Mini cockapoos have certain phases of anxiety and stress, just like humans. If left uncared or untreated, a condition like this can seriously impact their physical and mental health. Similarly, if your dog is a mini cockapoo, such chances are even worse.
What Are Some Common Reasons Behind This?
Here are the top reasons why your mini cockapoo experiences stress and anxiety. These will explain their behaviors and also help you understand the root cause of the issue.
Mini Cockapoos Are Companion Dogs
A mini cockapoo belongs to the particular class of “companion dogs.” In other words, mini cockapoos were bred to be a man’s best friend. Amazingly, the fluffy little furball is quite friendly to most people it interacts with as long as there’s no danger around.
However, when it comes to anxiety-related problems, mini cockapoos are prone to it. This is because of their “companion mini cockapoo” nature. Leave your dog alone for an hour or two, and your dog can get anxious and worked up. They stay anxious as long as you're not back, giving them a lot of pets and treats.
Previous Trauma or Problems
Going through tragic incidents or time in captivity can also develop anxiety symptoms in your mini cockapoo. Like humans, tragic events affect the mentality of a mini cockapoo. Therefore, they need to come out of the memories of such trauma with love and affection from their new owners.
If your dog shows similar symptoms, there's a great chance the anxiety phase is because of something they have experienced in the past. Try to find out the reason behind it, and then keep your dog away from such scenarios and conditions as much as possible.
Social Anxiety
If none of the reasons above are behind your mini cockapoo’s stress, there’s a chance social anxiety has something to do with it. After all, it is one of the leading causes of dog anxiety in today’s world.
Social anxiety is more of a hereditary problem. Unlike being affected by past traumas and physical triggers, conditions like anxiety can happen whenever more than one unknown person or animal surrounds the mini cockapoo. Since they are descendants of brutes, pups are moderately violent when shielding their stretch and dependable space.
Illness-Induced Anxiety
Sadly, cases of illness-induced anxiety are increasing day by day. However, the sad part is not the anxiety in this situation. When the owner finally understands the stress is due to some other reason than social and physical triggers, the stage of diagnosing the exact illness has already passed.
When it comes to mini cockapoos, cases leading to such issues are increasing faster day by day. As a companion mini cockapoo, they are not very strong when it comes to an immune system that can prevent or fight back specific mini cockapoo-related disorders. That’s why you need to keep your furry friend away from anxiety.
How Can I Prevent My Mini Cockapoo from Falling into Anxiety?
There are many approaches you can take to prevent your dog from experiencing anxiety. Moreover, they can vary according to the nature and breed of your mini cockapoo. However, when it comes to a mini cockapoo, the following approaches will be perfect to go with if you don’t have any prior experience. Here are the best approaches to handle anxiety and stress in your mini cockapoo.
Use Rewards and Treats
Try to make your dog feel your presence as a reward for its calm and friendly behavior. Try leaving the dog around the house and observe its behavior for a couple of hours. If the dog is missing you and behaving well, you can shower it with treats as a reward.
Buy Some Fantastic Puzzle Toys
Just like children, mini cockapoos love fluffy and chewy toys. This is the kind of behavior that’s innate in both species. However, remember you must choose a durable toy to withstand the full playing force of your fur buddy.
Try to go with a puzzle-based toy. Such toys will keep the dog engaged for a long time while lasting much longer than traditional toys. You can go with any toy color your dog loves. Similarly, it will help to calm its nerves down when under anxiety and stress.
You can also buy them calming beds for dogs. Top-notch beds from Calming Dog, a verified and successful provider, will keep them peaceful and relaxed when you are gone. Their beds emit a relaxing aroma to help dogs stay calm and relieved of any stress. Moreover, you can customize these beds from Calming Dog to offer a safe haven for your dog in your absence.
The Calming Cuddle Bed Plus+ offers different sizes, colors and shapes suitable for different dogs. Therefore, your mini cockapoo can also benefit from this bed. This bed offers joint support and keeps your dog running and healthy for a longer time. This bed also has a washable exterior, and you can easily maintain it without any issues. The non-skid place also helps keep the bed in one place.
