We all have it.  Anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  It’s actually a normal emotion.  At it’s root, anxiety provides the motivation to change something about our circumstances.  Without this motivation we would continue persisting in situations that do not benefit us.  It’s when it is mal-adaptive that anxiety becomes a problem.  Dogs present with many problematic behaviors but ultimately these are just symptoms of an underlying need that is going unmet.  

In honor of National Dog Anxiety Awareness Week, let’s dive into some of the common motivations for anxiety and what you can do about it.

First and foremost, a dog’s basic needs must be met.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides a blueprint for addressing pressing needs.   Neglect or health crises are naturally anxiety provoking and these issues must be addressed as priority in order to reduce associated anxiety.  For example, a dog who has recently been rescued is likely in a state of perpetual nervous system activation and exiting this state requires prolonged time in calm predictable environment.  Taking a dog in a state of stress and plopping him into a chaotic noisy home or shelter is only going to add fuel to the fire.  If the dog is in pain he will rightly be on guard against further injury until the source of the pain is addressed.  Reducing anxiety related to lack of resources is easily addressed, however, the trauma associated with these experiences can persist in the form of PTSD.

Addressing Needs through Enrichment

Once the basic needs of food, shelter, and alleviation of pain are addressed we can then begin addressing other needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy.  This often includes the need to have purpose.  Every dog is born with an innate drive to survive.  Not every dog possesses the ability to survive skillfully but they, none-the-less, do possess the urge to perpetuate.  In an environment that does not allow a dog an appropriate outlet to express these urges, dogs will often exhibit undesirable behavior.  Animals that lack opportunities to engage in species specific activities will often develop stereotypic behavior.  Dogs are designed to seek and search for their sustenance and social interactions.  When life is ‘too easy’ they may engage in repetitive behaviors such as pacing and patrolling or even injurious behaviors such as persistent over-grooming.  These behaviors result from the unmet need of an outlet for these natural drives and urges.

Independent breeds like huskies may feel anxiety when they haven’t achieved an appropriate level of mental and physical exercise.  They alleviate the anxiety provoked by boredom by jumping fences to wander, digging, or massacring wildlife.  Similarly, a dog that has been bred to patrol guard will be constantly vigilant but may perceive friendly visitors as threats.  Providing ways for your dog to gain access to resources that require problem solving and activation of the frontal cortex helps reduce generalized anxiety by burning energy.  This is why enrichment activities are always an important part of any training regimen. These activities boost levels of dopamine and oxytocin in the blood stream creating a general feeling of well-being and contentment.  

Normal Behavior in the Wrong Environment

Selective breeding for certain traits often produces unintended behavioral consequences.    Sometimes the heightened senses that are adaptive in one environment become inappropriate in a family home.  Some dogs are genetically prone to higher alertness or aloofness due to selective breeding.  A livestock guardian dog, for instance, is designed to protect their flock against threats like coyotes and other predators.  In a residential neighborhood the family becomes the flock and the ‘predators’ are the neighbors.  Compound this ‘normal’ behavioral tendency with aversive training techniques or chastisement and the dog will quickly develop symptoms of anxiety.  Breeding for physical characteristics can have unintentional behavioral consequences as Temple Grandin explores in her book, ‘Animals in Translation.’

When anxiety levels is so severe that they interfere with the bond between canine and human the dog becomes at risk of losing their home or life.  A dog that does not excel in a home is not likely to thrive in a chaotic noisy shelter and their behavior can deteriorate quickly.  It’s important that the anxiety component of behavioral health is recognized and addressed as early as possible.  A puppy that exhibits early signs of anxiety is not simply going to grow out of it.   While they may develop strategies for dealing with day to day discomforts, unexpected anxiety provocations will put the animal in a state of distress.  The older a dog becomes the more their behavior patterns become fixed and the harder these patterns are to change.  Puppies have the benefit of the greatest degree of neural plasticity they will never again experience in their life.  Puppyhood is truly the best time to take action and be proactive!  

Less Subtle Signs of Anxiety

It’s easy to recognize that a dog is uncomfortable when they bark or growl but many signs of anxiety are less obvious.  Hyperactivity in the form of excessive friendliness and fidgeting, for example, demonstrates the puppy is in a state of nervous system activation.  We treat hyperarousal in much the same way as we do anxiety because they have similar  neurochemical roots.  Allowing a puppy to rehearse excitable behavior such as wiggliness or persistent jumping without boundary will only perpetuate anxiety and potential resentment toward the source of that arousal later in life.  Conversely, a puppy who appears ‘calm’ may in actuality be shut down.  Seeing these behaviors for what they truly are means we can intervene to help the puppy feel safe and in control so they develop behavior patterns rooted in calmness.   

Calming supplements and even anti-anxiety medication are often prescribed to dogs by Veterinary Behavior specialists order to stave off the crippling effects of anxiety and hyperactivity.  Until a medication protocol is implemented it can be challenging for dogs suffering from anxiety or hyperactivity to make progress in a training program.  Watch this video with Dr. Jill Sackman, Diplomate of both the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons for a better understanding of the use of medications in hyperactive dogs.  As a professional trainer, I strive to take as much struggle off the plate for owners and their dogs.  I’m a skilled and experienced trainer, not a magician.  It’s become easier in my almost 2 decades of experience to recognize when the scope of improvement goes beyond what I can provide as a dog trainer.  That’s when I’ll refer my clients back to their veterinary for evaluation for behavioral pharmaceutical intervention.

-Emily Coleman, CBCC

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