- This article has been reviewed by a pet health professional. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
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From being working dogs to living in changing environments, dogs are able to handle a certain amount of stress in their life. But, just like for humans, chronic stress levels can take a serious toll on their health and well-being.
Paying attention to your dog’s stress signals can help avoid bigger issues, both medical and behavioural, down the line. Severe stress in dogs can become long-term, intense anxiety or fear that affects their quality of life.
There are many signs of stress in dogs, and not all dogs display the same signs, but learning what these signs are and what to do to help your dog calm down will go a long way in building your dog’s confidence and resilience.
How to Spot Signs of Stress In Dogs
Your dog will use their body language to communicate how they are feeling and their unique body language will depend on their history. Some dogs may stop displaying stress signs in minutes, or as soon as the trigger is out of sight. Other dogs may take 15 minutes to show obvious stress signs.
While it is normal for stress-communicating behaviours to range from being obvious or extremely subtle, addressing them early is still the best management route.
Physical signs of stress in dogs (body language)
- Pacing and shaking
- Lip licking or drooling
- Shaking or shivering
- Moon eyes or ‘whale eye’ (showing more whites of the eyes)
- Hiding
- Tucked tail and ears
- Itching or scratching
- Raised hackles
- Compulsive behaviours, like chasing lights, licking surfaces, or chewing
Behavioural signs of stress in dogs (noises and actions)
- Unfocused barking or howling
- Retreating or avoiding
- Repetitive yawning
- Peeing inside
- Whining or whimpering
- Stiff body language or eye contact
- Temporarily refusing treats or food
- Putting both paws on you instead of one
When Does Stress Become Critical?
Research on stress behaviours in dogs defines abnormal stress as repeated stress signals with no real threatening trigger. Chronic stress puts your dog’s nervous system in constant fight or flight, changing their behaviour and ability to cope.
Critical signs of stress in dogs include:
- Not eating or sleeping
- Aggression or biting without warning signs
- Persistent diarrhoea or constipation
- Self-harm, such as chewing paws until they bleed
- Destructive behaviours or panic (e.g. chewing furniture or the crate)
The signs above are indicators that your dog’s stress is severe and needs professional help. “Extreme stress or anxiety like this may require prescribed medication,” says dog trainer and behaviourist Sally Grottini at JustAnswer.
Keep in mind signs of stress are very similar to signs of anxiety. For some dogs, stress can be a precursor to anxiety. This makes addressing your dog’s stress very important, as being in a constant state of stress can have negative health impacts on your dog.
Reasons Your Dog Seems Stressed All of A Sudden
Here’s why your dog might suddenly start showing stressed-out behaviours.
Unknown sounds, objects, or people
In a 2022 study, researchers compared the emotional state of a dog when they know their handler vs. when they don’t. The results showed that dogs became less stressed as they became familiar with their surroundings and their handler.
Unpredictable settings, like crowds or vet offices
Context can tell us a lot about why a dog is stressed. For example, a crowded space or room reduces your dog’s ability to move freely. If you are keeping a tight grip on their leash, they can also feel that energy and may take on your stress.
Fear and past trauma
“If their anxiety comes from a remembered event that happened to them, they’ll innately want to get away from it,” Grottini explains.
Vet offices are a good example of past trauma since they are often places your dog goes when they are feeling unwell. These interactions are alarming to your dog, which is why many clinics have begun practising Fear Free® techniques.
Temperament and personality
Some dogs are naturally more anxious or fearful due to their temperament. Outgoing dogs may only show minor signs of anxiety, like lip licking or stress yawning, but Grottini says that naturally anxious dogs may react more severely with hiding, shaking, or even lashing out with aggression.
Separation from a loved one
Separation from their “person” is a common source of stress for dogs, especially those with a more anxious temperament. “If they have severe anxiety, which can bring on separation anxiety, they may destroy things, urinate, and defecate in the home when you leave them alone,” Grottini says.
Boredom or lack of stimulation
Dogs need both physical and mental stimulation. A bored dog can often lead to a stressed, unfulfilled dog — especially in working breeds. A dog without a job or purpose can lead to them coming up with their own “work” which often includes destructive habits or compulsive behaviours, like excessive chewing or digging.
Confusion and inconsistency
Dogs thrive on routine and predictability. Sudden changes in their environment or routine can cause confusion, leading to stress as they struggle to adapt to a new situation. Dogs who are ageing can also struggle with cognitive issues like dementia, leading to confusion and stress.
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How to Quickly Destress Your Dog
Here’s a breakdown of quick techniques and approaches to help your dog calm down in the moment:
- Stay calm and avoid punishment to build trust. First and foremost, never punish your dog for things they do because of their anxiety. “This will not make a difference in their anxiety,” Grottini says, “it will only make them fear you.”
- Move away from the stressors. Distance can help a dog feel less threatened. After you’ve identified what is stressing your dog, avoid the trigger. If crowds are a no-no, steer clear of patios during happy hour. Are they afraid of loud cars? Choose a secluded neighbourhood walk versus around busy streets.
- Distract your dog with treats and toys. Distractions can help your dog refocus so that they aren’t getting themselves worked up. Just remember to keep moving if you’re outside so that your dog isn’t forced to choose between treats or fear.
