7 Critical Signs Of Stress In A Dog & How To Relieve

Like humans, pets can also suffer from stress and anxiety. For this reason, dog owners need to be aware of the critical stress signs in a dog. That way, they can intervene in time and take the proper measures to prevent their suffering and alleviate their symptoms. 

For pets, stressful situations may be caused by loud noises or scary noises, like those from visiting a veterinarian’s office for example. Health Canal has understood and summarized the main stress signals in a dog and how to calm them down by using CBD oils.

7 Critical Signs of Stress in A Dog

There are several dog stress symptoms that can warn you about what your dog feels, and what they are doing as a protective mechanism; so they will need supportive care, verbal encouragement, and the best puppy therapy: CBD oils to relieve mild and severe cases of a stressed flurry family member.

Salivation and licking

When dogs lick excessively and salivate in a very exaggerated way, paying attention to ensure that it is not a habit carried out in a repetitive and constant way is a must. This is one of the signs of stress in dogs that we must take into account.

Lack of attention

Stressed dogs suffer a generalized nervousness that makes them have difficulty concentrating, paying attention, and following or obeying orders. For example, when the dog parents must leave for a period of time, dogs may experience separation anxiety. Some typical signs of stress in dogs are if they refuse food, a tucked tail, and other body language stress responses.

Hyperactivity

According to a study, it is very common for stressed dogs to have hyperactive behavior. They are unable to be calm and eventually, they may start nibbling on furniture and any utensil they find in their path to release the accumulated tension. This may be a mild stress signal observed in most dogs, but it also can be caused by underlying health issues.

Excessive panting

Panting is the dog’s way to expel body heat. If you observe your dog panting in situations where they should be calm, then your pet is probably stressed and needs to relieve the tension they feel. Sometimes, the panting may be accompanied by whining, sounds of sadness, and excessive yawning.

Reactivity or running away

A stressed dog usually feels very uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation or one that is causing it stress. If, for example, our dog suffers stress when meeting other dogs, each of these encounters will cause them to overreact. This will make your dog try to run away or react very negatively to this stimulus changing the dog’s body posture and showing tucked ears.

Hair loss

Excessive shedding of hair usually occurs in cases of chronic stress in which the dog begins to feel physically affected by the situation it is suffering. They can also lose hair by compulsive licking or by pulling it out directly with their teeth while chewing skin. Act as soon as possible, when dogs shed they could be feeling stressed.

Dog’s behavior changes

It is very common that a stressed dog starts to develop behaviors they have never shown before: aggression, shyness, depression, phobias, and displacement behavior. But instead of showing them in specific situations, they start to do it in a generalized way. This is a critical sign of stress in dogs.

How to Calm An Anxious Dog?

If you are noting one or several warning signs, then you should observe and identify which agents cause stress in your dog. This will depend on the type of bond you have with your canine companions, the dog’s personality, the dog’s acquired or inherited fears, etc. In addition to avoiding these dogs’ triggers or stressors, you have to establish a safe space for your dog.

Other measures to relieve stress are: optimized walks in which you establish a familiar driving route, play with them and their favorite toy, use a calm tone and calm voice to talk to them, and always seek professional help. You also can use natural remedies and therapies that are required to help the dog to overcome the current situation. Also, give your dog space, as it might need some alone time.

Nonetheless, for the best results in relieving stress and dog anxiety symptoms, the best option is to use CBD oils. Markita Lewis, a registered dietitian from Los Angeles, has stated in one of her articles that CBD oils have started to become popular among pet owners not only for their effect on stress relief.

These hemp-derived products have also shown very beneficial effects on other dog conditions, such as dogs suffering from joint pain and arthritis, seizures, and other symptoms.

Conclusion

According to a Cornell University study, in addition to being well tolerated by dogs, CBD oils have been shown to decrease dogs’ stress and anxiety. Dogs Vets recommends CBD oils to improve your dog’s quality of life by relieving pain caused by arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, especially in older dogs.

If stress levels are still high after CBD oils, we recommend you look for a professional trainer in order to discard potentially dangerous situations and other underlying causes like health problems.

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