Dogs of all ages and breeds can develop anxiety, but some dogs are at increased risk of developing fear-related disorders. Be mindful of the following risk factors in this section. If your dog has any of the risk factors, you should be even more careful about looking for signs of anxiety. Early intervention can prevent or minimize the development of serious behavior problems. Dogs can be predisposed to anxiety based on genetics, which means you can ask if the parents have anxiety. Unfortunately, this step only applies if you have access to the breeder or other access to information about the dog’s parents. Lack of adequate socialization or exposure to different environments and situations can lead to anxiety when a dog is confronted with these stimuli. This is even more likely if the dog lacked these stimuli during the critical period between birth and fourteen weeks of age. For example, puppy mill breeding dogs and other dogs raised in cages often have lifelong problems with fear and anxiety even after rescue. Most anxiety disorders in dogs begin during adolescence, when the dog is between six and eighteen months of age. However, dogs of any age that experience trauma, illness, or other stressful events can develop anxiety problems. A history of abuse or past bad experiences with certain people or situations can cause anxiety. If you’re looking at a dog at a shelter or from a rescue, ask if the organization has any record of the environment from which the dog came. Any illness or condition that produces pain can increase a dog's anxiety and cause it to become more fearful. Neurological disease, degeneration, or exposure to neurotoxins can lead to anxiety in dogs as well. This also includes age-related cognitive issues, which can result in the onset of separation anxiety in old dogs.
تدخل مبكرًا. اسأل المربي عما إذا كان هناك استعدادٌ وراثيٌ للإصابة. حدد المخالطة الاجتماعية المبكرة للكلب. انظر لعمر الكلب. تحقق من تعرض كلبك لانتهاكات فيما سبق. انظر في السجل الطبي للكلب. لاحظ أي اضطرابات عصبية.