|
Anxiety over pets can
make them anxious
June 5, 2008
I've never experienced the joy or pain of being a mother to the
human variety, but if my behavior with my four-legged kids is any
indication, a sign over my head would flash, "Alert, alert,
overprotective mother now entering the playground." That would be
most unfortunate for my offspring. My anxieties would transfer to
them quicker than you can say "gene pool."
Pet anxiety is a reality, and while some anxieties can be attributed
to traumatic experiences, they also can be attributed to how we
react to situations with them. If we become overly anxious each time
a new visitor knocks on the door, for example, our pets will
immediately pick up on our anxiety and respond in kind.
A few months ago, I took my pit bull, Lola, to a neighborhood event
celebrating the misunderstood breed. Even though she's friendly and
socialized, I was anxious about her being around other dogs. The
evening, needless to say, became a self-fulfilling prophesy. She was
apprehensive and anxious, just as I had projected.
The same holds true for my dog Caesar. He suffers from fear-based
aggression due to an early trauma, but my anxious behavior when he
meets a new human undoubtedly fuels that fear rather than calms it.
Thankfully, my two felines, Pepper and Sylvie, are content indoor
cats. Were they allowed to go outdoors, they would be neurotic due
to my fears for their safety.
I know someone who is so filled with anxiety about her pet that she
worries that her dog is sleeping too much or not enough. She even
worries whether or not her dog will get into the right obedience
school.
What can we do to help our pets learn to relax? The first step is to
learn how to be relaxed around them. A dog that suffers from some
type of mild anxiety, for example, should be exposed to potentially
stressful situations in brief intervals to create a positive
association with the experience. A behaviorist friend of mine
suggested that when I have a visitor, I should have the person give
Caesar a treat. With each occurrence, he will begin to associate it
with a positive experience and the more it happens the fear-based
anxiety will decrease.
More severe anxieties may require advanced techniques, but if your
dog's anxieties stem from you, simply being relaxed and going with
the moment is key. And take solace that at least you don't have to
send them off to college, where they might start running around with
the wrong pack.
-
Gloria Dauphin
|
