Why does my dog have anxiety?
This is a question that we often get from sitters and owners who work with Rover. Help the community out by answering them in our forum!
1 Answer
Here are some reasons. (list from petsmd.com)
Any illness or painful physical condition increases anxiety and contributes to the development of fears, phobias, and anxieties
- Aging changes associated with nervous system changes; infectious disease (primarily viral infections in the central nervous system), and toxic conditions, such as lead poisoning, may lead to behavioral problems, including fears, phobias, and anxieties
- Fear from a terrible experience; dog may have been forced into an unfamiliar and frightening experience
- Dogs that are deprived of social and environmental exposure until 14 weeks of age may become habitually fearful
Phobias and panic may have a history of inability to escape or get away from the stimulus causing the phobia and panic, such as being locked in crate
Separation anxiety: history of abandonment, multiple owners, rehoming, or prior neglect is common; exacerbating the condition may be that the dog has been often abandoned or rehomed because of separation anxiety