Humans aren’t the only ones who experience stress
Humans aren’t the only ones
who experience stress
You know that feeling you get every time you see a new
dog? That somewhat uncontrollable urge to run over, scoop that pup up and
snuggle it for hours.
As tempting as it may be, think about it from the dog’s
point of view, scary right?
Dogs are naturally predisposed to run from danger
when needed. Whenever we hug our dogs we are depriving or preventing them from
that ability. In some cases, it can stress your dog to the point that they
may actually react negatively.
Stress is the body’s reaction to a change that requires a
physical, mental or emotional adjustment or response. Dogs who experience
behaviour concerns such as fear, reactivity or anxiety tend to be in a high
state of stress.
Putting a dog into a stressful situation will inhibit
clear thinking and activate the dog’s emergency response system (the flight or
fight system).
However, with dogs that suffer from fear and/or
reactivity concerns, it is important that we understand the effects of stress
and what stress looks like.
Pay attention to their body language and
the signs of stress that can include baring teeth, ears pulled back against the
head, wide eye gaze, avoiding eye contact and lip licking. Chronic stress can
have negative impacts on your dog’s health and it's important to minimize their
exposure to stressful events and work with them through their concerns.
We can all do a better job of observing and learning the
signs of stress with the dogs in our lives. When you see a stressful reaction,
try to resolve your dog's concerns and make them more comfortable. This can
include incorporating treats and teaching the dog that the situation or person
or animal is a positive experience versus something to be concerned or anxious
about.
The Cochrane Area & Humane Society often offers
seminars and training classes on helping you and your dogs in various
situations, check our website for upcoming events and learn all the tools you
need for success at beating stress!
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