Stress is one of the epidemics of the 21st century. No one is immune to feeling it, whether constantly or occasionally. Not even our dogs. As ARISTOPARENTS, we have a moral obligation to stay alert to any symptoms that may appear and indicate that our dog is not going through its best moment. But how can you tell if your ARISTODOG is stressed?
The truth is that every dog is different and, therefore, stress manifests itself differently in each one. However, there are a number of symptoms that can help us determine whether our dog is suffering from stress.
Symptoms of illness
If your dog experiences loss of appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea without an obvious cause, stress could have something to do with it.
Physical changes
If your dog develops skin problems, an allergic flare-up, or excessive hair loss, it may not be feeling well emotionally.
Panting for no reason
Dogs generally pant to cool themselves down when it is hot or because they have been exercising. If your dog pants for no apparent reason, it may need your help.
Ears pulled back
Dogs have different types of ears, but a fairly unmistakable indicator of stress is holding the ears back and down. This is probably the easiest signal to detect.
Avoidance or escape
Holding its tail between its legs, avoiding eye contact, and turning its back on you are signs that a dog feels uncomfortable. Regardless of whether it is stressed and needs treatment, it is best to respect this message to avoid misunderstandings.
Destructive behavior
Dogs may try to relieve stress by chewing or biting objects or people, or even biting themselves. Certain circumstances may intensify this behavior, such as leaving them alone or exposing them to other animals. Try to avoid them.
Excessive barking or howling
If your dog is not particularly vocal and suddenly starts barking for no reason, indoors or outdoors, it may be a clear sign of anxiety. Our advice: try to identify a pattern - when you leave it alone, when there are strangers around, when someone rings the doorbell - to determine the cause of the anxiety and try to help it.
Once it has been diagnosed, how can we help your ARISTODOG overcome stress? The most important thing is to visit the veterinarian, of course, but you can also take a number of steps and actions that will surely help your dog feel better, cheer up, and gradually become itself again.
1. Be patient. It may seem obvious, but it is not. Stress is a problem that can worsen and lead to more serious conditions, such as depression. Just as it does not disappear for humans from one minute to the next, it will not disappear for your dog either. It takes time and patience - a great deal of patience.
2. Avoid stressful situations. If you have already identified certain stress patterns, avoid them as much as possible. If, for example, crowds stress your dog, avoid crowded places, go for walks at times when the street is less busy, and so on.
3. Exercise with your dog. Just as it is for people, exercise benefits dogs both physically and mentally. Your dog will relax, have fun, and keep its mind occupied.
4. Pamper your dog, pet it, and spend more time with it. In this post, we reveal the best activities to do with it. Because above all, your dog is happiest when it is with you. Do something special for it and surprise it with a new toy that encourages mental agility and balance, like the ones we show you here.
We hope these guidelines have been useful and that, if your ARISTODOG is suffering from stress, it recovers as soon as possible. Always remember to consult your veterinarian about any significant change you notice. The veterinarian is the expert and will always have good advice to give you.
