Are Weighted Blankets Safe For Dogs?

Weighted blankets have taken the consumer world by storm with their ability to relieve anxiety and result in a restful night of sleep. Any time a product claims to soothe our anxious nerves, it always makes its way into the pet health world as well. 

In this article we’ll dive into the facts behind anxiety in dogs, and if weighted blankets are safe for dogs. 

Like many pet owners, our dogs can experience anxiety that interferes with their life. Though they may have different triggers than we do, they can still experience anxiety and nerves that can affect them daily. Some factors that can cause anxiety in dogs include:

• Changes in their environment: Changes within your home can have a major impact on our furry friends. These changes include moving to a new home, sudden loss of someone in the home, new people in their home, new pets in the home, lack of exercise or interaction with others, and any other changes in their daily lives.
• Fear: Fear can play a huge factor in a dog’s anxiety. This is often situational and is a direct result of an outside factor causing them to be fearful. This can be new people, other dogs, loud noises such as fireworks or thunderstorms, going to the vet, or any other event that can result in fear.
• Aging: When a dog ages, they can begin to experience aches and pains associated with old age, or even new medical conditions that can begin to impact their daily life. These conditions can cause daily pain, difficulty moving around, and make it difficult to do these they once did before. This can result in anxiety for some dogs.

In order to bring your dog relief, it’s important to understand the signs of anxiety in dogs. Some symptoms include:

• Urinating or defecating inside of the house
• Pacing
• Chewing  or other destructive behaviors
• Panting
• Howling and barking
• Repetitive itching or chewing on their skin
• Depression
• Drooling
• Any other abnormal behavior for your dog

Anxiety can manifest in many ways in a dog, so any abnormal behavior in your pup should be addressed.

While a weighted blanket can help soothe anxious behavior as it’s happening, it’s not an effective solution for anxiety in general. Since the blanket only works at the moment that it’s being used, it won’t make a difference for the daily anxieties they may face. Some ways to manage your dog’s anxiety as a whole include:

• CBD oil: CBD oil has been known to provide relief for anxious dogs in many situations. CBD oil for dogs can help relieve aches and pains, separation anxiety, storm anxiety, and any other situation that can make a dog uneasy. Dogs can receive the health benefits of CBD in the form of an oil or CBD treats infused with the oil.
• Supplements: Supplements such as essential oils and supplements infused with essential oils have been known to bring relief to anxious dogs. These supplements can be made in the form of dog treats or oils that can be applied to their food, or in oils that can be diffused throughout your home.
• Exercise: Sometimes a dog’s anxiety can be a result of pent up energy. Due to this, some dogs find great relief in an increase in their daily exercise. Some dog owners have noticed an improvement after taking them on daily walks, incorporating daily playtime, bringing them along on outdoor adventures, or any other way to get them moving.
• Mental Stimulation: One of the best ways to help a dog’s anxiety is by keeping their minds busy. By providing them with mentally stimulating games, anxiety-relieving licking pads, or any other games that help to stimulate their mind, you can help your dog redirect their anxious activity.

Weighted blankets have become extremely popular in the world of human health. Weighted blankets work by using deep-touch pressure to help relax the nervous system. This deep-touch pressure therapy helps to stimulate the release of serotonin in the brain, which results in a happy feeling in those that use it.

Weighted blankets have been used to help people with anxiety that keeps them awake at night, as well as others with serious mental conditions that affect their sensory system. Due to the positive impact weighted blankets have had on people, some have begun to implement weighted blankets for dog anxiety.

Weighted blankets can help to soothe a dog’s anxious behavior, especially those that actually enjoy being snuggled into blankets. While weighted blankets may not work for dogs that don’t enjoy being wrapped in blankets, they are able to help anxious dogs get some rest during thunderstorms, loud events, separation anxiety, and other situational anxieties. 

Buddy Rest has created a Soothe Blanket that is made specifically for anxious pups. With a soft soothing pressure that is made with dogs in mind, you know it’s helping to target their anxiety and provide relief in a safe way.

This blanket is available in 3 sizes, so dogs of any shape and size can benefit from the technology behind a weighted blanket. The reviews for the Soothe Blanket are filled with satisfied dog owners who rave about how much their dog’s love the blanket, and how it has become their “safe zone” if they are ever feeling uneasy.

While many owners just use their own personal weighted blanket for their dogs, Buddy Rest has finally created a weighted blanket with a recommended weight for dogs, so you know that your pup has everything they need to feel safe while using this product.

While there are many options to help relieve your dog’s anxiety, a weighted blanket is a wonderful option for dogs that enjoy time spent cuddling in their bed. If you have an anxious dog that craves having a safe zone to turn to when their nerves overcome them, a weighted blanket may be a wonderful solution.