Stress is common in dogs—and the ways dogs show stress might surprise you.
Here are some of the most common signals your dog can give to let you know he or she is stressed.
- Excessive Panting: Most people look at this symptom and think the dog is overheated or maybe needs a drink. While panting is a sign of heat or thirst, it is also how a dog shows stress. She pants to release the stress energy that is inside of her.
- Pinned back ears: Some dogs show stress by pinning their ears back into their head. He may even hang his head low to where it appears as though he is focusing on something intently.
- More than normal shedding: You have probably noticed this happens when your dog visits the vet. Excessive amounts of shedding may occur while you are there. If this is an isolated incident or is accompanied by any other of the signs mentioned, it can be attributed to his stress level.
Not so obvious stress signals to watch for in your dog:
- Digestive issues: Sudden intestinal distress warrants a call or trip to the vet, but if the problems are ongoing and otherwise unexplained, consider anxiety as a possible culprit.
- Behavioral changes: Is your dog eating less than usual? Sleeping more? Keeping to herself when normally gregarious? Consult with your vet to rule out underlying health problems and if none are found, stress could be a contributing factor.
Observation and experimentation with stress-relieving measures are the next steps.
- Does additional exercise or supervised dog-dog play help?
- Does your dog improve if she has a snug den to herself when visitors come over?
- Do the problems worsen during storms?
Keep going until you see improvement—alleviating stress triggers is likely to greatly boost your dog’s quality of life.
Leave a Reply