We’ve all felt the effects of stress in our lives, and we know it’s not pleasant. Just like humans, dogs can be affected by stress, too, triggered by various causes, such as loud noises, strangers, separation, or changes to their usual environment or routine.
As their owners, it’s our responsibility to be able to recognize when our dogs are stressed as well as to help them manage it.
Keep reading to learn a few common signs that indicate your dog might be stressed out.
1. Changes in Appetite
Not unlike humans, dogs can experience fluctuating appetites when stressed out. However, while we might be inclined to eat more when we’re facing emotional adversity, your dog is more likely to turn away from his food bowl.
This is because feelings of stress and anxiety can inhibit your dog’s natural appetite. It’s common for stress to cause a loss of appetite or even an upset stomach for dogs, so it’s important to look out for these cues.
If you think your dog’s eating is being impacted by stress, take measures to encourage their regular eating habits. Make sure that their food is in a safe and familiar space, and offer them some of their favorite treats if dry kibble isn’t holding their interest.
2. Excessive Licking or Groomin
Even dogs tend to engage in compulsive behaviors when they’re stressed, which often include excessive licking or grooming. While this might seem harmless, overgrooming can be destructive, often leading to skin irritation and even an upset stomach from ingesting too much of their own body hair.
Your pooch might be engaging in behaviors like this in an attempt to calm themselves down and self-soothe. As an owner, you’ll notice when your dog is grooming or licking themselves (or anything else) more than what is typical for them.
3. Destructive Behavior
This tendency towards compulsive behavior goes beyond licking and grooming. Dogs who are stressed out or anxious often turn towards more outwardly destructive behavior to vent frustrations, calm themselves down, distract themselves, or even communicate with you that they’re upset or struggling with a mental health issue like anxiety or even PTSD.
These behaviors might include licking floors and walls, barking excessively, chewing incessantly, digging (both out and indoors), or otherwise destroying their immediate environment.
These habits also often arise out of boredom, but it’s important to realize that boredom is a feeling that can often cause stress in pets, so the frustration they feel is one and the same.
4. Withdrawal or Hiding
A more obvious sign of a stressed-out pup is hiding away. It’s natural to withdraw when one is feeling scared or anxious about something in particular, and this is especially common in animals.
Your dog might hide behind furniture, under a bed, in the bushes outside, or even behind you, in a social situation.
You might notice your dog hiding away when it’s faced with something unfamiliar, such as moving to a new home or being placed in a high-stress social situation it hasn’t experienced before. Hiding is a way for a stressed-out dog to escape from whatever is triggering it, allowing it to feel safe and secure.
5. Changes in Sleeping Patterns
Another human-like symptom of stress that dogs experience is trouble sleeping. Your dog might be rolling over and over, barking all night, pacing up and down, or simply lying down wide awake when it’s usually their sleepy hours.
This kind of restlessness can be caused by noises, smells, or other disturbances that keep them awake and cause them stress. This can also happen when they’re in an unfamiliar environment and don’t feel safe or comfortable to be at ease and rest. This is why restlessness, and a lack of sleep are common in dogs who have recently had to move house, been adopted by a new family, or are temporarily in a different space.
6. Increased Vocalization
Yes – that incessant barking we’re all familiar with can definitely be a sign of stress. If your dog is barking constantly at what seems to be nothing, growling (at you or something else), or whining, they might be stressed, anxious, or otherwise frustrated.
A whining dog often can’t help what they’re doing, as it’s an automatic and compulsive reaction to the stress or anxiety they’re feeling. Barking and growling might be similarly compulsive, and it’s their only way of alerting you that they’re upset.
It’s important to consider context in these situations – if your dog is barking at a person, another animal, or something else specific, then it will be clear what the problem is. If you can’t identify a specific trigger, then your dog might be stressed about something else in their environment.
7. Panting or Shaking
Similarly to how we might experience the shakes when we’re anxious or feel our mouths drying out, your dog might pant or start shaking or trembling as a stress response.
Dogs often pant excessively when in the car, at the vet, or facing a similarly stressful situation. They may also become restless and start pacing up and down, wanting to escape the stressor. You might also notice them shaking in times like this, which is a clear indication of anxiety, unless, of course, they might be cold.
Stressors like thunderstorms and intimidating animals might also cause these kinds of responses, and it might be a good idea to try and remove your pup from the stressful situation if you can tell they’re nervous.
8. Excessive Shedding
All dogs shed their hair from time to time, especially if they have a certain type of coat. However, sudden, excessive shedding can also be a sign of stress in your pooch.
This is a physical, bodily stress response to the adrenaline that comes along with stress in certain situations. The response is often immediate, and you might notice a load of dog hair all over your clothes when you visit the vet. While uncomfortable for your dog, this is normal!
However, if their shedding seems excessive and chronic, it might be a sign that you need to ask your vet about your dog’s overall health.
