Caring for a sensitive dog isn’t always easy. When dogs are sensitive, they are more likely to experience feelings of anxiety. Thankfully, with the right dog care tips, you’ll be able to take great care of your pet, ensuring that their sensitivity is never an issue.
Top 15 Ways To Take Care Of Sensitive Dogs
1. Make Sure Your Dog Always Has Fresh Water Available
All dogs need to feel secure, especially sensitive ones. That’s why you should make sure your dog always has access to a fresh bowl of water. Check your dog’s water bowl throughout the day and fill it whenever it’s starting to work low.
2. Feed Your Dog A Healthy And Nourishing Diet
Digestive issues can make life more difficult for sensitive breeds. Work with your vet to find the right food for your dog. Avoid overfeeding your pet; this can lead to obesity and other health problems. When your dog is in good physical health, it’ll have fewer mental health problems.
3. Give Your Pet The Exercise It Needs
All dogs need exercise, but the amount of exercise your pet will need will vary based on the breed of dog you have. Learn more about your pet’s needs so that you can meet them. If you’re going to be adopting a new dog, you should make sure you take these needs into account.
4. Make Training A Priority
Training a dog can be difficult, but it’s an essential step for all dog owners. When a dog is well-trained, they’re less likely to struggle with stress and anxiety.
5. Provide A Secure Environment For Your Pet
Work to make sure your home is a safe and secure environment for your pet. Make sure your dog knows that it will always receive quality care from you.
6. Groom Your Dog Regularly
If your dog isn’t groomed regularly, their fur could become matted, leading to stress. Regular grooming sessions can keep this from happening, and it can also help strengthen the bond between you and your dog.
7. Schedule Regular Vet Visits
If a sensitive dog has health issues, it could make its anxiety worse. That’s why you’ll want to have your pet regularly examined by a vet. A vet will be able to detect potential problems early on.
8. Work To Communicate With Your Dog
When you and your dog can effectively communicate with each other, you’ll find that it’s easier to assuage your dog’s fears. Spend quality time with your dog. Over time, you’ll find it easier to communicate with your pet when you need to.
9. Set Aside Plenty Of Time For Play
Play is essential to a dog’s health. Even if you have a busy schedule, you’ll want to make sure you have more than enough time to have fun with your pet. Whether you play catch in the backyard or play tug of war with a toy, these play sessions can calm your sensitive dog.
10. Spay Or Neuter Your Pet
If your dog hasn’t been spayed or neutered yet, you’ll want to take care of that sooner rather than later. Dogs that haven’t been fixed are more likely to experience hormonal fluctuations, leading to behavior issues.
11. Give Your Pet Their Own Space
Just like humans, dogs need a way to get away from stressors in their life. You should make sure that your pet has their own space they can go to in times of stress. Whether that’s a pet bed, a crate, or another part of the house, work to create a safe space for your dog.
12. Consider Crate Training For Your Dog
Crate training can be highly beneficial to sensitive dogs, especially when their owners are away from the house for a long time. While it might seem cruel to leave your dog in a crate for hours or more, the confinement that a crate provides could be soothing to your dog. Talk to your vet; see what they have to say about crate training.
13. Include Variety In Your Dog’s Routine
While it can help have a routine for your sensitive dog, you should also try to introduce your dog to new things from time to time. When your dog is exposed to new things, it will be easier for them to adjust to any stressors in their life.
14. Look Into Bringing A Second Dog Into Your Home
Dogs are social animals, and many dogs thrive when they’re able to live with another pet. Some adoption agencies will not allow you to bring a new dog into your home unless you already have a dog that can serve as their companion. While caring for two dogs can be hard work, you may find it worthwhile to adopt an additional dog.
15. Work On Your Stress Levels
Your dog can sense your mood. If your stress and anxiety levels are very high, this will likely impact the stress levels of your sensitive pet. Try to find different ways to manage your stress so that your pet will feel more at ease.
Sensitive dogs need a lot of love and care from their owners. Thankfully, if you follow these dog care tips, you’ll be able to give your pet everything that it needs. You can ensure that your dog always feels safe and comfortable around you.
Read Also: Top 15 Family Dogs To Consider For Adopting
