How to tell if your dog is stressed?

We all have emotions and we display it as per the circumstances. If we are happy we laugh and if we are sad we often cry. These are the same with the dogs. They do have emotions and they do show them, but it is us who sometimes are not able to comprehend their mindset. The dog body language shows whether they are joyful or aggressive, and we do understand the same with an appropriate response. There are other key signals all dog owners must learn.

Stress signals are critical to read and analyze but it is a must do the task, not only to make the training sessions easy and effective but also for the betterment of your canine. Whereas recognizing that your dog is undergoing stress is the first step in the right direction.

Check out for these signs:-

• Shaking off
• Flattering ears
• Trembling, shivering
• Whining
• Cowering
• Licking lips
• Tucking tail
• Avoiding, trying to get away
• Yawning
• Sweating

The above-mentioned signs when displayed by the dog specifically will conclude in distress.

However, apart from the above, there are some more signals that are needed to be recognized and differentiate accordingly. These signals are often visible when the dog interacts with other dog or dogs.

• Mixed signals – Suppose you take your dog to a park and he yawns although he is walking brightly and seems to explore. Here, a pet owner might get confused as the dog is displaying mixed signals. Apparently, in the given situation, the dog is excited. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the dog is distressed.
• Displacement signals -Sniffing, avoiding eye contact, not so interesting behavior are generally known as displacement signals or cut off signals. These are basically out of the box behavior.

Though these signs are quite normal but still it does not fit into some of the context or it can be said the particular sign becomes odd for certain situations.

Take a situation, you take your dog to a pet store, there the dog meets another dog. Here, the other dog comes to your dog with full of energy and greets the same. But your puppy sniffs or tries to avoid the other dog. Here, sniffing is a cut off signal which is normal but does not fit the particular situation.

Dogs try to exhibit their emotions from wagging tails to licking the face. We can read it out. But there are some instances where we are not able to analyze what went wrong. We are not able to judge the real reason behind a stressed dog. We may freak out sometimes, but that’s not the solution in hand. One should follow the proper way.

Step up on these to distress your dog:-

It is a great thing to exhibit that your dog is under stress but the brilliant task is taking ample dealings and lending a hand towards the furry to cope up with the setback. However, It is difficult to read the distress signs in the dog and similarly, it’s much harder for a dog to learn when he is upset.

Here clubbing up some rescue measures:-

• A pattern – Dogs are like babies. Don’t mystify them with every day different patterns or routines. Let them follow one constant routine from waking up to sleeping. A proper pattern to be always followed up by you and them both.
• Put into effect – Always skip some time out and take your dog for a walk or exercise sessions. It will also be fruitful for the dog to escort a stress life.
• Avoid needless situations – Once for all, you will be aware of the situations and spaces where your dog might feel uncomfortable. Try to avoid such places always.
• Rules to chase – As mentioned there should be a pattern and a routine to be followed. But it can only be successful, once there are a set of rules you make for the dog. If you try to keep on changing the rules then this might or definitely stress your dog.
• Playtime – Try to spend ample time with your dog. This will undoubtedly lessen the stress. take him out for a walk, play with him, get him engaged in some games or with some toys.
• Stop training if – You will mostly encounter a dog showing the signs of nervousness and distress while training sessions. To make the training sessions successful one should immediately stop the training if it recognizes the dog is in stress and should address the dog’s distress.

Whether you excelled or not in distressing your dog?

It can be easily decodable. You can tell the way he acts his bright soft slighted eyes, semi-erect ears or hold ears backward, polite gestures and relaxed body look like he is smiling and saying “I am chilled out, all cool”.