By Chelsea Chan
There is no greater joy than winning over an anxious pet's trust. While we have worked with anxious pets for decades, we’ve witnessed an unprecedented surge in pet anxiety since the COVID pandemic. A trend that pet sitters and dog walkers across the industry have seen. Though it is easy to blame the pandemic, we’ve observed several contributing factors that run deeper than COVID alone.
Many pets now share unusually close bonds with their owners that can cross into codependency. We’ve noticed that increased human anxiety often reflects in their pets’ behaviors, creating a cycle that is hard to break. Pet parents, with the best intentions, tend to shield their pets from any potential triggers at the first sign of anxious behavior. This protection often prevents pets from developing healthy coping mechanisms.
The dramatic shift in home environments has played a crucial role, too. With fewer visitors coming and going, pets have fewer opportunities to socialize and adapt to new people. We’ve also noticed a concerning trend where pets are increasingly treated as humans rather than animals, inadvertently suppressing their instincts. Many dogs no longer engage in essential behaviors like digging, scratching, rolling, sniffing, and playing in species-appropriate ways. Perhaps the most concerning is the decline in mental stimulation and enrichment, leading to increased pet boredom. These factors create the perfect storm for anxiety to develop.
We recognize that most “aggressive” pets are actually just scared, in pain, defensive, under-socialized or overwhelmed. We now call them “anxious pets”. Many anxious behaviors intensify when owners overprotect and avoid triggers, rather than building positive associations. Understanding dog-specific and cat-specific body language and anxiety signals is crucial for both the pet sitter and the client.
Some practical techniques can be done to help build that trust. You can create a quiet, calm space for them and use music. Clear lighting allows them to see you and use non-threatening positions, such as sitting, to encourage investigation. As a pet sitter, remove intimidating items such as hats, bulky clothing, and use high-value treats for positive reinforcement, and also position ourselves away from doors, allowing stress-free access to outdoor areas. Different strategies work for other pets; most of the time, the cause for their anxiety is unknown. Sometimes, it takes many visits to gain that trust, and that depends on the patience of the pet sitter and the client. Other sources to assist with anxiety include supplements and calming aids, as well as enrichment toys like puzzles and snuffle mats to keep their minds working. For cats, multiple scratching options and elevated resting spaces are helpful. Physical exercise is the most common need for a dog and helps keep their bodies healthy.
Working with anxious pets has taught us that patience and understanding aren’t just techniques but transformative tools. Every trembling dog who learns to wag their tail on our arrival, every fearful cat who eventually seeks our attention, reinforces what we’ve learned. There are no such things as a bad pet, just ones who need us to meet them where they are. Through consistency and gentle persistence, we can help these precious animals find confidence and joy.
