How to Identify and Manage Anxiety in Dogs

Although the anxiety in dogs talked about most is the kind linked to separation from their owners, the truth is there are various situations that can trigger disorders linked to anxiety.

Below we'll go through the causes of anxiety, what types we might come across, and what we can do to redirect the situation, since we should never forget a dog with anxiety is suffering.

How to Recognise Anxiety in a Dog

First of all, we need to know what we mean when we talk about anxiety in dogs. An anxious state in this species is characterised by multiple clinical signs, shown with greater or lesser intensity and duration. Worth mentioning:

• Increased heart and breathing rate, including panting and excessive drooling.
• Trembling at a muscular level.
• Rigid movements.
• Attempts to escape or hide from the situation.
• Constant changes in position and pacing.
• Rapid eye movements and pupil dilation.
• Reacting to stimuli even when perceived as distant.
• Urination and defecation.

What Is Canine Anxiety?

The anxious state we've described happens as a response to a signal the dog interprets as a potential threat. The dog's reaction is nervousness and insecurity, shown physically through the clinical signs we've specified. The result is a distressed, uncontrolled dog.

In other words, we could say the dog gives an abnormal response to a situation that shouldn't trigger this state. What's more, this reaction stops them managing to act differently in future, since it blocks any stimulus happening at that moment.

Anxiety that becomes chronic, or fears and phobias around numerous stimuli, aren't just a behavioural problem that will affect their relationship with us and with other animals. They also affect the animal's overall health, making them more prone to illness and even shortening their life expectancy.

What Causes Anxiety in a Dog?

But what leads the dog to respond this way? First of all, we need to know some circumstances can predispose them to anxiety. Among these, the following stand out:

1. Poor socialisation or low social interaction.
2. Handling mistakes, usually from a communication problem between dog and owner.
3. Inability to meet basic needs. A dog needs more than just food — they need to run, play, chew, interact with their own kind and so on.

On another note, the trigger for anxiety is dread, fear towards people, animals, situations and so on. When this is very intense, it's called a phobia. What's more, a dog can show anxiety when separated from their loved ones. We explain the types of anxiety in more detail in the sections below.

Dread and Fear in Dogs

Feeling dread and anxiety around a dangerous situation is normal and desirable, since it triggers mechanisms for getting to safety, which can be fleeing or fighting. This would be the normal physiological response, where any anxiety generated isn't pathological. It has a purpose and a goal of self-protection.

When the dog feels afraid of a stimulus that isn't actually dangerous, and it's not possible for them to do anything to avoid it, with the same situation repeating over and over, they'll suffer anxiety.

This can push them to the limit, to the point of carrying out substitute actions. A fearful dog loses control and shows an increased heart rate, faster breathing, and may defecate and urinate.

Symptoms of Phobias in Dogs

We talk about a phobia when fear shows up in an exaggerated, disproportionate way around a stimulus that isn't actually dangerous. For example, the trigger could be a noise. In fact, there are plenty of cases of dogs showing anxiety on hearing firecrackers or thunder. Their first reaction will be to avoid this stimulus.

If they can't, they'll show fear, and the resulting situation will end up affecting their relationship with their surroundings and with us. What's more, during an anxiety episode, we usually react by trying to comfort them. We stroke them and speak to them affectionately. We don't realise it, but with this attitude, we reinforce their anxious state.

When a Dog Suffers Separation Anxiety

This is perhaps the best-known anxiety in dogs. It happens when they're left alone for the first time, or after a period where they've always had company. Besides the signs mentioned, it shows up through vocalisations and destructiveness. It's a reaction to a significant change, as others can be too.

For example, some dogs react with separation anxiety to a change of home, family members, carer, relationship with other animals, or in handling, if this isn't consistent. Anxiety can also happen after they've suffered a traumatic event.

How to Prevent Anxiety in a Dog

We shouldn't forget anxiety involves suffering for the dog. That's why, rather than trying to fix crises, we should focus on preventing them from appearing. To do this, bear these measures in mind:

• Don't adopt a puppy before at least eight weeks old. Before that, they need to be with their mother and littermates.
• Provide them with complete socialisation, especially during the most sensitive period, which especially covers the first 3-4 months of life.
• Research canine behaviour, communication and psychology before adopting to avoid handling mistakes.
• Make sure every one of the dog's needs is met.
• Besides socialisation, offer them basic training and physical and mental stimulation.
• Any problematic situation in day-to-day life together should be brought to a professional's attention without waiting for it to get worse.

Tips for Calming an Anxious Dog

Ideally, if our dog suffers from anxiety and it's more than a one-off episode, we should contact an ethologist or canine behaviour professional so they can, after studying the case, give us the most suitable guidelines to fix it. Here's some general advice to follow while we see a specialist or the treatment takes effect:

1. Identify what triggers the anxiety and, if possible, the intensity needed for the dog to react.
2. This way we can avoid exposing the dog to it.
3. If this is impossible, as soon as we detect this trigger, we can try to distract the dog by giving them a command and rewarding them as soon as they obey.
4. We should never punish the dog, but we shouldn't reinforce the behaviour with strokes or affectionate words either.
5. Correct behaviours should be rewarded, and every time the dog doesn't show anxiety in front of the stimulus that used to trigger it.

Bibliography Ibáñez and Anzola. 2016. "El nerviosismo y los desórdenes de ansiedad en los perros". Ateuves nº 20. pp. 16-20. López, Paula. 2018. "La ansiedad en el perro". Ateuves nº 71. pp. 20-23. "Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences for anxious dogs". DVM360, Volume 51, Issue 10.