Dog v stressed building work

[Otterwa]

We're having some building work done This week was the first week but it's likely to last for several more weeks.

Poor dog is so unhappy and stressed. He's quite a stressy dog normally but the change in the house, the armies of builders / deliveries coming and going and the noise. Today he has stopped barking but has just laid there looking v unhappy, panting and is off his food.

Any suggestions what I can do to make him feel better? Just ordered a DAP collar is there anything else I can do?

I could take him to parents but he is so attached to me I think that might upset him more.

Are you there with him or at work?

If you're home could you take him for a really long walk and exhaust him so he may snooze through it more? Or could a dog walker if you're at work? Could you put his bed/crate in the most quiet corner of the house? Try a diffuser?

Create a safe space for him, hang up some blankets or use a crate so it's nice and cosy and dark. Play some music in the background to try and hide some of the noise. Where is the work being carried out? Can you keep him seperate from it?

As honey said wear him out physically as much as possible.

Whatever you do, don't fuss him when he's showing signs of stress, as he'll see this as a "reward" and you'll reinforce the behaviour even more.

Try and do training with him to get him focussed on you when the builders are there.

Combine DAP/Adaptil collar with zylkene or nutracalm to get the best effect.

Any chance you can book him in for doggy day care during the day so he's not home with all the disruption? Not sure I'd get him physically tired in case he doesn't sleep after exercise and ends up tired AND stressed, I know our DDog used to be a nightmare in that scenario (now he's just a nightmare in lots of other scenarios jk, sort of...)