Backed by Dr. Lily Chen and Ali Sutch
Chronic stress weakens immune systems, impairs cognition, and increases our chances of being diagnosed with chronic diseases. The same is true for our dogs. Lower stress levels mean higher quality of life and likely a longer life.
Behavior is communication. When you see behavioral changes, you're often seeing physical distress your dog can't verbalize. A recent study revealed up to 80% of problem behaviors, from aggression to housetraining regression to separation anxiety, may involve pain or discomfort. Musculoskeletal pain, gastrointestinal upset, and itchy skin directly affect how your dog perceives the world and processes stress. Investigating any potential pain and working to reduce stress that is impacting the lives of our dogs is one of the best investments we can make to their health.
Check all signs of stress & anxiety you’ve noticed to discuss at your next vet appointment.
| Symptom | Observed? | How Severe? |
|---|---|---|
| Is a body part being held tight, rigid, or stiff? | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Destructive chewing or licking | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Excessive barking or drooling | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Shaking or restlessness | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Tucked tail or low body posture | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Trembling or freezing in place | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
| Lip licking, yawning, or “shaking it off” | check_box_outline_blank | arrow_drop_down |
We can never talk about a dog’s behavior without talking about their health and addressing the root causes. Behavior provides data about your dog's physical and emotional state. The Humane Hierarchy of Behavior Change, a framework for changing animal behavior as ethically as possible, always begins with assessing and addressing health, nutrition, and physical settings first. An experienced behavior professional should know to evaluate your dog for signs of pain or discomfort before implementing a training plan.
A mantra to carry with you as you analyze your dog’s life and potential signs of stress is that feeling safe and being safe are two different things. Just because you know that your dog isn’t actually in danger when a guest enters the home, or when they hear a loud noise outside, doesn’t mean they aren’t entitled to feel stressed about it. Safety and security are separate needs. It starts by asking yourself, “What could be causing this stress?”:
Why It Matters:
Pain can never be ruled out. It can only be ruled in. Pain is a subjective experience that only the individual can understand. Even if your veterinarian says your dog is healthy or you pursue diagnostics that come back normal, your dog may still be experiencing discomfort. Behavior should be considered a valid data point when determining what is going on for the dog, even in the absence of validation from x-rays and other tests. Properly advocating for our dogs means honoring their experience and listening to what they are telling us.
What You Can Do:
Why It Matters:
Our dogs are constantly communicating through body language. Knowing what behaviors and body language cues may indicate stress and other states is the key to unlocking the best relationship with your dog. Misinterpreting body language (assuming a wagging tail means happiness or that "submissive" body language means a dog is comfortable) can lead to missing critical stress signals.
What You Can Do:
Your dog’s mental wellbeing is deeply influenced by what they eat. The gut and brain communicate through the gut-brain axis, a powerful two-way system that impacts mood, stress levels, cognitive function, and behavior. A balanced gut microbiome supports emotional resilience, cognitive sharpness, and behavioral stability.
The next step in The Humane Hierarchy of Behavior Change is what is known as antecedent arrangement. Antecedents are the things that come before a target behavior. They “set the scene” for particular behaviors to occur. For example, if you have a dog who barks when people pass by your window, think of all the potential antecedents. Your dog’s internal state (health, nutrition) will play an undeniable role in how they perceive the world and how they process stress. The physical environment plays an important role too; is your dog’s world setting them up to succeed or fail?
When you’re on a mission to reduce your dog’s stress, a great place to start is to examine their environment. Where does your dog spend most of their time? What changes can we make that could reduce stress there, and create a safe and calm environment?
Why It Matters:
A healthy, adult dog should be sleeping between 10-16 hours per day. While napping is a lighter sleep than the deep REM sleep overnight, we don’t want our dogs being on high alert and jumping awake at the slightest disturbance. Reducing the amount of noise and other stimuli can make a big difference in your dog’s stress levels.
What You Can Do:
Why It Matters:
Slippery flooring presents a unique challenge for many dogs, especially those with musculoskeletal pain, long nails, and/or furry paws. Slipping can cause injury, even small injuries that don’t seem noticeable but accumulate over time. Dogs may avoid certain areas with slippery flooring, reducing their ability to safely navigate their space, which could increase stress levels.
What You Can Do:
Why It Matters:
Dogs need to engage in species-typical behaviors, though there is a lot of individual variation and breed differences. Dogs come pre-installed with behaviors like sniffing, tracking scents, digging, shredding, chewing, licking, foraging, scent marking, vocalizing, and more. Many of these behaviors are part of the predatory modal action pattern. There are many ways to enrich your dog’s life by including these activities safely.
What You Can Do:
Why It Matters:
Some dogs may have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety and/or inadequate early socialization that leaves them with a baseline of constant stress. You may find that your dog benefits from behavioral medications to reduce their stress levels. This can help them be more receptive to learning as their brain is no longer in fight or flight mode.
What You Can Do: