Neurotic Behaviors in Dogs

Neuroses in humans are isolated psychological problems in a person who does not suffer psychosis. Essentially, a neurosis is a psychological peculiarity arising from anxiety which may have a physiological or a purely environmental cause. While dogs can't manifest neuroses in all the same ways as people, they are essentially the same in dogs and manifest in the dog's behavior.

  1. Unwarranted Fear

    • One of the easiest to recognize neuroses is unwarranted fear. Humans and animals intuit fear in new circumstances where there is no past experience to validate a fear. Sometimes the intuition is accurate; sometimes it's not. If something doesn't represent a danger -- such as the noise of a vacuum cleaner -- it should become clear, over time, even if a dog fears it at first. Persistent unwarranted fears are manifestations of neuroses.

    Unwarranted Response

    • An unwarranted response of a general kind is much more difficult to understand. For example, perhaps your dog barks wildly at bicycles. It's hard to say what the link is; The object or condition invokes excessive stimulation but the type of stimulation -- fear, aggression, playfulness -- is unclear. If it's an uncharacteristically extreme response, though, it's a neurotic behavior.

    Compulsive Fixations

    • Like people, some dogs have one or more compulsive fixations. Some breeds may be more prone to such fixations than others. The nature of some fixations may be shaped by the breed too. For example, working dogs may fixate on something closer to the duty of their breed: chasing, digging, barking. Some may even be funny or entertaining. Treat these behaviors with caution, though -- even if they seem humorous at first. For example, if you find your dog staring into the corner of the room, you may just think he's a character. But it's probably a manifestation of excess anxiety that's very uncomfortable for the dog.

    Physiological Signs of Anxiety

    • There are many other physiological signs of anxiety. Shaking is a common one. Some dogs are more likely to tremble from anxiety rather than being cold. Excessive panting is another common one. Even excess energy can be a sign of anxiety. While it's perfectly healthy for dogs -- especially young dogs -- to exhibit boundless energy, if it is fearful energy, they may, for example, chew something up. Before you respond solely to the behavior, consider the dog's well-being. A dog that has a clear understanding of your expectations and feels confident in the consistency of your treatment is likely to be a psychologically healthy dog.