited to the point of super hypersensitivity where they can either hurt themselves, get in dangerous situations, or cause damage to your property.
While it’s fun when dogs get excited and get really playful – if you consider that excessive excitement is taking a toll on your dog, you shouldn’t encourage it.
The next time your dog gets excited, don’t get excited, pause for a second, and try to calm your dog by contact.
It’s important that your dog listens to your commands so that’s also something you can work on as it’s a great way to stop your dog from being overly excited.
2. Encourage Calm Behavior
Now that you know you shouldn’t encourage excitement – you should know that you should encourage calm behavior.
Encouraging calm behavior can also help you train your dog to be calm in certain situations (for example, giving a treat when a dog approaches a certain situation calmly instead of overly excited).
Of course, it’s not always possible to keep dogs from feeling excited and feeling excited is fine as long as it’s not taking a toll on your dog.
3. Engage Dog’s Nose
Many dog owners don’t know that engaging a dog’s nose has multiple benefits. While some do it without even knowing the benefits – a dog’s nose is the primary sense organ.
So, what happens when you engage a dog’s nose?
They are able to immediately capture the sense of smell and as being their owner – it’s a smell that’s well known to them.
As a result, this will have a calming effect on the dog which will actually get them to stop for a second and prevent them from doing something you wouldn’t want them to do.
4. Wear Your Dog Out
Again, if your dog is getting overly excited to the point that your dog is uncontrollable or isn’t thinking rationally or is hardly listening to your commands – you should exercise your dog to the point that your dog doesn’t have any energy left.
This will help your dog get the daily exercise in and yet this will help him learn how to stay calm as he will hardly have any energy later on in the day.
Combine exercise with training and you will quickly get your dog what it needs to be calm. If you do it on a daily basis, calmness will become a part of the dog’s routine.
5. Calm Yourself Down
Have you ever heard the saying that dogs have the 6th sense?
Dogs can quickly pick up your energy and if you are not calm, you won’t be able to calm your dog down – no matter what the situation is.
You should also watch your energy when you’re exercising your dog or training him. If your dog gets overly excited, you should do your best not to add to its excitement.
If you think you are struggling by keeping your energy in check, this is actually the first thing you should do before you even begin to calm your dog down.
Conclusion
While there are probably hundreds of different ways to calm your dog down – you should try most of these tips out to find out what works the best for your dog.
However, other than only calming your dog down, you should also think of the reason behind it.
Why is it that you want your dog to calm down? This will help you understand which tips will work the best for your situation and your dog’s needs.
What do you believe is the best way to calm your dog down? What did you find to be the most successful way?
All the best,
Barbara
Founder/Creator: Love A Rescue Dog 🐶
“Saving one animal won’t change the world, but for that one animal, the world changes forever”
