Table of Contents
Stress is universal – it’s something that we all experience. Being exposed to large amounts of stress over a long period of time has a significant impact on any living creature’s wellbeing.
When humans are stressed, there are a few ways we can try to identify this – some people may frown, sigh, or start to fidget. Some people will become tearful or cry when they are stressed. Most people have the ability to communicate their feelings through language or speech, so one way to find out if a person is stressed can just be by asking them. But what about identifying stress in dogs?
Unfortunately, we can’t talk to our dogs to ask them how they are feeling or whether they’re stressed. Instead, we have to look at the evidence presented in front of us in the form of body language and behaviour to assess the situation and how our dogs might be coping at that moment. Sometimes these signals can be small, subtle and easily missed.
Here are 10 common signs of stress in dogs. These can be discrete, but are important to be mindful of when it comes to your dog:
Lip Licking
Lip licking is something to look out for in your dog, as this can be a sign of anxiety and stress. This is also sometimes referred to as a tongue flick. If you notice your dog licking their lips, that could mean that your dog is becoming stressed about the situation that you are in.
It is important to consider the context that the behaviour is happening in, as there are other reasons that could explain lip licking – for instance, if your dog is waiting for a treat they may salivate and lick their lips in anticipation of eating. Lip licking is also linked with nausea and may happen if your dog is not feeling very well.
Whale Eye
Whale eye refers to being able to see the outer white part of a dog’s eye as the dog stares at something. This happens when the dog is positioned slightly away from the object of their focus, but their eyes remain fixed on the object. Generally if a dog is continuing to stare at something even as they are turned away, that is a telltale sign that the dog is not comfortable with the object in question.
This term was coined by Sue Sternberg, and the name comes from observing the behaviour of whales who would move their eyes but not their heads in order to watch boats. If you go to interact with your dog and they have their head turned away but are closely watching you still, displaying the whites of their eyes, the best move is to give them space – this body language tells us that they are feeling uneasy about you approaching.
Yawning
There are a lot of reasons that dogs yawn, but one possible reason for yawning can be stress. If a dog is facing a stressful situation, they are more likely to be seen yawning, so this is another behaviour that we can look out for in order to be mindful of our dogs’ emotional states.
If your dog is yawning, especially if they are yawning repetitively or showing other stress signals at the same time as yawning, this can mean that your dog is feeling stressed.
Freezing
Look at your dog’s body and how they are holding it. If your dog is tense, with a stiff posture, and frozen in place, that usually means that the dog is scared and/or stressed. Dogs that are stiff and tense should be given plenty of space, as if this signal isn’t respected they could escalate to growling, lunging or snapping.
Freezing behaviour is sometimes seen in animals who do not want to be spotted by a perceived threat. It is important to back off if you notice a dog freezing up.
Panting
Panting when it is not warm or the dog has not been doing exercise can indicate stress. Panting from stress can sometimes present differently to panting in order to regulate body temperature – usually stress panting involves the sides of the mouth pulled tightly back and the muscles in the face looking tense.
As with other possible stress signals, it is important to consider the context and assess the whole picture. Panting doesn’t automatically equal stress, but should not be overlooked.
Pacing
Dogs that are stressed may feel the need to move constantly – particularly if they are a breed with strong natural instincts; for instance, some herding dogs may circle when they are stressed. Constant pacing and/or an inability to settle in a situation can mean that a dog is struggling, as the stress is making it difficult for them to relax.
Some dogs will follow or circle the thing that they are scared of, as they are trying to keep a close eye on and monitor the perceived threat. Not all dogs who are moving around are stressed, but this can be one way that stress is presented.
Not Eating
If you offer your dog their favourite treat and they do not eat it, that can be an indicator of stress. Feelings of stress and anxiety suppress appetite.
If you are with your dog and you are unsure if your dog is stressed at that moment, offering them a food freebie can be a good way to measure their emotional state. This tests whether they are comfortable enough to eat or not. If they don’t take the food, that is an indicator that they are too stressed and need to be taken out of that situation.
Hard Mouth
Another sign that your dog is beginning to struggle is that they may start to take food with a ‘harder mouth’ (more teeth). Some dogs are snatchy with food anyway, so this is usually more noticeable with dogs that are typically polite around food or have been trained to take food gently.
Due to becoming stressed, the dog is no longer able to practise those manners and is less precise about collecting their reward. As with testing to see whether the dog will take a treat, you can measure stress by looking at how the dog takes the treat (if the dog is usually not grabby).
Crouching/Cowering
Dogs that are stressed and scared may make themselves smaller by holding their bodies low to the ground or cowering away from a perceived threat. They may also have their tail tucked under their body.
Stressed dogs may also be seen shifting their body weight away from the thing that is worrying them or having one paw raised in the air. When a dog is conflicted about an object or person (part of them wants to investigate it, but part of them is unsure) you might notice them stretching forwards to try and inspect the thing while their body weight remains shifted backwards so they can make a quick escape if necessary.
Growling, Snarling & Snapping
If pushed too far when stressed, a dog’s behaviour can escalate to growling, snarling and snapping (which may or may not result in biting). Most dogs will give other warning signals when they become stressed, instead of escalating to a reaction straight away. It is important to be aware of the more subtle stress signals that our dogs may exhibit when they start feeling worried so that these can be identified early on and larger reactions can be prevented.
Remember to never punish a growling dog, as this will create a dog that is more likely to bite without warning (as Dr Ian Dunbar says, “it’s like taking the ticker out of a time bomb”). In general, punitive and aversive training approaches are associated with increased stress, anxiety and aggression in animals, so should be avoided when training your dog.
Overview
This is just a brief introduction to identifying a few common stress signals seen in dogs. Kendal Shepherd’s Ladder of Aggression breaks down some of the different ways that stress signals may escalate in a dog, up until the point that they are pushed to biting, in more detail. Every dog is an individual, so it is important to understand the signals that your dog is likely to give out. Observing your dog closely can assist in learning how to point out these behaviours.
For further information about dog body language and communication, iSpeakDog is a great resource, as well as the book Doggie Language by Lili Chin.