Separation anxiety, noise phobia, general nervousness — watching your dog struggle is hard, and the advice online is a mess of contradictions. Here are seven things worth trying, plus a clear line for when this stops being a home project.
1. Create a Safe Space
Every anxious dog needs a designated retreat: a quiet corner, a crate if they are already crate-trained, or a covered spot that feels den-like. Keep their bedding there and leave it accessible at all times.
The rule: never force your dog into the safe space, and never use it as punishment. It only works if going there is always their own idea.
2. Exercise Before the Stressful Thing
A tired dog settles more easily. If you know something is coming — a storm forecast, guests arriving, a long drive — get a proper walk or play session in 30 to 60 minutes beforehand.
3. Desensitisation Training
Expose your dog to the trigger at an intensity so low they barely notice, paired with treats:
- Identify the trigger precisely (thunder? the doorbell? the car engine?).
- Present it at very low intensity — a recording at low volume, for example — while feeding treats.
- Increase the intensity in small steps across days or weeks.
- If your dog shows stress, go back a step. Pushing through undoes the work.
This is slow, and slow is the point.
4. Keep the Routine Boring
Dogs cope better with predictability. Feed, walk and play at consistent times, and introduce changes gradually rather than all at once.
5. Sound Masking
Steady background sound — soft music, a fan, white noise — can blunt the sudden noises that set dogs off. Researchers at the University of Glasgow have studied how different music genres affect kennelled dogs; whether it helps yours is something you will have to test at home.
6. Compression Wraps
Snug wraps and anxiety vests apply gentle, constant pressure, on the same principle as swaddling. Owner reports are mixed and dogs respond very differently, so treat it as one option to try rather than a fix. Ask your vet before using one on a dog with skin or breathing problems.
7. Talk to Your Vet About Supplements
Calming supplements are widely sold and widely variable. Do not start one without speaking to your vet, particularly if your dog takes any other medication.
Car Trips Are Their Own Problem
A lot of "anxious dogs" are specifically anxious in the car, and some of that is physical: sliding around on a slick seat during braking and cornering is genuinely unpleasant. A grippy, familiar surface and short practice drives that end somewhere good usually help more than anything else.
Roam Bark's Back-Seat Dog Hammock Cover converts the back seat into one contained space, which limits how far a dog can slide and keeps mud and hair off the upholstery. It has two openings, so a seat belt or a car tether can still pass through.
When to Stop Improvising
If your dog is self-harming, refusing food entirely, or being destructive in ways that could injure them, this is a veterinary matter. Ask for a referral to a veterinary behaviourist — some dogs do best with prescribed medication alongside behavioural work, and that is a decision for a vet who has examined your dog.
More gear for calmer trips is in the Travel & Outdoor collection.
Free shipping to the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia and New Zealand on orders over $100. Orders are processed in 1–2 business days; delivery takes 5–12 business days in the US and 4–18 for most other countries. Returns accepted within 60 days — keep the item, nothing to send back.