Silent Signs That a Dog Is Stressed

There are a myriad of ways to tell if a dog is upset without having it produce any noises. Sadly, some of them are just routine physical signs for the dog and can be very ambiguous. It is the responsibility of the dog's owner to watch the dog and record any unnatural behavior.

  1. Signs of Stress in Eyes

    • According to the University of Minnesota Censhare and the Petfinder Adoption Agency, dilated pupils in your dog's eyes can indicate some sense of danger or fear the dog is feeling. Squinting and the tension in the face that accompanies it, along with excessive blinking, can indicate stress in the dog. Avoiding eye contact can indicate that the dog feels nervous or stressed in its environment. A dog's direct stare can indicate an aggressive stress factor the dog is feeling.

    Signs of Stress in Face

    • According to the University of Minnesota Censhare and the Petfinder Adoption Agency, a furrowed brow or scowling can indicate the dog is feeling aggressively stressed about something. Veins popped out under eyes can indicate an increase in heartbeat and blood flow, which stress causes. If your dog's ears are uneven, rigidly vertical or plastered back, it can indicate a cautious feeling caused by stress.

    Signs of Stress in Mouth

    • According to the University of Minnesota Censhare and the Petfinder Adoption Agency, excessive lip licking in a dog's mouth can indicate an uneasy feeling a dog may have. A dry tongue indicates that the dog may be sick or may be stressed and the dog is not receiving adequate saliva. Excessive drooling indicates that the dog may be receiving too much saliva due to stress levels.

    Psychological Signs of Stress in Dogs

    • The presence of depression in your dog̵2;hiding or aversion from people, agoraphobia or a lack of energy̵2;may indicate some level of stress in your dog that has become latent at this point. A loss of appetite in your dog indicates a stress level in your dog that affects its sense of hunger.