Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

My dog has extreme separation anxiety. How can I calm him naturally?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | German Shorthaired Pointer (duplicate) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 9 months old | 55 lbs

My 2.5 year old GSP is extremely anxious at all times. It gets worse when he is separated from us for any amount of time (from 20 seconds-6 hours). Separated=anytime he can't physically touch us. Although we have used it since he was a puppy, he despises his crate. We try to make his crate a safe and comfortable space for him---with a bed and toys. What do we do to naturally calm his anxieties and help him to relax? When he is anxious he will pace, bark, and/or whine uncontrollably. Help!

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 13th, 2017

I would try using DAP, which is a plug in pheromone diffuser. This releases natural pheromones that only Gibson can smell, and it reportedly helps dogs with anxiety. You can pair it with a Sentry calming collar, which releases the calming pheromones when in contact with his skin. Try these things, and if they don't work, then I would have a discussion with your vet about possibly trying anti-anxiety medication. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Vote icon

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What are some effective, natural treatments/remedies for anxiety in dogs? One of my dogs has recently been experiencing bad anxiety. He follows me everywhere, pants randomly, and has to be touching me when he goes to sleep. I am pretty sure he is exp
Yes, there are things you can use! I recommend a Sentry calming collar. It releases calming pheromones when in contact with a dog's skin. You can also use DAP diffuser, which releases these calming pheromones. Calming chews may also be an option for Bentley. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Romeo has a lot of anxiety and when he is anxious he spins around in circles. It is obviously not a happy chasing his tail spin. He does this when we leave the room, hug someone else, chew gum, shuffle cards, talk, etc. What can we do?
I'd try putting a Sentry calming collar on Romeo. It releases calming pheromones when in contact with his skin. You can also try pairing it with DAP, a pheromone diffuser that releases calming pheromones when plugged in. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog (8 yr old boxer) is not adjusting well to a recent move. He has been very anxious, not eating, and nipping at people when they try to pet him. Is there anything we can give him to reduce his anxiety? I've seen tons of stuff online but not sure
Hi there. In terms of natural products, you could try an Adaptil pheromone diffuser or collar, along with a calming supplement like Zylkene or Anxitane - both of these work well for some dogs, in my experience. These can be purchased over the counter or ordered online without a prescription. If the anxiety does not improve, I would suggest getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist in your area who can evaluate Charlie in person and help you put together a plan to work on his anxiety issues, which may include prescription medication if needed.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
After reading the article about signs of separation anxiety, I am sure that my poor boy is experiencing this. What is the best natural supplement for me to give him that wont cost an arm and a leg?
One good one to try is called Zylkene. It is a natural anti-anxiety medication for dogs that has shown to be the most effective. If this does not do the trick though, I would recommend reaching out to your vet for a prescription anti-anxiety medication. These typically are very affordable for most pet owners. Best wishes with your pet Dozer moving forward. Take care!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 6 yo chihuahua (not fixed) has serious anxiety, add. Needs constant attention. Even when being held, needs to be petted. Unable to remain calm unless sleeping really. My question. ... tried several "calming aids" from this site to no avail. What
Poor Jett! I'm sorry to hear that he's having this problem. As far as over-the-counter calming aids, my favorite brands are Zylkene and Composure Pro. A DAP (dog appeasing pheromone) collar can also be helpful for some dogs - this is sold under the trade names Adaptil and Comfort Zone. However, I can tell you that in my experience, the vast majority of dogs with serious anxiety issues really need prescription medication to see any significant improvement - natural calming aids just aren't enough. I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about daily medication options that may help, such fluoxetine or trazodone. If your regular vet isn't well-versed in behavior issues, you could also consider making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. You can search for one in your area here, if needed: www.dacvb.org
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I have a 10 month old Border Aussie who is struggling with Separation Anxiety. If he is left home alone or confined to a room alone, he will non-stop bark. What can I do to help with this? We’ve tried tricks like not letting him see us leave, treats
