DARKNESS AS A BIG SCARECROW OF DOGS

Fear of the dark is one of the most common phobias. Small children are often afraid of her, but she is also a big scarecrow for adults, and there are even dogs that become unnerved after all the lights go out. Can our four-legged friends suffer from so-called nyctophobia? And if so, where does the fear come from and how can we help them get rid of it?

SEPARATION ANXIETY

A common reason for fear of the dark is separation anxiety, when a dog cannot be alone at home. This diagnosis has many symptoms such as destructive behavior, rummaging through trash, howling, defecating at home, etc. How is separation anxiety related to darkness? Some dogs sleep away from their owners at night. It can be in another room, floor, closed cage. They do darkness associated with loneliness . When they suddenly find themselves in her, it seems that they are afraid of her, while she is "just" a trigger anxiety .

If you want to help the dog, leave the light on. All it takes is a small lamp to break the darkness in the room. Thanks to today's modern technologies, there are also lights that you can have connected to a mobile application and only turn on when it gets dark. Alternatively, a light with a time switch will also work. However, it is possible that the dog's separation anxiety is so strong that this simple step will not help. In that case, you can turn to a dog trainer who will advise you on how best to work with dog anxiety.

IMPROPER VISION

Dogs can see much better in the dark than humans, so it might seem strange that they might be afraid of it. If you notice that the dog is suddenly more insecure after the lights go out, doesn't want to go anywhere, or bumps into things, it could be a sign of a vision problem . This often happens with senior dogs. Do you own a pet that has reached retirement age and the deterioration of vision is irreversible? It belongs to him to make movement at home in the dark as easy as possible . You can place light strips along the baseboards or buy lights in the drawers. In short, so that the dog always has enough light in its field of vision.

PREVIOUS TRAUMA

Fear of the dark can found in a dog from a shelter . You will probably never know what the furry person went through and what specific event triggered the anxiety. But it often stems from the conditions in which he had to live. Dark corners, closed cages and minimal light. Although in such a case it can be really difficult to work with a dog's fear, don't give up contact the experts and above all, be patient.

So how do you most often help dogs with a fear of the dark? The least you can do is leave at least a little light on. The best though your presence will work . Spend some time with them in the dark and let them know that everything is okay. Furries are very sensitive and can sense your emotions. So if you are calm, it is likely that the dog will feel the same way.