Calm Your Anxious Canine with PupPod

We’ve all had those days. You’re on a video chat with your boss or enjoying the latest Netflix series, when suddenly your dog starts barking...and barking...and just keeps barking. And no matter how you try to calm him down, he just won’t stop. No matter how much you love your dog, those are the times that make you want to tear your hair out.

Karen Pedersen can relate. Her German Shepherd/Border Collie mix, Tico, is highly vigilant and struggles with fear-reactivity. To complicate matters, they live in a busy area right next to a park, which means there’s a lot of stuff for Tico to worry about and bark at.

Luckily, Karen is no stranger to challenging dogs. Since 2005, she has been involved in dog rescue as a foster and volunteer. Her rescues have come to her with a host of behavioral and physical issues. To help them, she’s spent countless hours learning training techniques and studying dog behavior. These experiences eventually led her to create the Happy Natural Dog blog, where she shares her holistic approach to raising dogs.

But even with Karen’s extensive background and knowledge, Tico’s high anxious energy levels have presented a special challenge. Looking for a new way to redirect his energy, Karen discovered PupPod. She now uses the game daily, along with other activities, to manage cortisol (stress hormone) levels, redirect his energy, and keep him calm. “Toys like Puppod make Tico think and problem solve. Engaging Tico in mental stimulation like this on a daily basis has a long term positive effect,” she says.