What is anxiety?
According to the Petit Larousse: a strong concern born from the uncertainty of a situation, from the apprehension of an event.
Let's be more specific about the dog's behaviour.
In a nutshell: it is a sudden or chronic state of apprehension of something that will happen or might happen versus the need or desire for something to happen.
Examples of Anxiety
Separation Anxiety
When you prepare your things in the morning to go to work, your dog recognizes your daily routine. If he does not accept separations well, he will start to worry about your imminent departure as soon as he sees you putting on your shoes. This same anxiety will increase when you take your keys, your bag or your coat. When you leave, your dog's anxiety is at an intolerable level, he must do something to release his stress. He howls, barks, urinates and defecates or destroys something. It's like releasing the valve to let off steam. This is called separation anxiety (the apprehension of your departure).
Anticipatory Anxiety
Your children always come home from school at the same time and by school bus. Your dog starts pacing back and forth from the door to the window as soon as he hears children outside and sees school buses. The longer the wait, the more your dog's anxiety increases. If by some misfortune your children have a late outing, the result is a dog that whines and can't take it anymore. With the anxiety level at its highest, your dog may go so far as to defecate on the floor or destroy everything within reach. This is called anticipatory anxiety (the desire for something to happen).
There are several other types of anxiety, many of which are related to fear (noise, change in temperature, unknown objects, etc.).
With the help of a canine behaviour specialist, it is possible to resolve certain anxiety problems through desensitization processes. However, it may be necessary to use anxiolytic medications (which reduce anxiety) to restore the situation.
If you believe that your dog is suffering from anxiety and that it is affecting your common well-being, do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to help you.