What are the signs of anxiety in dogs? Anxiety can appear as pacing, trembling, hiding, vocalizing, restlessness or changes in normal habits, but none of these behaviors proves anxiety by itself. Pain or other medical conditions can look similar. Pay attention to the trigger, duration and your dog’s body language; offer a calm, predictable environment and avoid punishment for fearful behavior. Ask a veterinarian to assess sudden or persistent changes, and consider a qualified reward-based behavior professional when appropriate.
Pacing, destructive behavior, whining/crying are all classic signs that your pup is experiencing anxiety. However, all dogs are different, and while many show at least one of these signs when suffering from anxiety, that’s not always the case.
As well, these are more notable and extreme reactions, often your puppy will show lessor less apparent signs first, and catching it early is the first step to effective treatment.
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Quick answer: Anxiety in dogs may show as pacing, trembling, avoidance, changes in body posture, vocalization or stress-related behaviors. No single gesture proves anxiety—tail position, yawning and lip licking must be interpreted in context. Sudden behavior changes merit a veterinary exam; fear and separation distress are best addressed through environmental management and humane, reward-based behavior work. See the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s guidance.
Lip Licking:
Lip licking is tricky because for many dogs it’s a sign of hunger, or in the case of my pup, it means he’s about to get sick. There is one pretty easy way to tell the difference though.
Usually, when they lick their lips for food, it’s slow and irregular. Think about how you lick your lips when that delicious steak hits your dinner table.
If they are experiencing anxiety, the licking will look more like they are rapidly flicking their tongue.
Physical Tension and Pulling Away:
We often confuse this one with the dog just being stubborn, but they are stubborn for a reason. Usually, they are scared, and other signs will follow such as their ears pinning back or their face tightening.
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You can try this technique. Instead of calling your puppy to you for petting, try using a toy, getting its attention, and initiating play.
Get your dog involved in a game; pulling on a sock or pull toy, chasing a ball, whatever his favorite game is.
Tail Wagging:
Tail wagging can signal excitement, friendliness, uncertainty or tension depending on the dog’s whole body language, the situation, and the tail’s position and speed. A wagging tail alone cannot reliably diagnose anxiety or happiness.
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However, you can check the height the pup is holding their tail to diagnosed. A tail held at mid-height indicates a happy puppy, carried low suggests that dogs are submissive and afraid. Last, if the tail is held high, then this shows aggression and that your puppy is on alert.
Avoidance:
Like humans, dogs are social creatures, well compared to us they are social creatures on steroids. Dogs love people especially their owners and pet sitter and often other dogs, and will want to be around them always.
After all, it’s more common for a pup to follow their owner around everywhere then to never bother them. That’s why if you see your dog avoiding you or others, it’s a sure sign something is up.
Yawning:
Yawning is a typical indication of anxiety, and it’s frequently seen in people as well. I’m sure you’ve met someone that yawns a lot, I know I have. It’s hard not to notice after you starting yawning too.
Brief yawning may mean boredom, but if it’s frequent or if by the same token comes to an abrupt stop, then something may be up.
P.S. Have you yawned yet?
Submission/rolling over:
Rolling over is usually a sign of submission. Of course, it’s okay to give belly rubs and healthy to see them rolling over, but it’s still a submissive behavior nonetheless.
So this is tricky as well, because while they may love belly rubs, they may also roll over due to fear and anxiety. Assess the situation and look for other signs to judge their comfort levels like this next one.
Blinking and Crescent Moon Eyes:
Blinking in dogs is often seen as a nervous tick, and again people will do the same. They rapidly to disassociate ourselves from the visual component of the threat.
As well, wide open eyes where you can see the white of their eyes – commonly compared to looking like a crescent moon – is a sure sign. As well, you’ll probably notice their ears are back, and their face is tight.
Not Eating their Food:
Dogs love food, don’t they? So when they aren’t eating something is probably up. Now, often no appetite will stem from other issues, but one way you can tell if it’s anxiety-related is if the eating all of a sudden stops.
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Now, if you notice that they wake up one day and won’t eat their breakfast or slowly eat it, then it’s possible that it is another issue, and you will need to address it immediately as it could be a severe medical issue.
How to help an anxious dog safely
First, ask your veterinarian about sudden or severe changes in behavior and whether pain, illness, hearing changes or another issue could be contributing. Keep a record of what happens before, during and after fearful episodes.
Offer a predictable routine, safe resting space, appropriate exercise and enrichment. For fear triggers or separation-related distress, use gradual desensitization and reward-based training at a pace your dog can tolerate. Avoid punishment, flooding or aversive equipment. A veterinarian or qualified veterinary behavior specialist can help create an individual plan.
For evidence-based help, consult the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s humane training guidance and our puppy alone-time training article.
If you have questions about canine behavior, share them in the comments or contact your veterinary team.