Signs Of Fear And Anxiety
Fearful and anxious dogs may show some or all of these signs at different times during their ordeal:
- Tense face
- Ears drawn back – causes mouth to be wide and may cause wrinkles at sides of mouth and on forehead
- Lip licking
- Tongue flicking in and out
- Yawning
- Turning away
- Turning head away
- Walking slowly
- Panting (rapid, shallow breaths)
- Increase heart and respiration rate
- Dribbling
- Sweating through paws
- Refusing food
- Snatching at food (hurting your fingers in the process)
- Taking food but then dropping it on the floor
- Not able to focus on training or paying attention to cues
- Focusing solely on the thing they are scared of and nothing else
- Stillness (usually in the early stages)
- Hyper vigilant and very alert
- Increased activity (usually in the later stages)
- Pacing or other stereotypic behaviour
- Shaking (due to adrenalin if stress is prolonged)
- Dilated pupils (eyes appear red as due to the blood vessels at the back of the eye becoming more visible)
- Eyelids drawn back to reveal whites of eyes
- Ears held back
- Raised hackles
- May urinate/defecate more frequently than normal if stress is prolonged
- Displacement behaviour, e.g. sniffing the ground, scratching the neck
- Shedding hair, appearance of dandruff
- Weight on back legs ready to run (sloping forepaws)
- Tail down – may be under body, tip may be wagging or still
- Head up, ready to bite
- Eyes fixed on part of body most threatening, e.g. hands, feet, face
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