Keeping your dog in top health is every pet owner’s top priority. It’s why you spend heaps of time exercising your dog, grooming them, and choosing the right foods to support their health. All this effort means you’re rewarded with an enthusiastic welcome and a wagging tail whenever you return home. These are tell-tale signs your dog is happy. But knowing when they’re feeling stressed and anxious can be much harder.
In this article, we will explain how stress and feeling anxious can affect your dog’s appetite. We’ll also run through some of the other main signs your dog is feeling stressed or anxious and how to help address these stressors impacting your pet. Finally, we’ll detail some helpful relaxation techniques you can try to improve your dog’s eating habits.
Signs of Stress in Dogs
Here are some of the main signs your dog may be feeling stressed or anxious:
- Loss of appetite, disinterest in food, and changed to their usual eating habits.
- Change in bowel movements, such as loose stools and more frequent toileting.
- Yawning when they’re not tired.
- Panting, but not because they are hot or physically exhausted.
- Retreating or running away from people or a situation.
- Out of character destructive behavior, such as biting or tearing up objects with their teeth.
- Pacing back and forth restlessly.
- Keeping their tail tucked back between their legs.
- Cowering away and crouching down on the ground.
The Impact of Stress on a Dog’s Appetite
Of all the signs of stress, a loss of appetite is one most dog owners spot first. Most dogs are extremely food-motivated. So, when they show little enthusiasm at mealtimes or when offered treats, this is often a sure sign something’s wrong.
Dogs are extremely sensitive to their environment. So, when they’re feeling ill at ease, their eating habits are often the most noticeable indicator. Seeing your dog refuse their favorite meal or turn their nose up at a much-loved treat can be distressing. But understanding why this happens can help you support your pet back to their normal eating habits.
So, why do dogs lose their appetite when feeling stressed or anxious? They are natural appetite suppressants for your canine friend. Feelings of stress activate your dog’s sympathetic nervous system. This means their flight or fight response is triggered. Unsurprisingly, this means your dog has no interest in food, instead, they’re in a heightened state and ready to respond to stressors.
How to Reduce Stressors
Many factors can send your dog’s stress levels soaring. Identifying potential causes of stress and understanding how stress affects dog behavior is really helpful. You can then take a proactive approach to reducing these stressors.
Check for an Underlying Cause of Stress
When we think of stress, we often think of them in emotional terms. But there could be an underlying reason for your dog’s stress responses. You see, dogs can struggle to distinguish between being in physical pain and feeling stressed or anxious. If you suspect that your dog may have an undiagnosed medical issue that could be causing them stress, it’s wise to get them checked over by a veterinarian to rule out pain being the cause of their stress and their lost appetite.
Don’t Punish Your Dog for Not Eating
Seeing your dog’s food left uneaten in their bowl can be frustrating. Dog food isn’t cheap, so letting it go to waste is disappointing. But it’s vital you don’t punish your dog for their loss of appetite. Telling your dog off for leaving their meal creates a negative association between food and punishment. This increases their anxiety further. This will simply make mealtimes an even more stressful experience for your dog and reinforce their fight or flight response.
Introduce Distractions
It’s not always possible to rid your dog’s life of everything that causes them stress. You can’t stop fireworks being released or thunderstorms rumbling in the sky above your home. But you can try some methods to help minimize the impact they have on your dog.
Introducing distractions, such as white noise or soothing music, can really help keep your dog calmer. Having these ready so you can play them whenever your dog shows signs they’re stressed can bring down their stress levels fast.
Minimize Changes
Going through times of change can cause dogs a lot of stress. Moving to a new home, having a new addition to the house, such as a new baby or a new pet can set your dog on edge and disrupt their appetite. Being sensitive to these changes and the distress they can cause your dog will help you to ease their stress. You can do this by sticking with their familiar routine and ensuring that they get the same amount of attention as before the change to ensure there isn’t further disruption in your dog’s life.
How to Create a Calming Home Environment
Environmental stressors are a common cause of stress in dogs. So, ensuring that your pet’s home environment is a safe and calming space is crucial. Here are some ways to create a calming home environment and encourage your pet to regain their appetite:
Provide a Quiet Area for Your Dog to Eat
If you have a busy household or you’re hosting guests, the increased hustle and bustle could be causing your dog’s tension levels to rise. This can leave them feeling on edge in their own home and reduce their appetite. You can support your dog as they rediscover their appetite by providing a quiet area for them to eat. Setting up their food and water in a part of the home where they won’t be interrupted or distracted is really helpful.
Serve Their Food at Regular Times
Dogs thrive on routine. Having a fixed schedule helps them to feel more secure. So, starting a routine that introduces some predictability to their day can be a helpful solution. Starting a feeding schedule that will see your dog served meals at the exact times each day, can help condition them to feel hungry at these times.
Create a Space Your Dog Feels Safe and Secure
As stressful situations trigger your dog’s flight or fight response, it makes sense to help them feel secure. Creating a space they can quietly retreat to when they want to be alone can really help with this. This could mean setting up a dog crate with some comfortable bedding and leaving the door open so your dog can pop inside whenever they like. Just be sure to warn other members of the family or visitors that your dog must be left alone when they’re in this space.
Using a crate can also be helpful if your dog experiences separation anxiety. This safe and secure place can provide the perfect retreat when your pet is home alone.
Introduce a Calming Bed
A dog crate isn’t the only piece of equipment that can help your pet when they’re feeling stressed. Introducing a calming dog bed can also help reduce their anxiety levels. Calming dog beds are usually a donut shape, meaning your dog is surrounded by the comfort of the soft, fur-like material.
Relaxation Techniques to Improve Your Dog’s Appetite
Helping your dog to calm down is a must to improve their appetite. Here are some practical ways to help ease your pet’s stress levels:
Introduce More Exercise
Getting your dog outside and exercising regularly is always a must. But when they are feeling anxious, exercise can be an excellent stress-busting activity. Going for a walk is an excellent way to distract your dog from their worries and gives them a sensory experience to focus on instead.
Like humans, dogs also release feel-good endorphins when they’re physically active. So, exercise helps to release any pent-up nervous energy while also giving your dog’s mood a boost.
Make Physical Contact With Your Dog
Physical contact can provide your dog with comfort and reassurance. So, when they’re feeling stressed it can be helpful to pet your dog, or if they usually enjoy it, to groom them. You’ll just need to be alert to the signs that your dog has had enough attention and wants to be left alone.
Enrich Playtime With Activities
Dogs love to be physically active. However, they also need to give their brains a regular workout to feel at their best. Keeping your dog’s mind busy with interactive games and toys will help distract them from feeling stressed. Putting your pet’s brain to work with all this positive mental stimulation should also help them build up an appetite.