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Plus, your dog won’t be able to see scary flashes of lightning.Īll great Zen zones need a bed. It’s best for the closet to be away from windows, because when the lights are off, it should feel den-like.

A dog bed, like the P.L.A.Y lounge dog bed (This is what I have for Millie).

I followed her lead and decided to turn the messy spot into her “closet of tranquility.” What You Need Whenever the booming started, she would go straight to his closet and burrow in a corner next to the dirty laundry. Her next spot became my husband’s walk-in closet. Now that Millie’s older (and chubbier), it’s no longer an option for her. My dog Millie used to deal with thunder or fireworks by slipping under a coffee table that had just 6 inches of clearance beneath it. If your pup burrows under the bed covers or crawls under the couch when she feels nervous, a special corner in the closet might be exactly what she needs. This space is a good fit for dogs who enjoy a den-like environment. If it’s been a while since your dog has been crated, give her time to reacclimate to the crate before you designate it as her “chill zone.” Keep the door open so your dog can go in and out whenever needed. When she’s not sleeping, give your pup something to focus on while hanging out in her cozy crate, like a Bones & Chews jumbo bully stick.

Draw the blinds, dim the lights and, before you know it, your dog probably will drift off into a puppy-like slumber! Muffle any scary sounds with a white noise machine plugged in near the crate. If your dog still gnaws on contraband, make sure that nearby blankets or bedding can’t become chewing targets. Place an extra-cozy bed inside that feels like a hug. (The garage or seldom-visited basement aren’t good options.) Then, cover the crate with a blanket that you’ve used a few times to surround your pooch with your scent. Place the crate in a quiet part of your house that isn’t too far removed from the action. A cozy crate mat, like the Frisco quilted fleece pet bed.A used blanket with your natural scent on it.A dog crate, like the Frisco single door dog crate.This space also is ideal for any dog who willingly naps in her crate. If your dog considered her crate a place of refuge back in the day, then consider reintroducing it as a stress-free cozy corner for when life gets overwhelming. The one that would work best for your dog will depend on her preferences. This helped me determine what space they needed for de-stressing.īelow are four Zen spaces you can create in your home to help your dog feel safe. When my dogs got stressed, I watched what they did to self-soothe. You might think that hanging on the couch next to you is the best way for your dog to weather a storm, but she might prefer to hunker down in an enclosed “safe space” where she can be alone.

The most important part of creating a Zen space for your dog is to recognize what she finds comforting. 4 Types of Zen Spaces to Help Calm Your Dog If your dog has anxiety, you can create a special Zen space built to her preferences to help calm her down.

There are various ways to decrease stress in dogs, but sometimes all they need is the perfect space to relax in. As our pups’ advocates, it’s our responsibility to help reduce the stressors in our best friends’ lives. Or your dog might even shut down completely and become so afraid that she won’t respond when you try to interact with her. Or a stressed dog may display appeasement behaviors, known as “calming signals,” such as yawning and lip licking. There’s the well-known “fight or flight” response. The best solution I’ve found to alleviate my dogs’ anxiety is to create their own doggy Zen spaces.ĭogs who feel stressed or overwhelmed might react in several ways. Unfortunately, my neighbors love to find any reason to break out the pyrotechnics, so I frequently have to help my dogs through their nervous reactions. My dogs, Millie and Olive, are scared of thunder and fireworks.