Signs of dog distress everyone should know

Signs of distress or anxiety in dogs include avoiding eye contact, licking their lips, yawning, panting or pacing. You may also spot them trembling, hiding away or refusing to eat. 

Dogs that are worried and showing these signs are not being naughty. They just need kindness, support and a bit of training to help them. 

If you notice your dog is distressed, speak to them in a calm voice and allow them to move away or investigate in their own time. During this time, you may want to offer them a tasty treat or engage with play to change their feelings to more positive ones. 

Dogs that are distressed may bark, growl, or snarl. Again, this isn’t aggressive or ‘bad’ behaviour, it might just be that the first cues of anxiety weren't spotted in time.

If you notice your dog becoming distressed over a particular thing, try and reduce how often and how long they’re exposed to the trigger until you have some professional support. 

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If your dog does any of these things, take a moment to stop and identify the cause. A few reasons could be fear of thunderstorms, strange dogs or people outside, or being at the vet. Some dogs may be worried about everyday comings and goings like cars, cyclists or children playing. Contact your vet if you notice your dog suddenly showing signs of distress out of the blue, it’s worth getting them checked over. Pain is a common cause of sudden behaviour changes.