Keep An Eye on Your Mini Cockapoo When You Leave
How can you keep an eye on your dog when you aren't home? Don't worry, there are solutions! Companies have designed particular recorders and displays with the increasing number of cases associated with canine anxiety. These allow you to see what your mini cockapoo is doing when you leave your house.
Shuffle Routine with Your Partner
You need to confirm whether the anxiety patterns of your dog are the same when you leave them alone with someone; therefore, the best way is to shift your usual playtime with your partner or parents.
For example, if it’s your turn to take your dog out for a walk, let the other person take it out. Ask them about the experience. Your dog was already expecting you would be the one to take it out on a walk today. Therefore, it will help you better understand whether the anxiety is separation induced or not.
At What Age Do Mini Cockapoos Calm Down?
Mini cockapoos are packed with energy. There’s hardly a breed of companion dogs that can match their level of excitement and joy. This is quite true when going out on a walk or playing with their favorite ball.
Generally, a mini cockapoo will retain such energetic behavior from birth to the age limit of 1-2. After this, the dog becomes quite fond of its routine. Therefore, it won’t gradually begin to lose interest in everyday outings as long as there’s something new and exciting waiting for it. But, of course, this behavior will vary from one dog to another.
What Kind of Problems Do Mini Cockapoos Face Emotionally?
Mini cockapoos are a crossbreed of the Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle. Therefore, the mini cockapoos are vulnerable to emotional and physical disorders, common in parent breeds. Over the years, such conditions can worsen and even be fatal depending upon the mini cockapoo's nature.
Emotionally, mini cockapoos are known for dealing with conditions like anxiety attacks and stress. Your dog can feel low-spirited throughout the day while keeping its tail between its legs. Such behavior can be seen for weeks if the right approach isn’t taken to handle it.
How Can I Fix My Puppy’s Anxiety?
There are no specific methods to help you deal with your puppy's anxiety. This is especially true if it’s a mini cockapoo. Just like humans, the ability to cope with such conditions varies from one dog to the next. It also depends on the environment it lives in.
As the mini cockapoo’s best buddy, try to cheer it up whenever you get the chance. Talk, give treats, shower with toys, take on a walk, play with its favorite ball, etc. In most cases, the anxiety directly results from remaining separated from the owner for a long time.
Are Mini Cockapoos in Particular Prone to Anxiety?
It is a myth that mini cockapoos are more prone to anxiety than other breeds. However, there is some level of truth hidden within it as well. All mini cockapoos are prone to anxiety. Just like humans, dogs can go through anxiety no matter which breed they are. This is why anxiety is such a painful experience for both species.
However, when it comes to mini cockapoos, anxiety is something they get from their parent breeds. You can make a mini cockapoo feel comfortable and friendly; however, as soon as it experiences any change in behavior or the environment, there’s a great chance it will go through anxiety-inducing attacks.
How Do You Know If Your Mini Cockapoo Is Anxious?
An anxious dog is a result of some triggers. These stimuli can be diverse, ranging from other mini cockapoos to strangers walking past the house to loud noises or thunderstorms. Often, owners are the last to realize their canine is becoming anxious or fearful because their dog learns to 'mask' its anxiety. They do this through various coping mechanisms, such as avoiding eye contact, licking, and excessive obedience.
However, the signs of anxiety can sometimes be far more overt: trembling or shivering, panting, drooling, pacing, and even aggression. Some anxious mini cockapoos will retreat to a quiet place, such as under the bed or behind a couch. They may even refuse to come out for hours or even days at a time.
Is My Mini Cockapoo's Anxiety Dangerous?
It can occasionally be difficult for some anxious mini cockapoos to differentiate between 'normal' fear responses and actual clinical anxiety. However, for most mini cockapoos with clinical anxiety, the signs are far more severe and involve many abnormal behaviors. Some of these behaviors (such as self-mutilation) can be dangerous to both the mini cockapoo and its owner.
For this reason, if you feel your dog may be suffering from anxiety, contact your veterinarian. Similarly, arrange for a veterinary behaviorist to assess the problem.
How To Pinpoint If A Mini Cockapoo Is Anxious?
