Stress is so common these days. As humans, we know how we respond in stressful situations and how those responses can have a negative impact on us and our health. Every day things like traffic, work, family situations, and medical problems can cause us a lot of stress. Many people handle it just fine, but some don’t. Some experience physiological and emotional symptoms in response to stress.
Unfortunately, our dogs can experience similar responses to stressful situations but they can’t necessarily articulate them as well. We can help them by being aware of some of the signs of canine stress in order to help them to cope.
How to Identify Canine Stress
We easily identify the signs of our dog’s happiness or joy. They shake when they are excited, run around when they are done with their bath, or happily greet you when you come home for the day. But a dog under stress can also sometimes exhibit shaking or running around when scared or under stress – so how can you learn to tell the difference? Here are some tell-tall signs.
- A dog experiencing canine stress will often reveal it in the positioning of their ears. While their ears are usually relaxed or upright – depending on the breed – a stressed dog’s ears can go back and be pinned to their head. Their eyes also tend to change when stressed, sometimes getting very wide, showing dilated pupils and an increase in blinking.
- Normally, panting is a symptom of a dog being hot and attempting to regulate his temperature. However, panting can also be a sign of stress. If there is no reason to think that heat is the cause of the behavior, a panting dog is probably feeling anxiety or fear.
- Constipation or other gastrointestinal issues are typically signs of other things like food issues or illness, however they can be related to stress. If symptoms persist for no apparent reason, you may wish to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to diagnose the issue.
- If your dog stops eating, experiences a change in appetite or isn’t eating like they normally do, this could be a sign of canine stress or anxiety. Monitor them carefully and contact your veterinarian to evaluate the cause.
- Yawns, licks and drooling are all normal behavior in dogs, but when they are happening excessively, it is often a sign of stress.
- Barking or whining are common in all dogs in normal circumstances. But, these can also be signs of stress in situations where the dog feels uneasy. They may bark to get attention when something doesn’t feel right to them, or to try and calm themselves down. Being mindful of the surroundings can help you to help your dog – is there a storm brewing or are there other dogs around?
- Dogs typically spend time alone comfortably, but if your dog is isolating himself and spending more time than usual away from your family or other pets, it could be a sign that something is off. If the behavior continues, you may want to consult an expert to determine if there are other factors at play with your dog.
Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training has a team of experts who are committed to making sure you are equipped to help your dog in times of stress. We are here to help, so give us a call. We can talk through some of the situations and symptoms your dog is showing and come up with ideas to help alleviate the stress your dog is experiencing, as well as to provide the training and behavioral modifications needed to help them to cope well in everyday situations.