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Writer's pictureSmart Dog Training

Is your Dog Stressed or Anxious?

Updated: Nov 11, 2023

How to tell and what to do.


Cavalier King Charles Spaniel settled on carpet

šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø How can I tell? šŸ“

šŸ• Our dogs get stressed and anxious just like us. Perhaps your dogā€™s behaviour has been out of character lately.

šŸ‘ How have they been behaving?

āœ… Have they been playing up or acting out?

šŸ˜³ Maybe theyā€™ve been tense or have frozen up?

šŸ§ø Have they been unusually needy or withdrawn?


A Pug dog wrapped up in a blanket on a bed

šŸŒ” Symptoms can include:

šŸ“£ Unjustified barking

šŸ„˜ Lack of appetite

šŸ’© Wind, bloating, diarrhoea/constipation

šŸ• Abnormal shedding / dandruff

šŸ¤¤ Excessive drooling


šŸ˜± If only our dog's could tell us how they're feeling! šŸ“£

šŸ• Fortunately all dogs are masters of communication using body language.

šŸ¾ All the signs are there if you know what to look forā€¦

āš ļø 10 Signs your dog is feeling stressed or Anxious! šŸšØ

1. Tail tucked under

2. Tensed up muscles šŸ†˜

3. Position of ears: rigid or flattened (ā€˜pinned backā€™)

4. Excessive scratching

5. Excessive lip or nose licking šŸ¶

6. Excessive yawning or panting šŸ‘…

7. Excessive pacing šŸ•

8. Showing the whites of their eyes (called ā€˜whale-eyeā€™ or ā€˜side-eyeā€™ šŸ‘€ Theyā€™re not judging you theyā€™re stressed!)

9. Lip curling: showing gums/teeth (before snarling/growling/snapping) šŸ˜¬

10. Trembling or shivering šŸ„¶


Dalmatian dog tongue flicking licking own nose

šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø What is making my dog stressed or anxious? šŸ˜±

āš ļø Stress and anxiety can be caused by a number of factors, these can include:

šŸ•° Lack of a routine/disruption (to walking/feeding times)

šŸ˜ Boredom or frustration

šŸ¤Æ Being overwhelmed (groups of unknown dogs)

šŸ– Strangers hands petting (adults/children)

šŸ“£ Strange noise/s

šŸ˜± Separation related issues / isolation distress

šŸ˜³ Hyper attachment to one person

šŸ˜­ Previous traumatic experiences (doggy PTSD)

šŸ¤¬ Your own mood

šŸ• A lack of dog training


A working Collie dog stalking herding

šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø What can I do to help my dog?

šŸ‘€ Now you know what to look for when your dog is showing signs of stress and anxietyā€¦


šŸ™‹šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø Hire a pro dog trainer! šŸ†˜

šŸ‘‰ Get Expert Advice and Support.

šŸ• A certified dog trainer can help you to avoid inadvertently making your dog more stressed and anxious; by teaching your dog how to cope and behave appropriately under stress.

šŸ˜° Untrained dogs suffer needless anxiety trying to understand what it is their owners want from them.


Portrait of a Golden Retriever dog yawning isolated background

šŸ¤” Can my dog's stress and anxiety be cured? šŸ’Š

šŸ‘ØšŸ»ā€āš•ļøIf you think your dog is stressed and is displaying signs of anxiety the First Thing To-Do is consult your Vet.

šŸ’Š Solution and remedies are available! šŸ‘

šŸ‘©ā€āš•ļø Learn what supplements and approaches your vet and trainer can recommend to help your dog cope better in life.

šŸ•Æ There is hope for your dog, if you would like to know more:


ā˜Žļø Contact us here today to discuss the next steps on your dogā€™s journey to a stress free life.



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