Help for dogs with anxiety

Foreword

Anxiety exists on a spectrum: some dogs struggle with small ‘inconveniences’ like the post man knocking at the door, or hearing the bin men outside moving the wheelie bins around, whilst others don’t show any difficult behaviours until they leave the house and spot another dog or a cyclist on the opposite side of the road (then all hell breaks loose).

Please take some comfort from this statistic - it’s estimated that around 70% of dogs struggle with highly problematic behaviours (1) such as noise sensitivity, separation anxiety or general fearfulness. Your dog is not being bad, their behaviour is not isolated, and you are not alone.

A note on who we are

We sell supplements for dogs, including a daily calming support formula. We think it has a genuine place within a dog's behaviour plan - but not all dogs need it, and it's not where you should start.

This guide is free because we believe the foundations matter more than the products. Routine, environment, and consistent effort will do more for most dogs than any calming supplement ever could.

Some dogs will improve with the basics alone, and never need anything else.

If nutritional support does make sense for your dog, we'll explain when and why in Week 3. But we'd rather you got results without spending a penny, than bought something that wasn't right for you.

What this guide is

A practical companion for owners dealing with common challenging behaviours. A practical companion for owners dealing with common challenging behaviours. We've reviewed the research and translated it into day-to-day management you can actually stick to.

This guide covers:
1. Recognising the signs of anxiety - from subtle to severe
2. Why routine matters and how to build it
3. Mapping triggers and tracking progress
4. What to do when things kick off
5. A 4-week plan to layer in changes without overwhelming you or your dog
6. When and how to seek professional support

What this guide isn't

This management guide is not a replacement for veterinary intervention. Some dogs will require specialist help from a dog behaviourist, or benefit from prescription medications as part of a wider plan.

To that end, we have included a short resource at the end to help you look for and identify professionals who can offer additional support.

This guide is a starting point - a first port of call - to help you understand your dog’s behaviour, and offer some practical, useful tips that you can implement into their routine right away.

quick guide

Section 1: Recognising the Signs

Understanding where your dog sits on the anxiety spectrum - from subtle signs you might miss to behaviours that need professional support.

Section 2: Why Routine Matters

How predictable mealtimes and daily anchors create the foundation for calmer behaviour.

Section 3: Trigger Mapping

A simple system for tracking incidents, spotting patterns, and measuring progress.

Section 4: In the Moment

What to do when your dog reacts - your three options and how to help them recover afterwards.

Section 5: Your 4-Week Plan

A structured, layered approach to building routine, managing their environment, considering nutrition, and starting gentle training.

Section 6: When to Get Professional Help

Signs it's time to call in support, how to find a qualified behaviourist, and what to expect.

References & Glossary

section 1: recognising the signs

The Anxiety Spectrum

As we mentioned above, anxiety is a spectrum. Understanding where your dog ‘fits’ into that spectrum helps you choose the right level of support. Research tells us that anxiety issues often co-occur (1) - meaning a dog with a common issue such as noise sensitivity, might also struggle with something else such as a separation-related behaviour.

It is normal for your dog's behaviours to overlap.

Mild Anxiety (Most Common Signs)

These signs are easy to miss or dismiss as 'just being a dog':

  • Lip licking when there's no food present
  • Yawning when they're not tired
  • Slight restlessness when left alone
  • Hesitation around new people or places
  • Increased vigilance (watching doors or windows more than usual)

Moderate Anxiety (Most Common Signs)

These behaviours are harder to ignore and often disrupt daily life:

  • Persistent pacing, whining, or barking
  • Inability to settle even in familiar environments
  • Destructive behaviour (not just when they're bored)
  • Excessive clinginess or shadowing around the house
  • Ears pinned back or constantly swivelling (as if detecting or searching for threats)

Severe Anxiety (Most Common Signs)

These signs indicate your dog needs professional support:

  • Panic responses (frantic escape attempts, self-injury)
  • Extreme physical responses (trembling, drooling, loss of bladder control)
  • Aggression stemming from fear
  • Total shutdown or 'freeze' responses

The Quiet Signs

Some of the most important signs are the quiet ones. A dog who's 'just being good and lying down quietly' might actually be frozen with fear. Watch for:

  • Whale eye
  • Tense, rigid body posture
  • Tail trucked or held unusually low
  • Excessive shedding (particularly noticeable during vet visits or on car journeys)

section 2: why routine matters

Why Routine Matters

The research is clear: predictability and routine form the foundation or cornerstone of behavioural management (3). Predictable mealtimes, walks, or periods of relaxation at the same times everyday create 'achors' for your dog.