- Guide your dog to their safe space. This could be a crate covered by a blanket or a cosy corner with blankets and toys in a quiet room. Just be sure to leave the door open so your dog can go in as they please.
Whether your dog will find your voice comforting depends on your bond and their history. “A dog doesn’t understand our human words of comfort, especially when they’re feeling anxious over something,” Grottini tells us. However, soothing a stressed-out dog with words is often a matter of tone and energy. While talking to the dog in an excited or nervous voice could add stress, the idea of encouraging or “reinforcing fear” by talking to a dog with fear, anxiety, or stress is a myth. Low or neutral tones and slow speech can reassure nervous dogs.
How to Help Your Dog Recover From Stress
You’ve helped calm your dog down during an anxious moment, but what about for the future? After you identify why your dog is stressed, you can work towards a plan to limit their stress and build their confidence.
As someone who has worked extensively with stressed dogs, Grottini gives some expert tips:
1. Get to know your dog’s communication style
Getting to know your dog and how they respond in different environments will help you act on your dog’s stress signals more quickly. Experts say that the ability to read your dog’s stress patterns can help you avoid an escalation in stress behaviours. Dogs can skip lower-level stress indicators, such as panting or whale eyes, and jump to critical stress signs, like showing teeth, if they feel ignored.
2. Avoid areas, people, or environments your dog finds stressful
Before your dog can learn how not to be stressed, they need the space and time to destress. Chronic stress in a dog damages their ability to cope and learn. Before you engage in an action plan to train and help your dog, make sure you know what’s triggering them and how to avoid those situations.
“Only taking your dog to places you know they’ll be comfortable with will help the dog build trust in you, which can help them to be less anxious,” Grotinni says.
3. Build trust through consistent routines and behaviour
Dogs learn through repetition. When you remain calm in how you respond to stressful situations, this shows a dog that they can rely on you.
“Dogs don’t understand a human’s next action, but if it becomes routine, the dog will learn it and it can help them to be less anxious,” Grottini says. Consistency helps a dog predict what will happen next, which also helps reduce their anxiety.
4. Play confidence games in low-stress environments
Your home or yard is likely a place your dog considers safe. Practice tricks such as “find it” or training cues such as “come” and “let’s go” to reinforce your dog’s comfort with these words. Even just 10 minutes of play each day can help your dog boost their confidence.
Dogs should generally learn these types of pattern games inside the home, with any yard or green space being the next step. However, remaining in a low-distraction environment while playing these games remains important.
As they start to respond quicker and finish the game faster, change up the environment. This may look like:
- Have a distraction or trigger across the street while your dog sniffs out treats in the yard.
- Walk parallel to the distraction or trigger first. If the dog can walk parallel without stress signs, try walking in the direction of their stress but only for 15 seconds before turning around and giving them lots of praise.
- Phase out treats without changing the environment or difficulty.
By the way, experts say there’s no rush to phase out treats or increase difficulty. You can decrease snacks to manage calories, but if your dog requires a little treat to manage stress, it’s OK to continue using treats as a tool.
5. Exercise your dog regularly
Very smart, and often highly anxious, dogs will catch on if you only exercise them before you leave the house or take them somewhere stressful. However, exercise is still a good tool to manage stress in dogs. The key is to make exercise a regular routine rather than a reason to get your dog tired.
You may want to follow your dog’s walk up with a treat-dispensing toy.
6. Help your dog be comfortable alone
Building your dog’s independence can help with calming stress and separation anxiety. While you want your dog to trust you, you don’t want them to be codependent on you. Also, your dog does not have to be comfortable alone in all situations but they should be comfortable when left alone at home for a few hours.
Ways to help their separation anxiety or general stress include:
- A slow introduction to crate training
- Sound desensitisation training
- Leaving in short spurts rather than long periods at a time
If your dog has confinement anxiety, crate training will not work. In these cases, it’s best to give your dog their own room or spot in the house.
7. Use calming products
Grottini recommends trying the Adaptil calming spray or collar, putting on calming music, using a dog anxiety wrap like a ThunderShirt, or getting a stuffed puppy with a heartbeat to act as a friend when they’re alone. Dog-calming pheromones are shown to work in tandem with other calming techniques and routines.
8. Talk to a vet or vet behaviourist
As mentioned before, critical stress is when your dog is unable to think and shuts down or reacts aggressively. This is not your dog’s fault! In fact, they need your help in being their advocate as the vet asks questions about when these signs of stress occur and how long they have been happening.
The more details you can share with your vet about what causes your dog stress, how long the episodes last, and what your dog’s body language is like, the more they will be able to personalise a plan for relieving your dog’s stress.
Takeaway
Recognizing the critical signs of stress in your dog is vital to supporting their overall well-being. Whether it’s subtle cues like lip licking or more serious behaviours like aggression, being aware of these signs can help you address your dog’s stress before it becomes a bigger issue.
Most of all, be patient with your dog. For ongoing stressors, like during fireworks, dogs may need anywhere from 8 hours to multiple days to recover. That’s why a proactive approach — whether that’s providing a safe space, avoiding known stressors, or seeking help from a vet — can make all the difference in helping your dog feel calm, confident, and happy.
If you notice any of these stress signals in your dog, don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet for help.
