Why Dogs Get Stressed (And What To Do About It)

Dogs, like most higher animals, are prone to stress. However, there are things that we as human owners can do about it. We don’t have to watch our pet pups suffer in silence!

This post runs through the main reasons dogs get stressed and how to resolve various problems. Here’s what you need to know:

Changes In Routine

Changes in routine can cause your dog a lot of stress. As creatures of habit, they largely want the same things to happen every day. (Novelty is a stressor for them).

Therefore, you can reduce the amount of stress your dog feels by keeping their routine largely the same. Giving them food, exercise, and sleep at the same time, and avoiding moving around too much, can make them more settled

Loud Noises

Dogs can also get stressed because of loud noises (similar to young children). Bangs in the night are particularly worrying for your four-legged friend.

The reason for this comes down to evolution. Dogs evolved to sense danger in their environment, with loud noises being one of the primary signs.

Therefore, look for ways to reduce these in your environment. Don’t turn up the music on full blast or start hammering around in the attic for no reason. If you are having essential building work done, consider keeping your dog off-site or giving them CBD melts to calm them down.

Pain

Pain is another significant cause of dog stress. Dogs interpret feeling uncomfortable differently from us because they don’t understand its origins.

For instance, when we get a sore stomach, we know that we’ve probably eaten something we shouldn’t and it’ll pass in a few days. Unfortunately, dogs don’t have the same luxury. When their stomachs go awry, they don’t know what’s causing it. All they know is that there’s something bad going on.

Therefore, if you notice your dog looking stressed, take them to the vet. Getting treatment can improve how they feel tremendously.

Social Pressure

Dogs can also feel stress because of social pressures (usually being around other dogs). Pups are quite hierarchical creatures in the sense that they always want to know who’s boss. If they are around another dog but don’t know who is in charge, that can cause them a lot of stress because they feel pressure to work it out.

The best way to deal with this is to socialize dogs early in their lives. Taking them on playdates around other dogs can reduce feelings of anxiety and help them become better at establishing who is where in the pack.

You can also seek professional assistance to help older dogs deal with social anxiety. Trainers can help animals get used to being around their peers, making these interactions at the park or playdate pleasanter for everyone.