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How To Conquer Your Great Dane’s Separation Anxiety, Sound Anxiety or Travel Anxiety
If your Great Dane is experiencing anxiety, life can be miserable both for you and your pup. I myself spent 2 years battling extreme separation anxiety with my dog, and we successfully came out on the other side. In this article, I’ll share some of the resources and strategies that worked for us.
There are many forms of anxiety that your Great Dane may be suffering from. Typical causes of anxiety in Great Dane’s might be:
- Separation anxiety – Fear of being separated from their owner. This often manifests with pacing, drooling, biting, or being destructive while you’re away.
- Sound anxiety – Fear of loud noises like thunder, fireworks, or a vacuum cleaner
- Travel anxiety – Fear of traveling in a moving vehicle, or fear of intimidating places like your vet’s office or a boarding kennel
Simple Ways to Calm an Anxious Great Dane
1. Experiment with Hemp Oil for Your Great Dane’s Anxiety
One of the tools I successfully used in treating my dog’s anxiety was Hemp. While your results may vary, approximately 67% of the dog owners polled here claimed that Hemp was ‘extremely effective’ or ‘somewhat effective’ in helping their dog’s anxiety.
In my experience, Hemp helped my dog calm down enough to respond positively to the other training methods I was using to treat her anxiety. When choosing a Hemp oil, always look for a certificate of analysis showing a pure and safe product. I’d also recommend a product with 0% THC.
If you’d rather not give an hemp oil tincture to your dog, there are also great full spectrum hemp treat options available for dogs on Amazon.
2. Desensitize Your Great Dane to The Cause of Their Anxiety
A key strategy for treating your Great Dane’s anxiety is desensitizing them to the trigger of their fear. For example, my dog’s anxiety was triggered anytime I walked out the door to leave the house. For other dogs, the trigger might be you grabbing your keys or putting on your coat.
Begin by doing the trigger activity, but then immediately reversing it. For example, I would grab my keys and walk out the door. Then I’d come back 5 seconds later. I did this literally hundreds of times over a period of a week. Eventually, my dog was desensitized and bored by the behavior.
Related: Best Dog Doors
3. For Sound Anxiety, Trying Isolating Your Great Dane and Playing Loud Music
Many Great Danes that suffer from thunderstorms or fireworks anxiety experience relief in a smaller, more isolated room of the house where music can be played at a loud volume. A word of caution though, if your dog is also experiencing separation anxiety leaving them alone in a room during may be counterproductive.
4. Try Using a Compression Wrap (Available in Many Sizes and Will Fit Your Great Dane)
Many dogs are comforted by the feeling of compression across their body. One popular product many have found success with is the Thundershirt (available on Amazon). The product applies gentle, calming pressure that is very reassuring to many pups. The company claims the product to be helpful for about 80% of the dogs who tried it. It can be used to help calm your australian shepherd during fireworks, thunder, separation, travel, or vet visits, with no training and no medication required.
5. Try an Herbal Supplement for Your Great Dane with Calming Herbs Like Chamomile, Passion Flower, Ginger Root or Valerian Root
Many calming supplements exist for dogs that are palatable for dogs, easy-to-feed, and can help quickly relieve your Great Dane’s stress and give a sense of safety and calm. Some supplements contain calming herbs like chamomile, passion flower, ginger root, and valerian root are a great option.
6. Experiment with a Pheromone Diffuser for Your Great Dane
Canine pheromone diffusers mimic the calming pheromone that a mother dog emits while nursing her puppies. The diffuser can help many dogs feel calmer and more comfortable in stressful situations. The same company that makes the Thundershirt above also makes a product called ThunderEase diffuser, which is also available on Amazon.
7. Try an Anti-Anxiety Supplement Containing L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine or Melatonin
Other popular ingredients in anti-anxiety supplements include the amino acids L-Tryptophan and L-Theanine, both of which offer calming properties and increase the release of “feel good” serotonin in your dog’s body. In addition, some calming products for dogs contain a small amount of melatonin, which can help regulate and improve their sleep.
