.jpg)
We know that stress can be a major factor in a human’s health, but what about our pets?
Pets can certainly experience stress and exhibit signs of anxiety and discomfort and as their handler it is our responsibility to recognize these signals and help our pets through these trying times.
Every animal is unique and has his own way of expressing stress. They also have their own unique way of dealing with this stress and we call these displacement, or calming, signals.
An animal that chases his tail or chews his paw or licks his lips or yawns may be trying to calm himself in a soothing, repetitive manner. These are often also ways in which a bored dog entertains himself.
Watching your dog closely and paying attention to any repetitive action or vocalization or “habit” can tip you off to when he is stressed and what he does to heal himself.
Don’t just observe the symptom but look to discover what times he is doing these things and what is causing the stress.
If your dog licks his paws while you are at work and you come home to find your dog with raw skin, it can be because he has nothing to do by himself all day. He needs more enrichment such as interactive toys, someone to come in during the day to walk him and play with him or a crate to relax and be safe in.
As someone who works with animal assisted therapy dogs, we learn to recognize specific causes of stress that may be related to the environments in which we work with our animals:
- Unusual noises
- Unknown places
- Unfamiliar people
- Confusing training or handling
- Unusual smells
- Rough or unpredictable handling
- Prolonged visits
- Unusual emotional reactions by handler
- Extreme temperaturesVarying surfaces to walk on
Learning to recognize these behaviors gives you the opportunity to be a better handler and to stop an activity that can become compulsive and dangerous to your dog, or others.
For instance, Coco displays stress by panting or going to lay down under something … such as a table or chair. However she also goes under things when she is relaxed and wants to just rest. It is my responsibility to know which it is at any given moment. And of course in the heat of Las Vegas she can begin panting because she is hot and needs water!
Learning to communicate with your pet and understand their signals is not always easy but it is always great fun to figure out and adds so much to your relationship when you can truly read your dog.
In a future article I will discuss techniques for preventing and reducing stress in your pet.
If you enjoyed this article helpful, please read our other columns
To learn more about Coco and our work as animal assisted therapy partners
For more information about Delta Society
Comments
Hi Sue
I am so impressed with your writing about your therapy dog, and animals in general. My cat likes himself raw from stress. I take him to the vet and he gets a shot and some liquid meds. He's ok until the next time he gets stressed. I just can't figure out what is triggering it. My Vet doesn't know either. He just says, he might have dry skin and the stress makes him obsessed with licking it away. This has only happened it the last few years. I know you can't diagnose him,but I wanted to chime in with some confirmation that stress does affect our pets. regard...terra
Hi Terra,
Thank you for your comment about this article. As in humans stress is not an easy thing to deal with. Licking has confounded vets as well as owners and I am not as familiar with cats and their particular issues as dogs. I do think sometimes holistic methods can help such as accupuncture or natural remedies - perhaps your vet can recommend some of these options for you. Keep working on it and I do hope your cat finds relief soon.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!