A dog who knows breakfast is at 6.30am, or just after they hear your alarm go off, knows that their walk will follow in a certain amount of time, and their body will start to prime them to go to the toilet: you know, that first poop of the day feeling.

This is why seemingly unrelated behavioural changes - increased clinginess, restlessness before you leave, reactivity on walks - often improve when feeding times stabilise.

And here's one thing many owners don't realise: mealtime consistency doesn't just help with stress - it affects how well your dog digests their food, too. Their body clock tells the gut when to ramp up enzymes and bacteria to break down the next meal (4, 5). Irregular feeding times disrupt this process.

This is part of the reason why some rescue dogs with 'challenging' feeding histories struggle with a sensitive tummy and tricky systems - their body never properly learnt how to deal with food when it does arrive.

The Five Anchor Points

As a guideline, your dog's day will benefit from being built around these 5 anchor points:

  1. Breakfast/Morning Meal
  2. Morning Activity
  3. Rest Period
  4. Afternoon Activity
  5. Evening Meal/Dinner

section 3: trigger mapping

Finding the Patterns

Context (when/where/why) matters enormously. The same dog might cope perfectly with one situation and completely fall apart in another.

Trigger Mapping helps you spot patterns you'd otherwise miss in the moment.
It serves two purposes:

  1. Sets your starting point - understanding where you and your dog are starting from
  2. Pattern Tracking - jotting everything down as you go along makes it easier to spot trends in your dog's behaviours: particularly useful when you're deep in the day-to-day, and might miss out on the bigger picture.

We introduce Trigger Mapping in Week 1 of the plan, and keep it going throughout (and for as long as necessary).

The Trigger Map

Keep it simple. After each incident log:

  1. Date/Time - to track patterns of when incidents tend to occur
  2. What happened*
  3. Severity - on a scale of 1-5; in the notes section of the template
  4. Early Signs - was there something your dog was doing immediately before the incident?
  5. What helped or made the situation worse - something you did or they did
  6. Recovery Time - how long it took them to get 'back to normal'

What happened?

A short one liner is often best, as it will help you recall the event more vividly. Use these prompts if you need help getting started:

  1. Sounds: Fireworks, thunder, doorbells, appliances, building work, delivery drivers, car doors
  2. Separation: You leaving, specifically family members leaving, changes to who's at home
  3. People: Strangers, visitors, men specifically, children, people in uniforms
  4. Other animals: Dogs on walks, cats, other wildlife
  5. Environments: Car journeys, vet visits, groomers, new places, certain rooms
  6. Physical: Being touched in certain areas, nail trims, baths, collars/harnesses
  7. Time-based: Darkness, specific times of the day, seasonal patterns/shifts

section 4: in the moment

When it's already happened

All the planning in the world won't prevent every incident. Other dogs will appear around corners. Fireworks will go off unexpectedly. The doorbell will ring or someone will knock on the door. This section is about at to do in those moments and immediately afterwards.

The Mindset

Not wishy-washy: this bit is crucial.

Your dog reads your body language constantly. Tension travels down the lead, and panic in your voice confirms that yes, this really is scary.

Take a breath, drop your shoulders, loosen your grip on the lead (only when it’s safe to do so).

Don't force them to confront the trigger. ‘Making them face their fears’ doesn't work. It floods their system and makes future reactions worse, not better.

You are their safe person. Take control of the situation so they don't have to. Set boundaries with guests, step in when strangers try to touch them, ask other owners to give you space. You're not depriving them of freedom - you're creating the framework for them to feel safe.

Your Three Options

This also works as a ladder, moving from one to another.

Option 1: Create Distance

When: The trigger is still present and your dog is over threshold (reactive, panicking, can't focus on you).

How:

  1. Move away calmly but purposefully. Don't run - that confirms there is something to flee from
  2. Put a physical barrier between your dog and the trigger where possible
  3. Keep moving until your dog's body language starts to soften

Option 2: Scatter Feeding

When: You've created some distance, or your dog is stressed but not un full panic mode.

How:

  1. Scatter a handful of treats on the ground
  2. Let them sniff and forage
  3. Don't ask for anything - no sits, no 'watch me', no commands

Why: Sniffing is naturally calming. It activates the 'rest & digest' part of the nervous system.

Option 3: Just Exist Together

When: Your dog is stressed but not panicking, and food doesn't feel right or isn't appropriate.