8. Experiment with Using Your Own Scent & Sound to Calm Your Great Dane
In my experience, using your own scent and sound to help calm your dog is a powerful strategy in beating anxiety. I stumbled upon this one day with my own dog by accident.
Typically, if I left the home my dog would instantly enter a panic. But one day I needed to take a long phone call and left my dog outside my bedroom door where I took the call. During the call, she calmly lay next to the door, where she could obviously smell and hear me. It occurred to me that I could possibly mimic this tactic while I wasn’t at home.
I recorded my voice on a CD player and then put it on loop. Then I placed a used t-shirt on the inside of the door where she could easily smell it underneath. To my surprise, I was able to leave the house for a short time. (I monitored her on a video camera). I slowly increased the length of time I left, and always found her calm and sincerely believing that I was just behind the door!
If you’d like to read the full story of how I cured my dog’s extreme separation anxiety, go here.
Related: Best Calming Supplements for Dogs
Another great product to help calm your dog is the Comfort Cuddler Buddy. You can stuff the cozy fleece man with your clothing or pillow case with your scent, and leave with your dog.
Lastly, another popular calming product is the heartbeat puppy toy. Traditionally, these have been used to help calm puppies who recently left their litter. The plush toys come with a warming features as well as a simulated heartbeat. While originally intended for puppies, many dog owners have found they can effectively calm dogs of all ages. This popular model is available on Amazon.
Effective Anxiety-Calming Methods for Great Danes
Defeating your Great Dane’s anxiety is possible, but every dog’s journey will look different. I hope the tools and strategies above will be helpful to your journey. If you’d like to learn more about the Hemp oil and calming chews we use here at iHeartDogs, learn more below.
For best results, you can pair the above Hemp oil with the calming chews below. Between the 2 supplements, they offer 10 active and natural ingredients to help calm your dog without the use of medication.
Top Pet Insurance Plans for Great Danes
Frequently Asked Questions About Great Dane Anxiety
1. Why do Great Danes suffer from anxiety?
Great Danes are known as gentle giants with sensitive personalities. They can develop anxiety due to separation from their owners, lack of exercise, loud noises, changes in routine, or past trauma. Their strong bond with humans makes them more prone to stress when left alone.
2. What are the signs of anxiety in Great Danes?
Common signs of anxiety in Great Danes include excessive barking or whining, destructive chewing, pacing, drooling, panting, trembling, and attempts to escape. Some may also become clingy or show aggression when stressed.
3. Can exercise help reduce my Great Dane’s anxiety?
Yes, regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety in Great Danes. Physical activity helps release pent-up energy, lowers stress, and promotes better sleep, which contributes to overall emotional balance.
4. How does a consistent routine help with Great Dane anxiety?
Great Danes thrive on routine. A predictable schedule for feeding, walks, and playtime gives them a sense of security and reduces stress caused by uncertainty. Sudden changes in routine can trigger anxiety, so consistency is key.
5. Do calming supplements work for Great Danes?
Calming supplements, such as those containing CBD oil, chamomile, or L-theanine, can help ease anxiety in Great Danes. Always consult your veterinarian before introducing supplements to ensure they are safe and appropriate for your dog.
6. Can crate training reduce anxiety in Great Danes?
Yes, when done correctly, crate training can provide a safe space where your Great Dane feels secure. The crate should be comfortable and never used as punishment. It can help them cope with stress during alone time or loud events.
7. How can I use mental stimulation to calm my Great Dane?
Mental stimulation through puzzle toys, training exercises, or scent games can keep a Great Dane’s mind occupied and reduce anxious behaviors. Boredom often leads to stress, so engaging activities are crucial for their well-being.
8. Are Great Danes prone to separation anxiety?
Yes, Great Danes are especially prone to separation anxiety due to their loyal and people-oriented nature. They may struggle when left alone for long periods and often need strategies such as gradual alone-time training to cope better.
9. When should I seek professional help for my Great Dane’s anxiety?
If your Great Dane’s anxiety leads to destructive behavior, aggression, or severe distress that does not improve with training or home remedies, it’s important to consult a veterinarian or a professional dog behaviorist for tailored solutions.
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