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Just like humans, dogs also have their own fears and anxieties.  And being able to recognize signs of dog anxiety is a skill that any pet owner should have.  A dog’s anxieties may not necessarily be like yours or mine, however they cause physical reactions and stress just the same. 

Some common dog anxiety issues include the following:

Noise anxiety – A dog is afraid and stressed out when he is exposed to unusual or loud noises.  Common examples would be thunderstorms, garbage truck, fireworks, etc…

Confinement anxiety – Your pet would get so stressed when he would feel confined or trapped. 

Separation anxiety – He gets so nervous and anxious when left all alone. 

Travel anxiety – Your car is actually like a den however, dogs are not used to moving dens.  Thus, they would end up being nervous at something they are not sure of. 

When a dog gets anxious, they would also engage in displacement or repetitive behaviors in order to relieve the stress they are feeling.  This is the same with us when we feel nervous we end up biting our nails, tug or hair or pace around. 

In this case, an anxious dog may groom, pace and more.  And there are some behaviors that would lead to destroying our properties, may become aggressive or simply do things that are undesirable to us. 

Signs of Dog Anxiety

Posture.  Look at his posture.  Dogs who are anxious often freeze with tensed muscles once they feel threatened or they would simply turn away from the said threat.  Dogs who are severely anxious would tend to crouch with head and upper body close to the ground.  Or an overly submissive dogs would roll over and expose their belly and urinate a bit.  Other subtle signs of anxiety include: shaking, stretching, tucking his tail between his legs, lowering his head or lifting a paw. 

Check his eyes.  Dogs who are nervous and worried may use aggression and will use his eyes – giving his source of stress a wide, unblinking stare, showing the white part of his eyes. 

Ear position.  Generally, anxious dogs will tend to pin their ears back as a sign of fear or submission.  If you see this sign along with the other signs then try to remove him from his anxiety source. 

Not eating.  A dog who is flooded with frightening or unpleasant stimulus will tend to shut down and is unable to eat. 

Get to know him.  The best way to see if your pet is having some anxiety issues is for you to get to know him better – know his character and personality.  Know what are his dislikes and likes.  If you are able to get this then it is rewarding to know that you can understand your pet’s language. 

Whether you are wondering why your pet is not ‘himself ‘ when you are out in the park or you are trying to warn kids about taking precautions in approaching a dog, being able to determine the signs of dog anxiety is a skill that any pet owner should have. 

Do you know how to read your pet’s body language?  Can you understand what he is trying to say to you?  If you happen to know more about this topic, then please do share your knowledge with us below.