9 Signs of Stress in Dogs and What to Do Next

1. Panting When Not Hot

These signs are common in newly adopted dogs, but none proves stress. This list groups behaviors, not severity. The AKC lists unexplained panting among possible stress signals.

If your dog pants at rest without heat or recent exercise, reduce noise and give them space. New or persistent unexplained panting needs a vet check.

2. Pacing

Repeated back-and-forth walking, circling, or getting up without settling differs from ordinary exploring. Offer a bathroom break, then a quiet resting spot without forcing confinement.

Sudden or persistent pacing needs a vet check, especially with pain. Pacing mainly during absences can warrant exploring separation anxiety, but pacing alone cannot identify it.

3. Whale Eye

Whale eye means showing the whites of the eyes, often while turning away but watching something nearby. Eye shape or a sideways glance can also expose the whites, so look for stiffness or avoidance.

Stop the interaction rather than testing tolerance. Keep children away from a tense, defensive dog. Learning to read your dog's body language helps you notice signals together.

4. Lip Licking

Quick tongue flicks over the nose or lips during greetings or handling can signal discomfort, especially without food nearby. Pause contact and let your dog choose whether to approach again.

Persistent licking with drooling, vomiting, or mouth discomfort needs veterinary advice, not an assumption of anxiety.

5. Yawning

A sleepy yawn is normal. Repeated yawning during handling or training, especially with turning away or lip licking, may mean your dog needs a break.

End the interaction and allow undisturbed rest. Yawning alone is not a reliable stress test.

6. Tucked Tail

A tail held unusually low or between the legs may accompany a lowered body or ears pulled back. Compare it with your dog's normal posture because tail shape varies.

Increase distance from whatever worries them. Repeated fear, freezing, growling, or snapping calls for a vet assessment and reward-based training support. Here's when to hire a qualified dog trainer. Never punish a warning growl.

7. Sudden Shedding

Some dogs release noticeably more loose fur during a car ride or vet visit. Extra hair alone does not prove stress, and seasonal shedding is normal.

Contact your vet for bald spots, irritated skin, itching, or ongoing coat changes rather than assuming nerves explain them.

8. Hiding

Retreating behind furniture or avoiding people can mean your dog needs distance. Provide a quiet, accessible refuge where nobody reaches in or pulls them out.

If your dog enjoys soft toys, an appropriately sized plush toy is optional, not treatment or a required purchase. Supervise use and remove it if damaged.

Call your vet for new or worsening withdrawal, especially with pain, weakness, or reduced eating or drinking. Learn when hiding is a reason to worry.

9. Skipping Meals

A move can disrupt appetite, but illness and pain can look similar. Offer familiar food somewhere quiet without pressure or repeated food changes. See what to do if your newly adopted pet is not eating.

Call your vet if an otherwise well adult dog eats nothing for 24 hours. Call sooner for puppies, dogs with medical conditions, or any dog with other symptoms or reduced drinking.

Keep a brief log of triggers and recovery time. Persistent or worsening signs need veterinary assessment. Once medical causes have been considered, seek qualified training help using AVSAB-supported reward-based methods.