Good Advice
What is stress?
According to the Oxford Living Dictionary, stress can be defined as a “state of strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.” While our use of the term typically suggests something undesirable, the causes for stress are not simply negative (adverse), but can also be positive (demanding). For example, we will experience it both if we are about to be attacked, or if we are to embark on an exciting new project.
What are the causes?
Like humans, dogs react to what they feel, see, hear and how they interpret the world around them.
Internal and external stimuli: Stress can be a response to a stimulus either from within the body or from the surrounding environment, and sometimes a combination of the two. It is a natural response that prepares body and mind for a reaction to those influences or as an instinctive alert to something threatening, e.g. danger or pain. Or it can arise from factors which are normally perfectly innocent and rather positive, such as excitement.
External stimuli causes can include (but are not limited to):
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The uncertainty of moving to a new home or other unfamiliar environment
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The presence of a new or unfamiliar dog
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The presence of a new or unfamiliar person
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Unknown objects
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Loud noises
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Any of the above that have caused bad experiences in the past (e.g. manhandling from a person, an aggressive dog of the same size/colour, fireworks etc.)
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Presence of a toy or beginning of play
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Presence of a known dog or person who brings excitement
Internal stimuli causes can include (but are not limited to):
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Physical pain
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Unmet needs e.g. lack of mental stimulation, insufficient sleep/rest
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Allergies
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Neurological disorders
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Anxiety and fears
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Drives/breed-specific instincts
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Disease
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Illness
Signs of stress in dogs
Why we need to know them: It is crucial that we are aware of our dogs’ communication methods, and any signs of stress – in other words, how they show when they are uncomfortable. Identifying, respecting, and responding to our dogs’ body language and signals is paramount in identifying what the source(s) may be, lessening or removing the source of stress, and generally understanding our dogs’ likes, dislikes, preferences, and fears. Having complete understanding means that we are also able to avoid potential negative stress, and if appropriate, help gently and positively teach our dogs how to cope with or manage the stress, should it arise in the future.
What to do if we notice them:
When we recognise signs of stress, we need to address both the immediate stimulus and the dog’s wider circumstances (e.g. their history, or the behaviour of the person or other animal involved in the specific situation). As explained above, the causes might be found internally within the dog, or in the environment.
Sudden changes in behaviour such as defecating indoors, showing signs of aggression, or physical signs such as skin rashes and excessive panting, etc. may indicate that there is an underlying physical reason that requires further investigation by a veterinary professional.
Like humans, every dog handles stress differently, and some better than others. This capacity is influenced by learned experience and, to a degree, by breed. In addition, ageing has a negative influence on an individual dog’s capacity to cope with stress mainly due to degeneration of nerve tissue. In dogs, in just the same way as it is with people, being incapacitated by arthritis, dementia, or other conditions presents challenges that make everyday activities seem more difficult to cope with, as any further induced stress will come on top of these chronic ailments.
Mental and physical responses: In situations of stress, both mind and body are involved. This means that a perceived threat will create a mental impulse, which in turn triggers a bodily reaction e.g. panting and raised hackles (the hair between the shoulders and along the back). Alternatively, physical distress (e.g. pain) can cause a mental response that shows itself in changed behaviour e.g. rigid body posture and lip-licking.
What are the signs to look for?
The indicators shown below might not always appear to be associated with stress, but any type of stress (positive or negative) sets in motion a complex set of mechanisms inside the body and the brain.
The list below is not exhaustive. Canine psychology is still a relatively young discipline with much still to be discovered.
Terminology
When discussing canine behaviour, many signs and symptoms are an instinctual response to the stimuli causing the stress (a.k.a. the stressor). The main instinctual responses are commonly known as the ‘Four Fs’, and Displacement Behaviours:
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Fiddle – these are most commonly seen when the stressor is either another dog, or a person. These signs or behaviours are the dog’s way of communicating that they are uncomfortable and/or don’t want the problem to escalate.
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Displacement behaviours – similar to fiddle signs, these occur when dogs find themselves in a situation that arouses two possible, conflicting responses, such as fight or flight. It is thought that these actions provide the brain with a time-out, during which it can go back to a calm, basic default position to retreat and reassess the situation seeking the most appropriate response.
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Flight – this response is most often seen when the cause of the stress is environmental. If the dog is able to escape from the stress, they will often flee.
