Anxiety and stress in dogs typically manifests first as changes in behaviour, however chronic anxiety (stress) can also lead to health problems later on. It can also lead to aggressive behaviour. Here, we’ll look at some causes of anxiety in dogs, how to spot anxiety-associated signs and share common remedies.

Anxiety is a common concern among dogs and along with chronic stress, is associated with inflammation and gastrointestinal dysfunction. A healthy gut microbiome stimulates the production of bioactive metabolites, neurotransmitters, and gut hormones that communicate with the cognitive centres of the brain. Research shows some specific probiotics also help reduce anxiety.

Behavioural problems in dogs are often a result of stress during early development. Puppies are also most vulnerable to stress during the socialisation period of development. Research has shown that the  environment provided by many private and commercial dog breeders can be stressful and overlaps with the most sensitive periods of behavioural development. Main stressors include confined living, inadequate socialisation, and early weaning. And the adverse effects of stress include a short attention span, anxiety, fear, and aggression. Here are some things you can do, to manage these early-life stresses.

Anxiety manifests in a variety of behaviours - some of which may be a surprise. We explain a range of the behaviours here and also outline the link with stress and the health impact.

Dogs are commonly treated with either training interventions or medicines, but research shows that an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant supplement was found to reduce both clinical and behavioural symptoms after 10 days.

I know from painful, personal experience, that anxious behaviour is easy to miss. And I also know now, that it can have a long-term impact on dogs’ health – and get worse as they get older. Here I wrap up how to live with an anxious dog: how to recognise anxiety, why it happens, and how to deal with it.

When your dog follows you from room to room, do you think it’s because they love you? Sadly, it’s more likely a sign of anxiety than it is unconditional love.

Holistic vet Dr Kathy Cornack explains that this shadowing behaviour, and a host of other often unrecognised signals – everything from yawning to jumping up and down with excitement, could mean your pet is anxious.

A fondness for grooming or something more serious? We talk about anxious behaviour in cats far less than we do in dogs…but a high proportion of cats, do get anxious. Are your cat’s anxiety signals too subtle to recognise? 

If you’ve heard the conventional advice of keeping your puppy or kitten away from the world until they’re eight or more weeks old: think again. Dog trainer Eve McKenzie recommends socialising your puppy or kitten as early as two weeks old – and avoiding anxiety later on.

Is your dog anxious? Do they cower in the face of another dog? Or if a thunderstorm happens does your dog – or cat - quake and shiver? On our interview series Pet Parent with a Brain, we talked with Eve McKenzie from Dogaholics, about anxiety: how to identify it and some ideas on how to deal with it.

If only they could speak! Many's the time I wished that our dogs, particularly as they've been getting older, could tell me in words, how they were feeling. Now a helpful app has come to the rescue.