Poor boy! I would try a calming collar like sentry or adaptil. You can also try essential oils that are calming. I would talk to a good company like DoTerra to get more information on which oils are safe for pets. Also, I would talk to your vet about starting him on a anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine and hire a trainer to show you the best ways to train this out of him. It is usually recommended for them to be on some type of medication while re-training them. Finally, if you don't want to use medication, you can try to find a holistic vet to try Chinese herbs and acupuncture. There have been some good success with this as well. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What is the best way to deal with seperation anxiety?
In general, dealing with separation anxiety involves teaching your dog to associate good things with being left alone - you can do this by leaving an extra special long-lasting treat for him each time you leave the house, such as a Kong stuffed with peanut butter or other tasty goodies. Many dogs also need prescription anti-anxiety medication, depending on the severity of the problem - so I would recommend talking to your veterinarian about this option if needed. You can also try a natural calming supplement such as Zylkene or Composure, along with an Adaptil pheromone collar - these can help some dogs with mild anxiety issues, and are very safe and available over the counter.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I've noticed that Lacey seems depressed a lot. She has separation anxiety, esp. when I leave. Besides giving a treat, what else there to do? The treat trick, she is looking out the window by the time I shut the door and walk down the steps. And the l
Separation anxiety can be a common problem in dogs, and I can give you some suggestions that may help with Lacey. I recommend crating her when you are gone. The crate will provide her a small space where she can feel safe in it when you are gone. You will have to slowly train her to get used to a crate. Start putting her in it when you are home and sitting nearby so she doesn't think you are abandoning her, and slowly increase the time she is in it. She can have toys in the crate, and puzzle toys with treats in it that she has to figure out how to get the treats out. You can put a tablespoon of peanut butter in a Kong toy and freeze it in the freezer overnight, then give it to her in the crate. That will keep her occupied for a while. Finally, you can get a pheromone diffuser called DAP that helps dogs with anxiety and pair that will a DAP pheromone collar that releases pheromones when in contact with her skin. If these methods do not help him, then I recommend having her see
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, I have a rescue West highland Terrier Corgi cross breed. He has SEVER separation anxiety. My husband and I live in a one bedroom apartment, and he barks/howls the entire time we are gone. I have to leave him with a retaliative when we are away. H
It sounds as if Baxter would benefit from some medication to help his anxiety. I would recommend talking with your vet about starting him on an anti-anxiety medication like Fluoxetine. He would likely also benefit from another drug like Trazodone in the short term while the Fluoxetine levels are normalizing in the body (which can take 4-6 weeks). You should also consider increasing his exercise routine. Taking him on a fast paced walk for 20-30 minutes prior to your departure will help drain some of his nervous energy. It may be beneficial to crate train him as well. This can help him feel as if he has a safe, comfortable place to rest while you are away. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
We have a dod from humane society that has severe seperation anxiety. She never leaves my side. Best medication to help her. Does benadryl work? She poops when left alone, she is an adult dog. Cannot crate she had injured herself escaping, ate crate
Hello. I would start with an over the counter anxiety product like Zylkene. I would also start using a dog appeasing pheromone in the home ( room diffuser ) or it comes as a collar. The pheromone can calm an anxious dog without drugs. Adaptil is the name of this product. If this does not help over the course of a couple of weeks, you will need to talk to your vet about possible behavior modification therapy & the use of prescription medications like Trazodone. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Anxiety Vests Dog Toys Dog Calming Aids and Supplements Calming Dog Collars Calming Sprays & Diffusers for Dogs Dog Anxiety Medication Calming Chews, Treats & Supplements for Dogs Dog Food Cat Anxiety Medication Dog Health & Wellness Natural Dog Company Calming Chews, Treats & Supplements for Dogs Sentry Calming Sprays & Diffusers for Dogs Sentry Dog Calming Aids and Supplements Natural Dog Company Dog Calming Aids and Supplements Multipet International Calming Sprays & Diffusers for Dogs Pet Wellbeing Dog Calming Aids and Supplements Pet Naturals Calming Chews, Treats & Supplements for Dogs PetAlive Calming Chews, Treats & Supplements for Dogs PetAlive Dog Calming Aids and Supplements NaturVet Calming Chews, Treats & Supplements for Dogs
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored