Do Dogs Grow Out of Anxiety?

Picture, if you will, a mountain with a perfectly round base. It juts up out of the pastoral farmlands of New Zealand’s North Island, surrounded by lush vegetation, including ferns and moss so majestic it looks like a movie. Do yourself a favor and Google “goblin forest.”

This is Mt. Taranaki. A very real, and very perfect volcano. And my partner (you can call him Big Man) wanted to walk right up the side of it. For the record, I wanted to see the freaking goblin forest. I didn’t grow up watching the 1986 cinematic masterpiece Labyrinth to not want to visit the goblin forest.

Before I drag you too far into my adventures in Middle Earth and discuss the broad topic that is anxiety in dogs (I promise I’ll get there), let’s define some terms so we’re on the same page.

Anxiety – The anticipation of something bad happening without the presence of a perceived threat. Anxiety is anticipatory stress.
Adaptive behavior – Behavior that allows an individual to navigate their environment with the greatest success and the least amount of harm possible. These behaviors function well for that particular environment and individual.
Distress – A form of stress associated with aversive stimuli, such as anger, fear, or frustration.
Eustress – A form of stress associated with appetitive stimuli, such as excitement, joy, or eagerness.
Fear – The physiological activation and experience a living being has in response to a stimulus that is perceived to be threatening or dangerous.
Maladaptive behavior – Behaviors that prevent an individual from behaving in their best interest, especially in a particular environment. These behaviors can be harmful to an individual’s mental, physical, or behavioral health.
Phobia – Extreme or irrational fear or aversion to something. (This is a human definition, because how do we decide what’s irrational for a dog?)
Stress – The body’s response to a trigger which disrupts or potentially disrupts the status quo.
Stressor – The trigger (stimuli) that precedes the stress response.
Stress response – Specific physiological reactions involving the release of chemicals that help regulate the body.
Toxic stress – Intense, long lasting, impactful stress that decreases the individual’s welfare and wellbeing.

Now more about that volcano…

Ashes to Ashes

It was 2014, and at the tender age of 33 I didn’t have all of the same terminology or diagnoses that inform my identity 10 years later. But I knew I was afraid of heights, and even if I didn’t know it was generalized, I knew I struggled with anxiety. I also knew that, thanks to the long and chaotic travel it took to even arrive in New Zealand, plus many days of driving around and sleeping in a camper van, my brain felt like a scrambled egg.

We stopped at the Mt.Taranaki visitor center on a foggy day and picked up a map. The path we chose went, well, straight up the side of the mountain (and nowhere close to the moss of my dreams). Up we trudged into the fog, the path getting steeper. I have no idea how long we had been walking, but as the fog first started to clear around the lower part of the mountain, we paused and looked out at the view below. I was already breathing hard thanks to the steep climb. I felt my eyes widen and my jaw clench. I started breathing harder. I was hyperventilating. I put my head in my hands. “Are you okay?” my partner asked as he put his arm over my shoulders. “I don’t think so,” I managed to say, now seated on the ground.

When I began to see a therapist and seek treatment for anxiety the following year, I talked a lot about our trip to NZ. How I struggled to be present as my thoughts raced, ticking off items on invisible to-do lists that could not have mattered less when I should have been enjoying the most breathtaking scenery imaginable. I was stressed, and although part of the stress I was experiencing was the eustress of new and exciting experiences, the physiological poopstorm (panic attack) on the side of a volcano was just the anxiety-flavored icing on the cake.

Midlife Crisis

Just this year, after struggling with a particularly gnarly bout of anxiety that had my blood pressure cranked up, I went out on a limb and was evaluated for ADHD. At the age of 43, I’m still connecting dots throughout my entire life, and now have clinical diagnoses of generalized anxiety disorder and ADHD, and a medication regimen to add to all of the other skills I’ve collected through my health journey (shout out to my hysterectomy), yoga, therapy, a lot of reading, and plenty of trial and eval.

Let me get to my point here about dogs and anxiety: My growth in figuring out and managing my anxiety spans my entire life. When my dog (Petey the Wondermutt) came home in 2018 at 18 months old, and gradually showed us what he struggled with, I did not wonder, “Do dogs grow out of anxiety?” If my own experience had taught me anything, I knew we were embarking on a journey together.

From puppies to adults, just like us, there are many ways for our canine besties to experience anxiety, and we should develop ways to help them manage it, assuming it will be a lifelong process that may involve collaboration with professionals. Dogs do not grow out of anxiety. Let’s talk about what that looks like.

How Do Dogs Experience Anxiety?

Anxiety is characterized by feelings of fear, worry, and apprehension. It is a natural response to perceived threats or stressful situations, but when it becomes excessive or persistent, it can significantly impact a dog’s wellbeing and quality of life. Just like in humans, generalized anxiety disorder is diagnosed in dogs. Just like in humans, dogs experience different types of anxiety and have different diagnoses related to stress and anxiety. Just like humans, the journeys we take with them in order to live our best lives can be complicated, and definitely take time. I mention this not because I think we need to pathologize ourselves and our pets into oblivion, but to point out that the mental health of our pets is complex and multifaceted.

