How To Tell If Your Dog Is Stressed (3 Key Signs To Look For!)
Dogs are more like humans than we give them credit for. They feel a lot of the same emotions, like unbridled joy, anger, fear, and love. What a lot of pet owners don’t realize is that dogs also suffer from common mental health problems. We know humans deal with anxiety and stress, but dogs feel this way too.
It’s not something we consider as pets are seen as these “fun” little things that always have smiles on their furry faces. However, if your dog is stressed, you need to figure out why. This lets them get the help they need to feel better in the long run. It all starts with identifying when your dog is stressed – here are three key signs to look at:
Excessive panting
Dogs pant to cool themselves down so this isn’t always a sign of stress. As such, it’s also something you don’t pay attention to as you assume a panting dog is fine. The key sign to look for is when your dog pants a lot in situations where it makes no sense for them to be doing so. For example, they pant while indoors in cool conditions. Another big thing to notice is if you find your dog shaking and panting at night.
Excessive panting when your dog should otherwise be relaxed could be a sign of stress. Keep an eye on this and see if you spot any of the other signs in your dog as well.
Obvious behavior changes
Your dog will likely do similar things all the time. They may love running around the house, climbing on furniture, or hunkering down with you for cuddles. If you see them divert from common behaviors, it’s normally a sign of something being up.
The biggest change to watch for is changes in their appetite. Does your dog suddenly stop eating food? Does it turn away from the doggy bowl and sit in silence somewhere hidden? This is a big behavioral change and likely indicates something mentally wrong with your pup.
Barking or whining
Figuring out if a dog is stressed is difficult because some may be super quiet and do nothing while others are a lot more vocal. Look at your dog and pay attention to the noises it makes. Has it started barking a lot more than usual – particularly when there’s no perceived danger around? Maybe it’s the evening and you’re all relaxed in the living room and your dog has a barking fit. You can’t see a physical reason for the barking, so it could be your dog’s way of shouting for help because it’s anxious or stressed.
Of course, a whining dog is never a good sign. It’s the easiest way for our furry friends to tell us something is wrong. Whining means the dog is upset about something – if it continues to whine and look sad after you’ve tried to feed it or give it some attention, then it’s likely a sign of stress.
Any of these things could indicate your dog is stressed – the answer is much clearer when all of them are present. Keep an eye on the way your dog acts to spot the telltale signs of stress/anxiety and take them to the vet if you’re worried. This helps you figure out why they might be stressed and what to do to help them overcome it.