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Freeze – if the dog cannot flee, one option is to stay completely still and hope the stressor will go away on its own.
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Fight – this is usually the last resort, after all other reactions have been attempted. If the dog cannot escape the stress, the last option is to fight it.
The following list outlines several stress signs (both physical and behavioural), however is not exhaustive:
N.B. Please note that many of the signs below can be indicators of underlying health conditions, alternative causes, and indeed some can be present when the dog is happy and not at all stressed. It is important, therefore, to take into consideration the whole situation, environment, context, and accompanying signals from your dog.
| Body-Language / Behaviour | Meaning / Explanation |
|---|---|
| Aggression (increased) | An overall increase in aggressive behaviour may indicate underlying health concerns such as pain, disease, arthritis etc. Consult your veterinarian and a professional. |
| Air snapping | Fight – a precursor to a bite. Respect and adapt to this message; failure to take notice of your dog’s communication will likely result in more ‘effective’ aggressive behaviour in the future. |
| Appetite (reduced or no appetite) | Instinctively, when stressed, the dog may eat less or not at all… (full text preserved) |
| Baring teeth | Fight, usually accompanied by vocalisation… Some dogs show their teeth in a ‘grin’… |
| Biting | Fight, not to be confused with mouthing… (full caution text preserved) |
| Body posture (stiff) | Freeze |
| Breathing rate (decreased/holding breath) | Freeze |
| Breathing rate (increased/panting) | Panting may indicate excitement or stress… (full caution text preserved) |
| Circling | Displacement: slow pacing = negative stress. Fiddle: frantic spinning = excitement. |
| Cowering/crouching | Displacement: making self small. Fight: crouching may prepare for pounce. |
| Diarrhoea | May indicate stress or health issues; consider context. Consult veterinarian if persistent. |
| Drinking (increased) | May occur due to discomfort, pain, or replenishing reserves. Consult vet if persistent. |
| Escape (or attempts to escape situation) | Flight |
| Eyes (averted) | Avoiding confrontation; direct eye contact is aggressive in dogs. |
| Eyes (‘whale eye’) | White of eye visible = uneasiness, Displacement behaviour. |
| Fur/hair (loss) | May be stress-induced or a medical issue: parasites, hormones, allergies. Consult vet. |
| Hackles (raised) | Indicates stress or aggression depending on context. |
| Licking/biting (obsessively; own body) | Displacement; obsessive behaviour may indicate pain or internal stress. Consult vet. |
| Licking/biting (obsessively; objects) | Chewing is self-soothing; excessive behaviour may indicate stress. |
| Rolling onto back | Displacement/Fiddle; sometimes learned as attention-seeking. Use context. |
| Scratching (own body) | Displacement/Fiddle behaviour. |
| Sneezing | Displacement/Fiddle behaviour. |
| Sores (body) | May be caused by obsessive grooming or medical issues. Consult vet. |
| Skin (rash) | May indicate allergies or medical issues. Consult vet. |
| Skin (reddened) | Blood flow increase with stress; look for itching, hair loss, parasites. Consult vet. |
| Tail (between legs) | Nervousness, pain, discomfort; consider context. |
| Tail (raised) | Alert, inquisitive, assessing situation. |
| Tail (straight and rigid) | Alert or Freeze response. |
| Tail (wagging; fast) | Fast tense wag with rigid base = stress. |
| Tail (wagging; slow) | May indicate stress, uncertainty; also a Fiddle sign. |
| Toileting (decreased/no) | Intense stress or medical condition; consult vet. |
| Toileting (indoors) | Often separation anxiety; may also indicate medical or routine changes. |
| Urination (submissive) | Common in puppies; may occur with unfamiliar dogs. Medical causes also possible. |
| Vocalisation (growl, bark, grumble) | May occur in play or anxiety. Fight: used as warning. Never punish a growl. |
| Vocalisation (whine, whimper) | Common in puppies; may indicate separation anxiety or physical need. |
| Vocalisation (yelp) | Indicates pain; consult vet if persistent. |
| Weight (loss) | See Appetite (reduced/no); may indicate medical condition. Consult vet. |
| Withdrawing | Displacement/Flight behaviour. |
| Yawning | Displacement/Fiddle behaviour. |
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