We
all know about daily stress and anxiety.
We feel it at work, in traffic, at home and even when we surf our social
media accounts. What about our dogs?
Do they feel our stress and how do we know when they have their own
stresses? How do we know when they are feeling anxiety
and what if anything can we do about it?
Much
of what we notice as stress in a dog is expressed in their body language. When they feel fearful of an unusual
situation they express their stress to us and other dogs with their body. Stressed dogs may take a stiff posture
and a wide-eyed look. They will
nervously scan the surrounding area for an escape route or may just turn their
head and avoid eye contact altogether.
They will often drop their head, blink excessively, yawn, press their
ears back close to their head, and may pull their lips back into a tight lipped
“smile”. This can happen just
before a growl or snap. They will have
a tendency to retreat behind their owner (or safe person) if they have that
option, or may growl, wag the tail excessively, bark or charge if they feel
very threatened or challenged.
Like
us, dogs can also experience physiological symptoms of stress such as panting,
trembling and sweaty paws. (I know, we have sweaty hands not paws) They can also experience loss of bowel
control, diarrhea or uncontrolled urination. If the stress or anxiety bleeds over to their home life,
they can lose interest in food, become very clingy or even show destructive
behaviors to themselves (licking and chewing their feet or legs) or to objects
around the house (chewing or digging).
In
order to recognize your dog’s stress or anxiety, you must observe them when
they are relaxed and calm. Get to
know their relaxed eyes and ears and their normal behavior when they feel
comfortable. When early signs of
stress or anxiety emerge try to remove the stressful stimulus if possible or
distract the dog with his/her favorite treats. Dogs can be
trained to accept stressful things, but it has to be done in a gradual, kind
fashion using only positive reinforcement. Clicker training, exercise, consistent routines, healthy
diet, and above all, early socialization with other pets, children, strange
places and the veterinary hospital will provide a strong base for a dogs future
stress levels. If you missed the
socialization window when your dog was a puppy, generally thought to be between
4 and 14 weeks of age, they can still learn to remain calm in stressful
situations. Work with
professionals to get the proper training and exposure in a kind gradual manner and
be sure that they are not pushed beyond their ability to keep cool.
Be
sure to ask for help from your veterinary team or a veterinarian board
certified in behavior medicine before your dog’s anxiety becomes too
severe. There are many things that
can be done, to help you and your pet live a low stress, life.
