Goldendoodles are a bundle of love and full of fun. It's no wonder so many pet parents fall head over heels for these cheerful and lovable canines. Like most mixed breeds, golden doodles can be a mixed bag when it comes to their temperament and overall health. This popular breed's miniature and regular-size versions are very friendly, gentle, and accepting of others, making them excellent family pets.
Many parents of Goldendoodles have concerns about the level of anxiety their pets seem to endure. While there are different types of stress a dog can experience, many golden doodles are often diagnosed by their vets with separation anxiety.
If you are interested in learning about some calming remedies proven to help golden doodles with their anxiety issues, you have come to the right place. Here we will discuss what symptoms you should be aware of, why golden doodles are so anxious, and the calming remedies that can help your pet deal with their anxiety issues.
Keep in mind that with Goldendoodles, anxiety can be widespread. It can come on suddenly, or it may be an issue your dog has had since they were a puppy. Because there are multiple types of anxiety your golden doodle can have, it's essential to take your pet to the vet and have them diagnosed correctly so that their treatment will be successful.
What are the Symptoms of Anxiety in Goldendoodles?
There are several common symptoms associated with separation anxiety in Goldendoodles. However, your pet may experience other symptoms that aren't listed here. If you have any concerns at all about your pet's behavior, temperament, and well-being, you should consult with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Destructive Behavior
Some Goldendoodles will act out when they are feeling anxious. This destructive behavior can include chewing on things around the house, destroying furniture and carpeting, and scratching the doors and walls. Some golden doodles display their separation anxiety by jumping on the kitchen counter or other furniture. They may even turn over the garbage can and scatter trash everywhere. If you are constantly coming home each evening to find your pet destroyed something while you were away, your Goldendoodle could have a problem with separation anxiety.
Using the Bathroom Inside the House
When potty-trained golden doodles suddenly start using the bathroom inside the home, the problem could be anxiety. Many times, this symptom of stress in Goldendoodles will go overlooked but is quite common. Even if your dog is potty trained, they may choose to find a corner inside your home if they feel nervous. It may happen even with Goldendoodles that have access to the outdoors or if their owners are away for a short time.
Pacing Back and Forth
Many dogs, including Goldendoodles, will start to pace back and forth anytime they are left alone. The pacing typically begins when the dog notices its owner is going somewhere, but it can also happen after leaving. If the pacing starts after you leave, that can make this symptom a difficult one to notice. You may catch your dog pacing if you come home early from work. A security camera or pet cam would be ideal for this situation and help you see exactly how your pet reacts once you leave.
Barking or Howling
Many different breeds of dogs, including golden doodles, will howl and bark non-stop whenever their owner leaves. You may even hear them howling from outside the home when you leave or return home from work. If your neighbors complain about the never-ending barking and howling that occurs every time you leave your home, it would be best to consult with your vet and relieve your pet of their anxiety.
Trying to Escape
When golden doodles try to escape their home, this behavior is often due to an anxiety diagnosis. Goldendoodles that stay outdoors will often try to get out of their backyard by jumping a fence or digging a hole underneath it. Golden doodles that live inside the home can also show signs of wanting to escape, and they may attempt to chew or claw their way out of their kennels. Some adventurous Goldendoodles may even try to get out of an open window.
How Do Anxiety Symptoms Differ from Normal Goldendoodle Behavior?
Separation anxiety can be challenging to diagnose in golden doodles as well as many other dog breeds. That's because some symptoms like those we have discussed can also be perfectly normal behavior for your dog at times.
Have you noticed this anxious behavior while you are at home with your pet? Or does it only happen whenever you leave? If it happens while you are spending time with your Goldendoodle, likely, the problem isn't due to anxiety.
Is your Goldendoodle fully house trained? If you are still working on potty training, you can expect accidents to happen inside your home. You can help eliminate a lot of the mess by installing puppy gates or placing your dog in a kennel, so they don't' have an entire run of your house until they are accident-free.
Make sure you aren't ruling out any possible medical issues. Often, when Goldendoodles or other dog breeds are in pain, they will resort to using the bathroom indoors or chewing on objects they usually wouldn't. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.
If your dog is still a puppy, they may need some more training to help eliminate their bad habits and behavior.
Your Goldendoodle may be reacting by trying to escape or howling out of boredom. You can remedy this by buying a few more toys to keep them occupied or taking them on walks more often.
If you have managed to rule out all of these things, it's likely your dog may have problems with anxiety.
Why Are Golden Doodles So Anxious?
Goldendoodles are naturally social creatures. To stay in good spirits, these friendly dogs need tons of attention, interaction, and affection. Whenever golden doodles start to feel like they aren't getting enough attention, most of them will begin to show signs of separation anxiety.
It's important to remember other things that can cause separation anxiety in Goldendoodles aside from a lack of attention from their owner. If you have recently adopted a Goldendoodle puppy, you can expect them to have difficulty adjusting to their new surroundings. It's common for puppies to endure separation anxiety when away from their mothers for the first time. Even Goldendoodles trained to be service dogs will suffer from anxiety before creating a bond between them and their new owner.
When pet parents notice their golden doodles are anxious all of a sudden, they should examine what is going on inside the home and their dog's overall environment. If you work long hours or have a new baby in the family, your dog may act out because they feel neglected. Anxiety caused by significant life changes can be prevalent among Goldendoodles. Suppose you are preparing for a substantial change, such as moving into a new home or welcoming a new child. In that case, you will need to be ready for any potential anxious behavior from your Goldendoodle.
What Calming Remedies Help Goldendoodles with Anxiety?
Now that you understand more about what causes anxiety in golden doodles, it's time to look at some possible calming remedies you can try. It would be best to try out several of these suggestions until you find one or more that work well for your pet. Your Goldendoodle may do best if you try a combination of anxiety remedies.
