Dogs repeatedly performing a single action excessively may be a sign of anxiety

Everyday living environments or the owner's attitude toward the dog can unknowingly cause certain levels of stress. Dogs also express the effects of stress through various behaviors, and these expressions come in many different forms.

Loss of appetite: Stress can lead to decreased appetite in dogs, manifesting as eating less or unwillingness to eat. This situation is common for dogs newly introduced to a home and requires a period for adaptation.

Peace-seeking / Appeasement signals: These signals are not necessarily indicators of stress. They serve as important everyday communication tools to maintain social hierarchy peace, often appearing in calm, stress-free interactions. These signals promote group harmony and member safety during social interactions. However, when appearing alongside other behaviors, they may also indicate stress.

These signals include:

Slow movements: dogs appear to move in slow motion; Lip licking: dogs lick the mouths of higher-ranking dogs; Sitting / lying down / exposing the belly: dogs lower their bodies, exposing vulnerable areas; Head turning, avoiding eye contact: dogs avoid direct gaze, exposing the neck; Avoidance: dogs turn away, freeze like a statue with no reaction, evade human touch and treats; Furrowed brows: wrinkles or tensed muscles around the dog's forehead and eyes; Slow learning: poor learning performance or difficulty learning under severe stress.

Digestive issues: vomiting and diarrhea can be signs of illness or stress. The digestive system is highly responsive to stress, and motion sickness often results from stress.

Redirected behaviors: these behaviors aim to resolve the dog's internal stress conflicts, often observed in isolated and anxious dogs, such as those left in veterinary clinic rooms.

Blinking: blinking noticeably faster than usual; Nose licking: sometimes done to keep the nose moist, but frequent nose licking can also be a sign of anxiety.

For dogs newly arriving at a home, allow them time to adjust, as excessive stress easily triggers stress reactions

Excessive grooming: dogs may lick or chew paws, flanks, tail, even to the point of self-injury (without skin disease present).

Overactivity: intense behavior, pacing, sometimes mistaken for indifference or disobedience.

Immune diseases: prolonged stress weakens the immune system; this is related to what we commonly call stress responses.

Lack of attention: the brain cannot process information well under stress.

Clinginess: anxious dogs seek human contact for comfort; Lowered posture: sneaky, guilty, or stealthy behavior may indicate stress; Biting: mouthing may be exploratory in puppies or rude in adult dogs, but can also indicate stress, ranging from light bites (leaving small marks), to forceful nibbling, to painful bites, empty bites, or actual biting.

Panting: if a dog feels hot or is exercising, rapid shallow or deep breathing is normal; otherwise, it may be stress-related. Stress can originate externally or internally (pain or other illnesses); Stretching: to relieve muscle tension caused by stress. It can also occur after waking or long periods inactive and is unrelated to stress; Stiff movements: tightness causing obvious stiffness in legs, body, and tail; Shaking: may be due to stress but should be checked if caused by cold or illness; Whining: high-pitched sounds often considered annoying, are indicators of stress. Excited whining also indicates urgency; Yawning: dogs yawn when tired, but it can occur when scolded by owners as a way to soothe inner unease.