Canine anxiety is a very common ailment. There are so many reasons for a dog to be anxious. They live in our stressful world with us and often absorb our anxiety. Our domesticated canines are constantly being expected to behave in ways that are not natural to them. Remember, our dogs take after their wolf ancestors and still have wolf tendencies and needs.
Anxiety in dogs can manifest as a Canine Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Canine OCD) which can range from a dog chewing on his legs to spinning uncontrollably in circles. This severity of anxiety is difficult to watch. Other levels of expressing anxiety are induced by fear such as “Thunder Phobia” and “Separation Anxiety.”
Our world can be a confusing place for our canines. All they want is to be loved, eat, play, sleep, defecate when needed, enjoy exercise, and hang out with their pack. A dog’s life would be perfect if we could offer him what he wants and needs. This is rarely the case, unfortunately. However, you can help your dog by reducing his anxiety and lowering his stress level with sharing an acupressure session with him every few days.
Even if your dog isn’t expressing his anxiety in an extreme form, he probably is experiencing some level of stress by being part of your human family. A dog shouldn’t have to be self-destructive or destructive at all to get your attention. Probably every dog could benefit from an acupressure session to reduce his anxiety.
The “Acupoints to Reduce Anxiety” chart below provides you with specific acupressure points known to relieve stress while enhancing a sense of comfort and well-being. When offering your dog this acupressure session every four or five days the added benefit is having a special time together and forming a unique bond.
Learn how to use acupressure to treat a variety of conditions in Amy and Nancy’s other articles here on Animal Wellness Guide, in their hands-on and online courses, and in their books on canine, feline and equine acupressure:
Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis