“You need to observe them and know them when they are well in order to recognise when something is amiss.”

It might be easy to assume that dogs have an easy life. It’s eat, walk, play, sleep, repeat. What could possibly be stressful about that?

Before you assume you know exactly how your dog feels at all times, keep in mind the basic needs of dogs:

sufficient rest and sleep

appropriate nutrition

sufficient mental and physical exercise

access to water

sufficient opportunities for toileting

good physical and emotional health

comfortable social structure

ability to make choices

The lack of one of more of these could, and likely will, result in stress for dogs.

Notice also that “sufficient” could be different things to different dogs; frequency of rest, food, exercise, toileting, etc. depends on factors such as a dog’s age, energy levels, genetic makeup, and state of health. Young dogs will need to sleep and eat more often, older dogs may need to sleep and pee more and have shorter but slightly more frequent, slow walks.

How do you know what’s sufficient? By knowing and observing your dog. For example, some dogs are pickier eaters than others, some dogs more active than others, and some dogs more sociable than others, so comparing one dog to another would not help much in understanding what is normal or sufficient for individual dogs. You need to observe them and know their habits, routines and behaviours when they are well in order to know what is normal for them as well as to recognise when something is amiss.

“The key to recognising and treating stress lies in observation and understanding”

The causes of stress in dogs, much like in humans, can be varied and extensive. Stress could be caused by things like:

• lack of sleep
• lack of nutrition
• lack of mental “exercise”
• lack of social contact or sense of community
• too much physical exertion without sufficient rest and recuperation
• too little physical exercise and too few opportunities for sniffing
• a sudden change to normal routines or family unit
• a stressful environment
• too much noise and activity without opportunity to retreat to a safe place
• pain
• fear
• emotional or social punishment (reprimanding, bullying, isolation, etc.)

as well as a whole host of other possible causes.

The signs of stress can be varied and extensive as well. In dogs, some of the most common signs of stress include:

• a loss of appetite
• increased used of calming signals
• increased use of distance increasing signals
• excessive panting
• sweaty paws
• digestive issues, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or vomiting
• excessive shedding (outside of usual molting periods)
• change in social habits, such as increased clinginess or increased avoidance/hiding
• change in activity levels, such as increased sleeping or hyperactivity
• destructive behaviour
• excessive or obsessive grooming or sniffing
• sudden peeing accidents inside (for a dog that was previously house-trained)
• excessive vocalizations
• other physical symptoms, such as sudden allergic reactions, skin problems, unusual smell, etc.

As it is probably obvious from the above list, the symptoms of stress can be incredibly varied and even subtle. A dog may display one or more symptoms, and he/she may display those symptoms very frequently or only occasionally. Whatever the situation, whatever the symptom, and however often it occurs, the key to recognising and treating stress lies in observation and understanding. You must observe your dog to understand and know them, and once you understand and know them in a non-stressed state, you will be so much better at spotting signs of stress and probably also at being able to identify what that stress might have been caused by.

It’s also worth remembering that many of these symptoms can of course also be symptoms of other illnesses or conditions, so consulting a veterinarian is always recommended whenever you become concerned about your dog’s well-being.