Signs, Symptoms, and Behaviors

Since we can’t ask our dogs what they are feeling, to provide support and care to a pet struggling with anxiety, we must first recognize the signs. Here are some things to look out for:

Excessive vocalization: barking, whining, howling.
Agitation or restlessness: pacing, circling, inability to settle.
Destructive behavior: chewing, digging, shredding, scratching items in the home.
Inappropriate elimination: urinating or defecating in the house or crate.
Cowering and hiding: seeking out a trusted human or a safe space.
Physiological changes: dilated pupils, shaking, rapid heart or breath rate.
Aggressive (distance increasing) behaviors: growling, barking, lunging, snapping, biting.
Sudden behavior change: Any time you see a sudden change in your dog’s behavior, it is worth a conversation with your veterinarian.

This list is by no means exhaustive. Noting physical behaviors or physiological changes is the most important and useful information to provide a pet professional when seeking help. Our dogs are individuals, and deserve individualized help.

Common Sources of Anxiety

I won’t continue to harp on this point, but like human anxiety, canine anxiety can arise from many sources. Understanding their particular stressors is crucial for effective management and treatment. Below is a brief list of some common stressors and behaviors associated with anxiety:

Separation: Dogs are highly social animals and can develop strong attachments to their human family members. Dogs who struggle with separation from their people may experience intense distress. Separation related problem behaviors are myriad and can include everything from destructive behaviors, excessive vocalization, restlessness and agitation, to sound sensitivity. Maladaptive behaviors around separation should be taken seriously.
Sounds: Sudden, unexpected sounds can be overwhelming and trigger a stress response. Exposure to loud noises, such as thunderstorms, fireworks, or even household appliances are distressing for many dogs. Hiding, shaking, restlessness, drooling, and seeking out a safe space or trusted human are common behaviors associated with sound sensitivity.
Sudden changes: Environmental factors, such as changes in the home or the introduction of new people or animals, can also contribute to anxiety in dogs. Associated behaviors depend on the individual and the stressor(s), but may include anything from the inability to settle and rest to an escalation in distance seeking behaviors like growling and barking, to inappropriate elimination.

Causes and Interventions

The causes of anxiety in any species are a complex mix of genetics, maternal/ intrauterine stress (before birth), health issues, pain, trauma, learning history, environment, age, and even reproductive status. All of these contributing factors play a role in a dog’s susceptibility to and experience with anxiety. Understanding the specific stressors and identifying potential causes of an individual dog’s anxiety helps us develop effective strategies for managing and reducing toxic stress. There is no one cause, and there is no one solution.

Taking the entire dog and their entire known history into consideration is necessary! Meeting physical, mental, and emotional needs is crucial for dogs experiencing anxiety.

Puppies and Anxiety

Even if the entire life history of a puppy is known, they may still experience anxiety. Helping a puppy with anxiety requires a proactive and compassionate approach. Creating a safe and nurturing environment can help build their confidence and resilience. Incorporating positive reinforcement training helps puppies learn to associate desirable behaviors with positive outcomes. Socialization – exposure to new people, animals, and environments (gradually and at the dog’s pace!) in a controlled and positive manner – can help them develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress.

In cases where a puppy’s anxiety is particularly severe or persistent, it may be necessary to seek professional help to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. With the right support and care, puppies can learn to manage their anxiety and grow into happy, well-adjusted adult dogs.

The next section addresses adult dogs with anxiety, but the same techniques are used for young dogs or even puppies if needed.

Adult Dogs and Anxiety

Addressing anxiety in adult dogs can be a more complex challenge. Many dogs adopted through rescue or shelters have unknown backgrounds. Regardless of known or unknown history, the underlying causes may be deeply rooted and the associated behaviors have been rehearsed for longer than a puppy. Ultimately, helping an adult dog with anxiety requires a multifaceted approach that addresses the dog’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. The journey of helping a dog with anxiety can include some or all of the following:

Medical attention: Mental health is health. The importance of ensuring a dog exhibiting signs of anxiety is receiving appropriate treatment for any underlying or related health issues cannot be overstated. Pain and disease have a direct effect on behavior.
Identifying specific stressors and patterns of anxious behaviors: Knowing when and where the dog exhibits anxiety-related symptoms, as well as any potential environmental or situational factors that may be contributing to their distress.
Environmental management: Managing exposure to stressors and creating a safe, comfortable, and predictable space is an important part of living with a dog who experiences anxiety. Management can look like (to name a few examples):

Sound masking: white noise, music, etc. to help cover sound-related stressors.
Visual barriers: blinds, window film, etc. to avoid seeing stressors.
Physical barriers: fences, baby gates (see image of Petey), closed doors, crates, muzzle training, leashes/tethers, etc. to avoid access or proximity to stressors.

Behavior modification: Changing the way a dog feels about anxiety-inducing situations by empowering them to make good choices for themselves and teaching them to self-regulate their emotional responses is how we at Pet Harmony prefer to help dogs with anxiety. These techniques require guidance, patience, and consistency, but can be incredibly powerful in helping adult dogs learn to manage their anxiety.
Medication and/or supplements: Medication prescribed by a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist may be necessary to help a dog with anxiety. Anxiolytics (anti-anxiety medications) used in conjunction with behavior modification provide a more comprehensive approach to treatment.
Training and skills: Many dogs who struggle with anxiety need to develop additional skills beyond just dealing with stressors in the moment. Training does not solve anxiety. Read that again. But developing skills to process stressors, move to safety, and provide themselves with an abundance of options should be part of a behavior modification plan.

When you live with a dog who struggles with anxiety, you are on a path to manage their stress while they still do as many normal dog things as possible (i.e. exhibit behavioral diversity) to support their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. It is a lifelong path, and those who have experience supporting their own or other human loved ones’ journeys with anxiety know that the path may take some twists and turns as you gather more information. This may or may not include behavioral diagnoses from a veterinary professional.

Canine Anxiety Disorders

We have established that dogs can experience anxiety in many ways for many reasons. Sometimes the process of helping the dog involves getting a diagnosis or diagnoses from a vet or veterinary behaviorist. The point is to leverage strategies that have been documented to improve the welfare of populations with the same or similar diagnoses. Some common diagnoses include:

Separation anxiety: When a dog experiences distress or panic when left alone or separated from their primary caregiver(s).
Noise phobia: Triggered by loud or unexpected sounds, such as thunderstorms, fireworks, or specific sounds or frequencies such as noises from household appliances. This type of anxiety can be particularly challenging to manage, as the triggers are often unpredictable and difficult to control.
Generalized anxiety: A pervasive and persistent state of worry or apprehension. These dogs may be anxious in a variety of situations, from new environments to social interactions with people or other animals. Generalized anxiety can be more difficult to identify and manage, as the triggers may not be as clear-cut as with other types of anxiety disorders.
Specific phobias: Fear of certain objects, situations, or experiences. These specific phobias can be just as debilitating as other forms of anxiety and require targeted interventions to address.

Living with a dog whose behavior is affected by anxiety can cause stress and frustration within the household. The following section discusses when it’s time to look for help from veterinary or behavior professionals to address everyone’s concerns.

When to Seek Professional Help

The phrase “it takes a village” doesn’t just apply to human children. Sometimes pets have a whole team on their side to ensure their long-term success in managing anxiety. This could include a trainer, behavior consultant, veterinarian, or veterinary behaviorist. A team is especially valuable in dealing with challenging or complex cases of canine anxiety. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge here that easy access to behavior and veterinary professionals is not a given for every household.

Here are some guidelines on when it’s a good idea to add to the team and seek professional help:

The dog’s anxiety is significantly impacting their daily life or family members’ ability to manage the situation. This could include persistent, severe symptoms like excessive vocalizations, destructive behavior, or even aggression. A professional should be involved when there are safety concerns.
If the dog’s anxiety is causing them significant distress or preventing them from engaging in normal activities, it’s important to consult with a veterinary professional.
The dog’s anxiety is not responding to attempts at management, such as environmental changes, training techniques, or natural remedies. In these cases, a veterinary professional may provide a more comprehensive assessment and recommend additional interventions, including medication or specialized behavior modification programs.
The family is feeling overwhelmed or unsure about how to best support their anxious dog, particularly for complex issues that require specialized knowledge, like separation anxiety. Behavior and veterinary professionals can provide valuable guidance and support, and help develop a tailored plan to address the dog’s specific needs.

When seeking professional help, it is important to find team members who are well versed in the issues at hand and well suited to support the family not only in making changes, but how to track and report progress. Over the years, our care team for my dog Petey has included a trainer, primary vet, and veterinary behaviorist.

Meanwhile, Back at the Volcano...

For those wondering, the trail we were on took longer than the time we had to hike, but we did make it much further up Mt. Taranaki post panic attack. Next time I’ll opt for squishing on some moss instead.

Back at home in Indiana, we are currently trialing meds for pain and reflux for Petey. He’s been on the same behavioral meds for a few years, and as he’s easing into his senior years, we are adding some more support for him. Since I’m new to taking stimulants, I’m also trialing new meds of the extended release variety. A lot has changed for Big Man, Petey, and I since 2018, but our commitment to all three of us living our best lives has not. We pivot. We adapt. We learn. We grow. We are on this journey together.

Now What?

Our human and non-human friends and family members are important parts of our own learning journeys. Ponder the following:

What are some ways that your pets have helped you learn something about yourself?
When has learning something about yourself helped you relate more to your pets?
Have either of these experiences facilitated changes in your daily life with your pet(s)?

When we enter into long-term relationships with other beings (human or non-human), we have an opportunity to learn and grow together, sometimes in very unexpected ways. Should you need help navigating this journey together, we are here to help!

Happy Training!

Tiffany