Stress in dogs is one of the disorders that can cause the most consequences, and that receives the least attention. This is so because on numerous occasions it tends to be confused with bad behavior, an error that can lead to not solving the real problem. To prevent this from happening, in this article on our site we'll detail the 15 things that moststress dogs. Of course, it should be noted that not all of them can produce the same reaction in all dogs, so it is possible that some of the situations mentioned do not affect your dog, while others cause a serious state of stress.
Stress in dogs
Stress is nothing more than the tension that the dog experiences in certain situations that are overwhelming for him. Feeling subjected to this circumstance, his body emits a response that can sometimes be confused with a behavioral problem, such as biting objects or barking excessively. We found two main types of stress in dogs:
- Acute stress: when the stressful situation is temporary and the animal ends up adapting and resolving it.
- Chronic stress: when the stressful situation is constant and lasts over time. Here the animal does not adapt and ends up developing he alth and behavior problems.
In any case, the most frequent signs of stress in dogs are the following:
- Stereotypes
- Excessive salivation and licking
- Constant gasping
- Hyperactivity
- Loss of hair
- Compulsive barking
- Behavioral changes such as aggressiveness, depression or fears.
But what situations stress dogs and cause the above symptoms? Below we detail the most common and daily.
Sudden changes or lack of routines
Dogs are routine animals, with customs and fixed schedules, very susceptible to changes both in their environment and in their daily habits. In this way, suddenly changing his walk or meal times, for example, can end up causing stress in the dog when he sees that he does not go outside when he considers that the time has come or that his human companion does not feed him as did before. The same goes for making changes to your usual environment, such as a refurbishment. The dog is used to perceiving a certain smell and the presence of new furniture can destabilize the animal, make it feel that it is not at home, develop stress and, as a consequence, cause certain unwanted behaviors such as marking.
All the above environmental factors produce acute stress in the dog, so that the animal will eventually adapt to the new situation and accept it, regaining its emotional stability. To get him to do it as soon as possible you must make the changes progressively and not suddenly.
On the other hand, the lack of routines and schedules can also generate stress in the dog for not controlling, precisely, when he is going to eat or go out to relieve himself.
Moving
If a change like renewing the furniture in the living room is considered one of the things that stresses dogs, imagine what a move can cause. As we said, dogs use their sense of smell to connect absolutely everything, because their olfactory memory allows them to recognize people, other animals, objects and places by odor they emit. For them, their home gives off a certain smell, so when we make a change of address we can observe the restless dog, going through every space and sniffing every corner. You've stepped out of your comfort zone and don't recognize the new home as "yours", which is why you're under acute stress and need some time to adjust.
Not resting properly
Both lack of sleep and inadequate rest are factors that stress dogs and can also trigger major problems of he alth. Adult dogs sleep an average of 13 hours a day, dedicating around 8 at night and spreading the rest during the day. Puppies, meanwhile, can sleep up to 20 hours a day. However, many are those who do not resist waking up their little one to spend time with them, play or simply caress them, mistakes that translate into stress due to not being able to sleep. Thus, in the same way that not sleeping enough affects us, animals too and, therefore, our dog will develop stress, tiredness, etc.
However, sleeping the minimum hours is useless if the animal does not have a comfortable bed, since sleep does not it will be of quality and you will not be able to rest as much as your body needs. So, if you think that this could be the situation that stresses your dog, do not hesitate and provide him with a comfortable bed.
Arrival of a new member to the family or death
Many are the dogs that suffer stress with the arrival of a baby due to all the changes that this entails. Therefore, it is essential to prepare the dog for the arrival of the little one during the previous months and to know how to act once the baby is born. Likewise, the addition of a new animal to the family, whether it is another dog, a cat, a rabbit or any other animal, is also one of the things that stresses dogs if the introduction is not done correctly. For them it can be like an invasion of their territory, the arrival of new smells and sounds and, therefore, we must follow a series of steps prior to the definitive installation of your new partner.
On our site we help you with this point and we encourage you to consult the article that suits your situation:
- Tips to present a dog and a cat correctly
- How to introduce a second dog at home
On the other hand, the death of any member of the family can also be a stressful situation for the animal, in addition to developing a drop in mood, loss of appetite, etc. Like us, the dog needs to go through a period of mourning.
Lack of socialization
Dogs are naturally sociable, pack animals, and need to have social contact with other animals and people to be happy. Poor socialization, or non-existent socialization, will not only be reflected in behavioral problems when it comes across other animals or unknown people, but it will also generate a state of stress and anxiety in the dog due to not knowing how to act. Likewise, not receiving any type of contact from their human companions will also produce stress in the dog, boredom, sadness…
Check out our article on how to properly socialize an adult dog and prevent your dog from getting stressed.
Excess or lack of exercise
Dogs need to channel all the energy they accumulate and release it through walks and activities. Going for a walk 20 minutes a day is not enough, the animal will continue to accumulate tension and we will have as a result a stressed and unhappy dog, which will probably develop behavior problems in home, such as destructive behavior.
