What causes stress in dogs?
STRESS can be caused by both physical and emotional problems and both may interact: Lets look at some physical stresses:
| Infection |
Dehydration |
Injury |
| Excessive exercise |
Malnutrition |
Toxic chemicals |
| Surgery |
Allergies |
Extreme cold |
| Food sensitivities |
Extreme heat |
Respiratory problems |
| Hunger |
Lack of rest |
Thirst |
| Lack of sleep |
Change in health state |
Abuse |
| Pain |
Female in season |
Busy stud dog |
| Incorrect hydrotherapy |
Poor diet |
Rough and tumble play |
| Discomfort |
Chasing games |
High activity games |
| Dog shows |
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Now lets look at some emotional stresses:
| Anxiety disorders |
Communication problems |
Conflict dog-dog |
| No choices |
Conflict human-human |
Too many commands |
| Conflict dog-human |
Abuse |
Re-homing |
| Lack of space |
No shelter |
Lack of toilet opportunity |
| No place to rest or sleep |
Christmas |
Major event |
| Death (human or canine) |
Change of location |
Female in season |
| Weather |
Lack of rest or sleep |
Being trapped |
| Left in crate too long |
Lack of relationship |
Poor nutrition |
| Panic attacks |
Fright from fireworks |
Visitors |
| Visiting the vet |
Therapists |
Noise levels |
| Air fresheners |
Incense, oils, perfume |
DAP diffusers |
| Frustration |
Anger |
Hurry or speed |
| Threatening situations |
Challenge |
Confidence reduction |
| Scary things |
Exciting things |
Annoying things |
| Depression |
Being shouted at |
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This is not a comprehensive listing but don't be frightened of this list and start to think there is no hope. There is always hope and we can do something about it. Not everything in the list will affect your dog. What may stress one dog may not stress the next. It depends on the dog, the owners, the dog’s health state, ability to cope, stess tolerance level, breed, genetics, lifestyle and environment.
If your dog is showing signs of stress you will need to know why. Look at the list and try to determine what may be the cause of your dog's stress. You may need the help of a behaviourist and your veterinarian to help you find the cause. Some causes can be hidden.
High adrenalin can mask pain. Highly aroused dogs can sometimes hide all the symptoms of pain until a disease is very far advanced. This is for survival. If a dog shows signs of pain it may be harmed by its pack members or may be a target for other predators.
In addition to emotional and physical stress that can produce lowered adrenal function, there are chronic conditions or lifestyles that continually drain the adrenals and prevent them from recouperating.
Recouperation happens during rest and sleep. Giving your dog sufficient rest is important. I like to give dogs between 16 and 18 hours’ sleep per day. If the dog is eating a poor diet, you can be sure that adrenal glands, brain and all the dog's body functions are not getting the nutrients needed to respond well in a crisis.
Look at your dog's excrement. How firm is it? On a scale of 1–5, one being very firm and five being runny with 3 being the ideal firmness. Make note daily of the textures, firmness and colour. This will give your veterinarian an idea of what may be going on in the digestive tract.
Look at your dog's environment - is your dog living and walking in a toxin-free environment? Probably not. We are living in the days of nutrient-depleted soils, toxic wastes dumped in landfills, pollution in the air, the water, pescticides on our fruit and vegetables and preservatives in our food.
Providing your dog with organic food, giving filtered water and walking your dog in parks or forests away from roadsides can make a big difference to the dog’s health state.
A little stress is normal and necessary. Dogs need a little anxiety for survival, to drive them to hunt for food. It’s when the stress becomes prolonged that it becomes a problem and we start to see many signs associated with long-term stress. Once you have determined your dog’s stress levels and what makes your dog stressed you are on the road to making a difference in your dog’s life.
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