Learning What Your Dog Needs Directly From Him: Stress

By Charlene Little, Contributing Writer

If you know your dog, you can tell if something is wrong.  However, since dogs cannot talk it may be difficult to understand that they mean.  Dogs, just like humans develop stress in certain situations.

Signs of Stress in Dogs

The first thing you must do in the process of learning how to help your dog through stress, is learning what signals he gives when he stressed out.  There are many signals that a dog could give to show that he is stressed out.  Below are a few examples of common behavior in dogs that are stressed out.

Slow wagging tail: A dog that is wagging their tails slowly is not showing that they are happy.  This is a sign of stress.

Tail tucked between hind legs: If a dog has their tail tucked between their hind legs, they are doing this as a sign of fear or anxiety.  This can be factored in by using the idea that fear is an extreme form of stress.

Refusal to eat: A dog that suddenly refuses to eat me be experiencing stress.

Refusal to play: if you’re playing with your dog, and the suddenly decide that they no longer want to play, there may be something in the area that is causing them stress.

Lowering of that ears: a dog the lowers or folds his ears suddenly, could be exhibiting a sign of stress.

Blinking of the eyes: what a dog is experiencing stress, they tended to deliberately blink their eyes. 

Squinting of eyes: squinting of eyes is a sign of mild stress.

Holding breath: when  a dog is stressed out, and could possibly become aggressive, they begin to puff out their cheeks.  This is done by inhaling a large quantity of air, and then releasing it and small puffs, making their cheeks puff up.

Panting: panting when it is not hot, can be signs of stress for your dog.

Shedding: shedding is common in dogs who are stressed.  It is extremely common, for dogs who are stressed out over a long period of time.

Marking of territory: A dog who normally does not mark their territory, may begin to do so if they become stressed out.

Avoiding eye contact: A do who is stressed out will avoid eye contact.

Trembling: A dog that is scared, or stressed out may tremble as if he were cold.

Drooling: A dog that is stressed out may drool.

Starring into space: A dog that spaces out may be under a great deal of stress and are trying to avoid the situation.

Lounging at other dogs: A dog that is stressed out may lunge at other dogs, cats, or humans.

Potential stressors:

Other dogs

Strangers

Noises

Shadows

New location

Have to handle your dog stress

The best way to handle your dog stress is to determine what is causing it.  Once you determine what is causing the stress, you can then remove it, or introduce your dog to it.

In some unfortunate cases, such as a new location, your dog may have to bare with it and readjust.

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About the Author

Charlene Little is the mother of three wonderful boys and a volunteer foster mom for her local animal shelter. She enjoys working with various breeds of dogs and cats in learning social behavior, training, and how to be the successful member of a fur-ever family. She enjoys studying animals' behavior and finding solutions to behavior problems that the everyday person can handle. She covers topics from various forms of aggression and small problem behaviors. Every problem behavior has a solution, and the solution is never to give up on your pet! Love, kindness, and small adjustments could be just what you need.