Depending on the size and breed, the dog needs to receive an average of walks and exercise per day, completely different activities and just as important. In this way, the animal needs to walk relaxed, but it also needs to run, get tired and play. Check out our article on exercises for adult dogs and start practicing them.
On the other hand, and although it may seem incredible, excessive exercise is also considered one of the things that stress dogs. In addition, making the dog work excessively can also cause serious problems in his joints, so the ideal is to offer him the time and intensity that he needs, no more and no less.
Spending many hours alone at home
Regardless of whether the dog suffers from separation anxiety or not, spending many hours alone at home builds boredom and stress in any animal, and even more so in one as sociable as the dog. As we said, the dog needs social contact and depriving him of it is totally contraindicated. However, if you have no choice but to leave your dog alone for several hours at a time on a specific day, we recommend you consult the following article: "How to entertain a dog alone at home".
Violence, yelling, or inappropriate punishment
Many people think that the best way to train a dog is through punishment, and nothing is further from the truth. It has been shown that the dog is an animal that responds much better to techniques based on positive reinforcement, in which good behavior is rewarded and inappropriate behavior is corrected with a resounding "No", without shouting and without excessive punishment.
Both physical violence and yelling can lead the dog to develop aggressive behavior, just the opposite of what is intended, in addition to fear of the person and even trauma. On the other hand, correcting inappropriate behavior out of time does not make any sense to the animal and will only increase the dog's stress for not knowing the reason for his human's anger. Thus, misbehavior must be corrected and guided on the spot, when it occurs, and not minutes or hours later.
Practicing training techniques for too long
Training sessions should be short, no more than five minutes each, and do three to five repetitions a day. Carrying out a single daily session of 15 minutes or more will only make the dog bored, tired, demotivated and, above all, stressful. For more information, do not miss the following article in which we explain what a dog training session should be like.
Bad Education
In the same way that overtraining is counterproductive, not offering the dog any kind of training is also counterproductive. Remember that the dog is a routine animal, of customs and that in the wild it would live in a herd. For this reason, it is recommended to initiate the dog to training always following the appropriate guidelines. In this sense, incorrect training, such as the one we mentioned through negative reinforcement, is also another of the things that stress dogs and cause behavioral problems.
Overattention
All dog lovers love spending as much time as possible with them, playing, petting and hugging them, but do they feel the same way? Although it is hard for us to accept it, dogs need to have their own space and time for themselves, without us bothering them. An excess of attention on our part, constant hugs, kisses, caresses, calls, etc., they end up stressing the animal and observing that all it wants is to run away from us, leading us to wonder if it really loves us. When the animal flees, it does not indicate that it does not appreciate us, since it probably loves us more than itself, it indicates that it needs to be alone.
On the other hand, the rejection of our hugs has a specific explanation, consult the following article and find out: "Why does my dog not like to be hugged?".
Lack of mental stimulation
In addition to walking and exercising physically, the dog needs to keep his mind active to feel happy. Dogs are intelligent animals that love constantly learning new things, so playing games that stimulate their minds is practically mandatory. To do this, you can play intelligence games or smell games with your furry companion, both at home and abroad.
Being tied up for hours
Ask yourself the following question: how would you feel if you were deprived of your freedom? The dog experiences the same sensation and, therefore, develops a state of stress, anxiety, fear and frustration when he spends many hours tied, without freedom of movementand always in the same space. And if we add to this the presence of the muzzle, we will have with us an unhappy and unstable dog.
If you live with a dog that destroys everything when it is left alone and you consider that the only option is to leave it on a leash, for example, do not hesitate and go to a specialist to guide you and indicate the techniques to follow. Without a doubt, this is one of the things that stresses dogs the most and triggers serious behavior problems.
Living with a hyperactive person
Dogs have the ability to perceive our emotions and adopt them, so living with a hyperactive person will end up stressing the dog and making it equally hyperactive. Therefore, before adopting the animal, it is essential to find the one that best suits us and our lifestyle, which in this case would be a calm, docile dog that is not affected by the hyperactivity of its human.
Loud sounds
The dog is an animal with a much more developed sense of hearing than ours, being able to perceive inaudible frequencies for us that are emitted even at a distance of 20-30 meters. In this way, it is not surprising that many dogs have a phobia of thunder, hate the sound of sirens or get scared when a door is slammed. All these sounds that are too loud for them not only develop a feeling of dread, but also generate stress and anxiety in him. For this reason, it is recommended not to shout at home, have the music excessively loud or produce noises that can stress the animal.
Remember that all these things that stress dogs are not applicable to all of them, since each dog is different and some can not get upset in the face of any of the situations mentioned while another did. The important thing is to learn to understand our dog, his language, calm signals and avoid everything that can disturb his emotional stability.
