PDSA urges dog owners to identify signs of stress

In line with Dog Awareness Week last week, the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) is encouraging owners to recognise indicators of anxiety and fear in their pets.  

The UK veterinary charity warned that many stress behaviours can be mistakenly seen as disobedience. Shauna Walsh, a veterinary nurse at the PDSA, commented that dogs commonly consider front doors part of their territory. As a result, barking at an unexpected visitor is a natural reaction to warn their family. However, such behaviour is often stressful for dogs and their owners, and can get out of hand if left unchecked.

The charity added that barking can also indicate a dog is finding a situation difficult. Punishment for barking is likely to worsen the situation, as dogs are already overwhelmed and worried. It is recommended to instead reward calmer behaviour as an effective way to build a dog’s confidence.

Experts warn that owners who ignore early signs can teach dogs that subtle fear signals don’t work, leading them to escalate their behaviour from barking to jumping up and even biting. However, with training, patience and compassion, most dogs can learn not to react extremely to unfamiliar encounters.

A specialised behavioural approach, reactive training can help manage exaggerated responses (like lunging, barking and growling) to common triggers like meeting dogs and people who are strangers. It addresses the underlying emotions of anxiety, fear and over-excitement instead of viewing dogs as simply “naughty”.

If you need help with reactive dog training in Oxfordshire, reach out to qualified behaviourist Azz Rainey for bespoke support.