Here are our suggestions for remedies that will help calm the anxiety symptoms of golden doodles.
Use Clothing with Scent
It's a good idea to provide golden doodles with a soft sweater or shirt you have worn recently that has your scent on it will provide comfort and security. Your puppy will cuddle into the clothing as your scent helps to keep them calm. Just keep in mind that your puppy will likely chew on the clothing or could even have an accident. It will be covered in dog hair, so choose your clothing wisely. There's also the option to provide your Goldendoodle with a cozy new bed that can give them calmness, security, and comfort.
The Calming Cuddle Bed from Calming Dog is available in five different sizes for all dog breeds. These beds are proven to decrease anxiety in Goldendoodles, which means you and your pet will experience less stress. A nice Calming Cuddle Blanket is another option to consider, especially for younger Goldendoodles. These blankets can help your puppy stay relaxed and calm when they are in a stressful situation.
Change Up Your Morning Routine
If you struggle to get out the door each morning due to your Goldendoodle's separation anxiety, it may be time to change how you leave. A simple change to your morning routine, such as saying goodbye quickly and offering them a treat as a distraction, can help. Don't talk in a sad tone because this could trigger your dog's anxious feelings. On the weekend, you may want to try leaving the house for a few minutes and coming back, and then gradually increasing the amount of time gone during these trial runs. Each time you return home, be sure to give your Goldendoodle extra love and praise.
Take a Walk
Going for a walk can help both golden doodles and their human companions relieve stress and anxiety. Walking together more often will help improve the bond you have and help your Goldendoodle feel like they play a more significant role in your life. You can choose to go on more walks either before you leave in the morning or after you come home. You can also choose to go on a walk right before you leave for work to help decrease their anxiety. Either option should help your dog exert some of their energy, and they will also benefit from being social with you.
Dog Proof a Room
Goldendoodles are highly social with plenty of energy, so it's usually not a good idea to crate them. Crating golden doodles will often lead to anxiety symptoms that are even more severe, and it could cause your dog to develop behaviors that could be harmful to them. Instead of crating, you can choose to puppy-proof a room in your home. When puppy-proofing, you should remove all items your Goldendoodle tends to destroy and instead fill the area with all their favorite toys.
Create a Relaxing Atmosphere
Recent studies have shown that creating a relaxing atmosphere in your home can be helpful for dogs such as Goldendoodles and their anxiety issues. Playing classical music or listening to audiobooks read by someone with a soothing voice can help golden doodles relax in the same way those sounds would help humans relax. Try setting up a speaker inside your home or in your puppy-proofed room and play some calming music or books for your pet while you are away.
Doggy's Day Out
If you work long hours and need to leave your dog at home alone with no human interaction, it may be a good idea to look into doggy daycare options in your area. Goldendoodles will have the chance to play with other dogs and spend time with caring humans who will ensure all their needs are met. They will get the love and attention they need to eliminate their separation anxiety while you can have peace and mind. Even if you only take your dog to daycare a few days out of the week, you should see an improvement in their behavior.
Calming Zen Chews
Improving your dog's nutrition is an excellent way to enhance their health and well-being. Providing them with healthy treats filled with vitamins and nutrients will improve their livelihood in more ways than one. The Calming Zen Chews made by Calming Dog contains ingredients to help your dog relax whenever they feel stressed or anxious.
Calming Zen Chews are all-natural and safe for your pet to enjoy. Each treat contains calming agents like L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine, and Chamomile. Each package includes 60 delicious chews your dog is sure to enjoy.
When golden doodles are anxious, providing them with one of these healthy treats will help them cope with stressful situations such as thunderstorms or before a long trip in the car.
When you offer your dog this natural stress reliever instead of their usual treats, you can be assured they will experience less stress with no harmful side effects.
Customers who have used Calming Zen Chews to help their pups cope with stress say the treats made a noticeable difference in their dog's barking and overall behavior.
Swap Out Toys
Providing Goldendoodles with various toys they can play with is a great way to help with anxiety symptoms. Choose a few of your dog's favorite toys, but only let them play with them while you are gone. Make sure you have an assortment of toys so you can switch them out from one week to the next. Your Goldendoodle may have so much fun playing with their favorite toys that they will forget you are no longer home.
Massage or Acupuncture
Any treatment that helps your dog's body function better will help them become more mentally stable as well. Some locations on a dog's body, such as their ears, the top of their head, or their feet, are natural pressure points. Massaging these areas for as little as 15 minutes a day can help to improve stress levels for Goldendoodles.
Use Calming Products Like Sprays and Collars
There's a variety of calming sprays, diffusers, wipes, and collars available designed to calm down your dog and help them relax while you are away. Calming Spray is known to help Goldendoodles relax while their owners are away, and they are ideal for improving your pup's well-being and behavior. These sprays are excellent, all-natural stress relievers with no harmful side effects for golden doodles or other dog breeds.
Consider Prescription Medication
It's always best to try all the natural remedies we have listed here before you resort to using medication to help Goldendoodles relax. But if you have exhausted all your options, there is a prescription medication available to help your pet. You should only use medication for anxiety in dogs under the guidance of your vet. You can find everything from Prozac for dogs to medicated food that can help eliminate feelings of anxiety.
Being a pet parent to playful Goldendoodles can bring plenty of happiness to your life. But having Goldendoodles who suffer from anxiety isn't very fun. If you recently adopted your dog, you may feel like you aren't a compatible match. But with the right type and amount of treatment, Goldendoodles can overcome their anxiety symptoms and be the joyous and loving dogs that so many of us have grown to love. Pet parents of golden doodles and other dog breeds that tend to get anxious can benefit from using natural Calming Dog remedies designed to keep your pet content while you are away.