Dog owners can learn to identify dog stress triggers and warning signals

If you’re a dog owner, chances are you’ve spent many stormy nights wrapped in a warm blanket alongside your beloved pup in hopes you’ll remind them that you’re there to protect them. Perhaps your pup has experienced sudden strong shivers at the prospect of going to the dog park, or maybe they’re whimpering and hiding from some unknown threat. 

Whatever the cause, these behaviors are signs of major stress in dogs, and you should not take such signs lightly if there’s something you can do to help. Stress is the sole cause for many unpleasant physical ailments and illnesses – so you should work to alleviate stress as much as possible when you notice it. After all, we want our beloved pups to live happy and healthy lives, and it is our responsibility to ensure we can foster a favorable environment for them. 

Thankfully, we’ve compiled a list of common causes for stress in dogs to help you better understand them and provide them with relief when necessary.

5 Major Causes of Stress in Dogs

Even as a long-term pet owner, you might find yourself surprised at some of the reasons behind stress in your dog. There are a multitude of things that can trigger a fight or flight response in your pup, these can even be small changes to their routine – so it’s important to remain vigilant of anything you might suspect is triggering them.  (For some solutions, check out this post on dog anxiety.

Loud Noise

Thunderstorms, the 4th of July, or any major holiday can cause your dog insurmountable stress. That’s because any loud or explosive sounds can startle your pup and trigger their fight or flight response. In most cases, dogs opt for hiding and whimpering away in distress.  There have likely been many nights in which you’ve tried your hardest to comfort your canine companion, to no avail. Luckily, there are options, from CBD oil for dogs to Thundershirts (The Thundershirt is highly recommended, but we are not associated with the company nor do we receive anything if you purchase one) We just know they worked for our pups.

Travel-Related Stress

Just like humans, some dogs don’t tolerate travel very well. While in humans this can manifest as travel sickness, in dogs it shows up as vague stress that you can’t pinpoint. You might experience days in which your pup is excited at the prospect of going out, wagging their tail and sticking their tongue out of the car window – but if you also have days where your dog seems somewhat subdued, the likely culprit is stress from travel.

Too Many People or Strangers

Your dog might exhibit stress signals whenever someone new enters your home, but this can also ring true when they happen to pass by a stranger on their daily walk. This is the same kind of “stranger danger” reaction that we felt as young children. And sweetly enough, this can also be part of your dog’s protective mechanism – yes, they could be trying to ensure your safety, as well as their own.

Crowds can arouse the same feelings in dogs, not only are there a lot of strangers but there are too many new faces and there’s often too much noise to boot. 

It’s also not uncommon for dogs to feel tense or stressed in a large crowd, this could be at the mall, at a concert or festival, or even if you have a lot of people over for a dinner party. Too many people can be overwhelming to handle for your pooch, and you might notice they act unlike themselves.

Trips to the Veterinarian

Though you might know and truly trust your veterinarian, over the many years of having them treat your beloved pooch – it’s hard to convey that sense of trust to your dog. And much like our human apprehension towards the dentist, sometimes our dogs can be skittish and fearful when they know they have a check-up at the vet coming up. This could be because of the nature of the clinic itself, with the other animals and strangers around – or it could be triggered by bad memories associated with it. 

This is quite common and totally normal, so don’t be alarmed. You should try your best to make sure you can calm them down and show them there’s nothing to worry about.

Changes in Routine

While this seems almost vague considering just how many things can change on a daily, weekly or monthly basis – it’s important to note that any subtle change in routine can inspire stress in your dog. Bigger examples include a beloved family member moving out, or you starting a new job which can throw things off a little. But subtle examples can even include things like new décor or moving furniture around, all of which can make your dog feel uneasy.  

Remember, your dog is a special and unique individual – and this means they can display signs of stress that are unique to them. That being said, there can often be very critical signs of stress in dogs that warrant immediate attention, and you should call your veterinarian ASAP. If allowed to continue for too long, the following signs can contribute to long-term health problems in your dog:

• Aggression: Sometimes, your dog may snarl, bite people or even bite other dogs, this is a critical sign of stress and requires prompt attention.
• Lack of appetite: At times, your dog will seem to get full really fast. While this is not a concern when it happens now and then, it is definitely a concern if it happens over a prolonged period of time. 
• Shedding more than normal: Just like humans, dogs shed more rapidly when under extreme stress.
• Chewing own skin: Dogs often display this behavior when they are feeling frustrated and stressed out, but if they bite down hard enough to draw blood –this should warrant immediate attention as to the cause of their stress.

We recommend starting your dog on a daily regimen of CBD oil if they exhibit any sign of stress. CBD is known to promote feelings of calm and relief in dogs – and our Happy Dog variety will certainly do the trick!