The easiest way to know if your dog is anxious is to spend time with it in situations that generally make it nervous. However, if you have a good connection with your mini cockapoo, you can use obedience training as a tool. This will help establish just how anxious your mini cockapoo is.
For example, if your mini cockapoo has severe thunderstorm or fireworks phobia, you can begin training it to lie down and stay. Once your mini cockapoo can comply with these basic obedience exercises, you can use the same commands to help it relax in more stressful or anxious situation.
More About Separation Anxiety Among Mini Cockapoos
A mini cockapoo with separation anxiety is in a state of panic when alone. This can be very distressing to watch. The pet will bark, whine, howl, destroy property, and even try to injure himself to escape.
More than half of mini cockapoos with separation anxiety chew stuff. Similarly, more than 80% of those that chew will also swallow whatever they’ve chewed. Sadly, most cases of separation anxiety are not identified or treated early enough. Early identification can prevent severe damage to the mini cockapoo and danger for those around him.
A mini cockapoo with separation anxiety feels he is being left to face some terrible, unspeakable danger alone. It feels like it cannot count on its owner to protect him. When you go, he feels abandoned and afraid. Therefore, it acts out fears by chewing up your favorite shoes or peeing on the living room rug.
How To Calm Down Mini Cockapoos?
Mini cockapoo pups are particularly energetic. You might be questioning if your mini cockapoo can be calmed down. Mini cockapoos demand a lot of athletic and cerebral engagement and may grow hyper and indulge in harmful habits such as gnawing.
Working-out is the most effective technique to keep your mini cockapoo calm. To burn off your puppy's hyperactivity, take many brisk trips each day or even spend a few minutes off-leash. Provide lots of toys to keep your dog occupied in between walks. Your dog will not become bored as a result of this. You can also try giving them rough chew toys.
When there is a lack of physiological stimulation, mini cockapoos are more prone to become restless. They are a descendant of poodles. As a result, mini cockapoos are clever. They seem to be considerably peaceful when they are cognitively engaged.
Puzzle toys and activities keep your pet mentally stimulated while also keeping him physically busy. There are several indoor dog exercises and activities you can choose from at any time. These will occupy and train your mini cockapoo's mind. As a result, they're an excellent method to keep mini cockapoos quiet.
Do Mini Cockapoos React to Loud Noises?
When exposed to loud sounds such as thunderstorms or explosions, some dogs get instinctively nervous. If your mini cockapoo is only anxious in specific settings, the easiest method to calm them down is to pet or hold them. A soothing collar or a soothing jumper has shown to be effective for many owners. Others offer soothing delicacies when the situation calls for it.
Exposure therapy can also be used to assist your pet in progressively overcoming any fear connected with a certain scenario or event. This gradually increases the amount of noise your pet is exposed to until they are no longer disturbed by it. This sort of instruction is time-consuming. So, in the meanwhile, you'll have to rely on your own soothing techniques.
Can You Leave Mini Cockapoos Alone?
Human connection and affection are important to mini cockapoos. As a result, a mini cockapoo might suffer from anxiety issues. Therefore, many pet parents worry if they should leave their pets alone.
Mini cockapoos should only be left alone for short amounts of time throughout their early childhood. You can start by leaving your dog for two to three hours. The length of time you are away can then be gradually increased. If you take things carefully, you should find your dog adapts rather quickly.
Final Note
We understand how important your mini cockapoo is. This cute little furball is undoubtedly one of your best buddies. There’s no way possible you can see your fur buddy all drained and sad for long. This is why you need to choose the right strategies to help your cockapoo stay healthy and energetic.
Finally, make it a point to understand dog anxiety and how crucial the topic is. One day your mini cockapoo can be playing and jumping here and there, and the next day, it can get into a state of constant anxiety and depression. Indeed, this is too hard to watch when your mini cockapoo is a part of your family.
Remember, if you have a mini cockapoo, you need to pay more attention to this topic than anyone else. As a companion, mini cockapoos can get sad and low-spirited if they experience anything against their regular fun routine. Try to keep your mini cockapoo cheered up with plenty of pets and treats it deserves.