Miniature Schnauzers, in general, are a confident, fun-loving and sociable small dog with a big personality. Their temperament can vary from dog to dog. Unfortunately, many Mini Schnauzers do suffer from some form of anxiety. This is a real shame as it prevents their true personality from shining thru.
If your Miniature Schnauzer does have some form of anxiety it can also be quite stressful for you, However, don’t despair. Anxiety is a psychological and behavioral problem and can be improved and even fixed.
Types of anxiety your Miniature Schnauzer may have
Anxiety in dogs can be caused and triggered in many ways. A Mini Schnauzer with anxiety may suffer from one or all of these types of anxiety. Knowing the root cause of your dog’s anxiety can be helpful in finding a solution. It is not always possible to know the cause of the anxiety. This doesn’t mean a solution can’t be found.
Fear-based anxiety
Fear-based anxiety is a feeling of apprehension caused by a situation, person, or object. This may be a real threat or even a perceived threat. In a situation where a dog feels a threat, they will respond in one of three ways – fight, flight, or freeze.
Anything can be a trigger for a certain dog such as loud noises such as fireworks, a person or animal they don’t trust, or a particular situation or place.
The good news is that a fear-based reaction is usually a learned behavior and with guidance and counter-conditioning the issue can be resolved.
Separation Anxiety
Dogs are a social animal by nature and most dogs don’t really like being left alone. Some dogs being left alone can have reactions and behaviors such as destructive behavior, nuisance barking, or toileting in the house. It can even cause extreme panic in the dog that they could hurt themselves. I have heard stories of dogs that have jumped through glass windows to escape. For a guide to leaving a Miniature Schnauzer home alone see here.
Separation anxiety is a general term used to describe anxiety in a dog left alone. Actual separation anxiety is a severe situation and is not as common as many people may think. This is when a dog has extreme anxiety when they are away from a certain person or people.
In most cases, dogs left home alone actually have separation stress. This is a much milder situation and can be quite simple to deal with in comparison to true separation anxiety.
For other dogs, it is more a case of Isolation anxiety or stress. This is more about the dog not wanting to be left alone rather than an attachment to a certain person or group of people. Often the company of any other person or even animal can resolve this.
If you have a dog that has an issue when being left alone you need to figure out which of these categories your dog fits in to, a Separation or Isolation related issue. You then need to objectively analyze where they fit on the scale of low-level stress up to extreme level anxiety. Even though each dog is different it will give you a starting point to finding a solution and beginning to help your dog cope and adjust. Separation problems are in general more difficult to fix than isolation problems.
To learn more about anxiety in dogs left home alone see here.
Health and age-related anxiety
Sometimes a dog’s anxiety can be the result of a health issue or disease. This type of anxiety usually comes on quickly even with dogs that have never shown any signs of anxiety previously. If your dog suddenly shows an extreme change in behavior you should consult your vet.
As a dog starts to get into their senior years they can be affected by anxiety. Their awareness, perception, and memory can begin to decline similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This is known as cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS). If you suspect this is the case with your dog you should consult your vet for solutions.
History-based anxiety
This can be quite common in rescue dogs that may have had traumatic experiences earlier in their lives. In many cases, you may never know the dog’s history and what has happened to them. Although it can be helpful to know it is not essential to be able to help the dog.
Generalized Anxiety
If your dog is showing anxiety on a regular basis for no apparent reason. It is like the dog is walking around expecting something to happen. Often the cause of this anxiety can be a change in routine or in their environment.
How to calm an anxious Miniature Schnauzer
If your Mini Schnauzer has extreme and constant anxiety or phobias it is best to consult your vet to eliminate any health or illness related causes. Once your vet is able to eliminate any veterinary causes consult a qualified and experienced dog behaviorist to create a plan of attack.
In less extreme and even mild cases of anxiety, there are many things you can do yourself to help destress and calm your Miniature Schnauzer.
Exercise and mental stimulation
Exercise is not only good for your dog’s physical health and preventing boredom. It is also important for mental health. Your dog’s mood will improve after a walk or physical play. Mental enrichment is also good for stress release. If you are leaving your dog home alone, take them out for some exercise before leaving. For a guide to exercise and mental stimulation for a Miniature Schnauzer see here.
Calming Bed
The round shape of this bed encourages your Miniature Schnauzer to curl up. This is a calming position that makes your dog feel safe.
Chewing
Chewing is a natural instinctive behavior for dogs and has many benefits. These include keeping them occupied and dental health benefits. The chewing action also releases endorphins to your dog’s brain giving them that feel-good stress relief and calm feeling.
To learn more about the benefits of chewing and the best chew toys for dogs see here.
Rescue Remedy
This is a well known homeopathic remedy that has been around for 80 years. It is quite commonly used by humans to feel relaxed, calm and stress-free. As a dog groomer, I have used Rescue remedy with great success when working with highly anxious dogs. Easy to use as you just put a drop or two on the tongue.
ADAPTIL Calm Home Diffuser for Dogs
This is a diffuser you plug into a power outlet that releases dog appeasing pheromones that give then a calm feeling. To us, these scents are odorless and are only perceived by dogs and provide a strong signal of security and comfort. The diffuser will cover an area of up to 700 sq. ft. It comes with a diffuser head and a vile that lasts up to 30 days. Replacement viles are also available on Amazon.
Thunder shirt
A thunder shirt is a garment that your dog wears that applies gentle and constant pressure to their body. This has a calming and stress relieving effect on dogs. They work well with dogs that are stressed or anxious about being alone as well as dogs that have fears with thunder, fireworks, and traveling.
To learn more you can see Thunder shirts on Amazon here.
Calming Music
There is a lot of free music for dogs that are designed to calm them. Just do a search on Google or Utube for calming music for dogs.
Gentle belly rubs and massage
Manage your own energy
If you react to your dog’s anxiety with anxious energy yourself will heighten their anxiety. When you make a big deal of something it will become a big deal to your dog. If your dog has anxiety when being left home alone this is important to. When you leave don’t make a big fuss.
Anxiety Medication
Your vet can prescribe anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications. By combining these medications with counter-conditioning training to reduce your dog’s reaction to situations or triggers, a dog can develop the confidence to ignore the stressors. Personally I am not a big fan of using drugs unless they are absolutely necessary.
There are some natural remedies that you may wish to try first. One example of this is tryptophan. This is a natural amino acid that can play a role in optimal brain function and behavior. Another option is CBD oil which is a component of hemp. Studies have shown this to have good results in humans. No studies have been really done with dogs.
View natural anxiety remedies for dogs on Amazon.
Summary – Anxiety problems in Miniature Schnauzers
Anxiety in dogs can be caused and triggered in many ways. A Mini Schnauzer with anxiety may suffer from one or all of these types of anxiety. Knowing the root cause of your dog’s anxiety can be helpful in finding a solution. It is not always possible to know the cause of the anxiety. This doesn’t mean a solution can’t be found.
If your Miniature Schnauzer has extreme anxiety you should consult your vet to eliminate any medical causes. Once your vet is able to eliminate any veterinary causes consult a qualified and experienced dog behaviorist to create a plan of attack.
In less extreme and even mild cases of anxiety, there are many things you can do yourself to help destress and calm your Miniature Schnauzer.
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My puppy is 10 months she had bad anxiety.dont lukecpeople. Hates getting groomed and bites. What do I do
You need to consult an experienced dog behaviorist. It is unlikely you can fix the issues yourself as you have inadvertently created them. I hope that doesn’t sound too harsh, but you need a professional to teach you the correct things to do.