How to Know if a Dog is Stressed

It's all too easy to write off dogs that bark excessively, are hyperactive or turn their backyards into hole-wrought construction zones as bad, difficult or stupid dogs. All too often bad habits and behavioral problems are caused by boredom and stress. While we can't remove everything that stresses our dogs, by recognizing the classic symptoms of stress, we can help control our canine companions' stress levels.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Recognize that every dog is different. Dogs tend to fall into two different categories: internal and external stressors. Internal stressors are those dogs that shut down, retreat or flee when they are stressed. External stressors are the opposite. They get over excited or hyper when stressed and tend to bark, pace or become destructive.
2. Learn the classic signs of stress: panting, whining and barking for no apparent reason, shaking, restlessness, defensive or destructible behavior, loss of weight, no appetite or over eating, poor coat condition, diarrhea, glazed eyes or dilated pupils, excessive paw and lip licking and an inability to concentrate.
3. Understand the unnatural stresses owners put their dogs through. Dogs are asked to suppress many of their natural behaviors and instincts such as digging, barking, herding and chasing.
4. Get to the root of the problem. Why is your dog barking? Does he need to go out to relieve himself? Is he in physical pain or suffering from separation anxiety? Try to deal with the cause and not just the symptoms–barking, digging, cowering or aggressive behavior.
5. Send your canine clear signals and give concise commands. Owners often send their dogs mixed signals, which increase their stress levels. They tell their dog it's okay to play with a ball outside, but not inside. It's okay to chase you, but not your children. Since dogs don't automatically know the rules, they get confused and stressed when reprimanded. Being clear in your instructions and having universal ground rules will help lower your canine's stress levels.
6. Try adding more exercise to your pooch's routine. Exercise increases your dog's natural serotonin levels. Serotonin acts as a sedative; so dogs that are both mentally and physically tired tend to be more responsive, have fewer fears and generally less behavioral problems.
7. Contact a trainer or dog behaviorist to help you deal with recurring behavioral issues. Ask your veterinarian about ongoing signs of stress as they can actually be symptoms of a medical condition.