Dog B.O.N.E.S.

Fourth of July, thunder storms, or the garbage truck on Monday will give your dog a lot of anxiety.  Put your dog in a closed room with music or the television on. This blocks out the sound but remember dogs can hear better than humans can. They can even her sounds we can't.  Giving your dog a stuffed animal so they don't feel alone can help as well. Probably will not work so good with big dogs.  Purchasing some calming dog treats or making your own may be the way to go. Make sure to test your dog to see if they work before the loud noise event will happen.  The last resort is Benadryl or anxiety medication. Benadryl and anxiety medication will make your dog sleepy but please talk to your vet before administering. 

Dogs anxiety can be the lack of stimulation. I do not understand why anyone feeds their dog in a bowl. Dogs can be made to work for their food.  Placing hard dog food around the house and letting your dog sniff for it is a great way to feed them.  Putting the food in a bottle with the lid off or in a conge that they have to move around to get the food to come out is another good way.  Dogs need to chew and lick so having food to like on a licking matt is great way for your dog to get stimulation. Check out stuffing a bone.   Chewing a bone or licking yummy food like peanut butter or cheese from the bone or even a conge is a great activity for your dog.  Puzzle games where you put the food in a space and the dog has to move an object or push a button to get to the treat is another awesome way to give your dog stimulation.  Stuffed animals are a great toy for dog. Yes they can be messy. You can also get an animal shaped toy with a rope toy inside the object for you dog to chew on.