How:

  1. Find a quiet spot
  2. Stand or sit calmly
  3. Let your dog do what they need to do - sniff, look around, sit, whatever
  4. Don't interact much. Just be there with them

After the Incident

Here's something that most owners don't know: your dog's stress hormones can stay elevated for a long time after the event has ended (6). They might seem fine but could still be running on high alert, and their body filled with stress hormones. They may be more reactive than usual, and stacking stressful experiences (bucketing) only makes things worse.

After a significant stress event, aim to lighten the load for the next 24-48 hours:

  1. Shorter walks, quieter routes
  2. Skip the busy park
  3. Postpone anything that isn't essential (grooming, nail trims, visitors)
  4. Extra opportunities for sleep and rest

What about comforting?

There's an old myth: comforting a scared dog 'rewards the fear'. This isn't true - you can't reinforce an emotion by acknowledging it.

section 5: your 4-week implementation plan

You've got the foundation: you know what to look for, why routine matters, and what to do when things ‘go wrong’.

Now it's time to put it into practice.

This plan is designed to layer, not overload. Trying to change everything at once overwhelms both you and your dog - and makes it impossible to know what's actually helping.

Each week focuses on key themes:

  1. Week 1: Establish routine & start tracking
  2. Week 2: Manage the environment
  3. Week 3: Nutrition & progress check-ins
  4. Week 4: Introduce gentle training

This is a simple, practical plan that assumes you have a job, a life, and can't restructure your entire existence around your dog's anxiety. It's designed to fit into reality.

A Note on Supplements

We're a supplement company, but we'll say this upfront: don't start your dog's calm journey with supplements.

Supplements can support calm behaviour, but they work best on top of a stable foundation - not instead of one. If you throw a calming supplement at a chaotic routine and an unmanaged environment, you won't know if it's helping, and you'll have wasted your money (which nobody wants to do).

Get the basics right first. Week 3 is when we'll talk about whether nutritional support makes sense for your dog.

What To Expect

  • Mild Anxiety: Noticeable improvements within 4-8 weeks
  • Moderate Anxiety: Initial improvements at 8-12 weeks, continued progress of 3-6 months
  • Severe Anxiety: Meaningful change often takes 4-6+ months and may require professional support

Progress isn't linear and there will be setbacks. The Trigger Map & Progress Tracker exist so you can look back on tough days and see how far you've come.

before we begin

A recent piece of research undertaken by fellows at The University of Bristol found that dogs can smell the stress hormone, Cortisol, in our sweat when we’re stressed or anxious (2). The study found that dogs exposed to the smell of stressful-sweat were more sad, and even lost their appetite. This is what’s known as emotional contagion - your stress becomes their stress. This is just one example of how our behaviour can affect theirs.

What this means, in practice:

Whilst you are not to blame for your dog’s anxious behaviours, remember that they look and respond to you at all times as their ‘safe’ person: if you are cool, calm, collected, and in control of the situation, they will pick up on this too.

Let's get to it!

Week 1: Establish routine & Start Tracking

Templates: Daily Anchor Planner, Trigger Map, Baseline Checklist

Focus: Start tracking behaviours, implement routine anchors & establish your dog's baseline.

This week isn't about 'fixing' anything, It's about creating stability and gathering information. A super-easy introduction.

1. Set Your Meal & Activity Anchors

Pick two meal times you can realistically stick to most days. Not ideal times - realistic.

  • If you leave for work at 7am, don't set breakfast for 6.45am
  • If your evenings are generally unpredictable, make dinner time earlier (late afternoon might be more appropriate)
  • A 30 minute window is fine - rigid to-the-minute timing isn't necessary. The goal is consistency

Tip: Give your dog their breakfast immediately after your alarm goes off in the morning, before you get in the shower or brush your teeth. This is a ‘one thing ticked off’ exercise that benefits both of you.

Meal times are the most important, followed by activity anchors. Choose times that fit into your routine - depending on the size and age of your dog, just one consistent walk or play time everyday will far outweigh sporadic attempts at multiple sessions.

2. Start Your Trigger Map

Every time an incident happens, log: date/time, what happened, severity (1-5), early signs, what helped or made it worse, and recovery time.

Don’t overthink it. A few words per column is enough. The goal is patterns, not essays.

3. Baseline Check

It might seem backwards to establish your baseline after the first week rather than before.

But here's the thing: before this week, you weren't tracking anything. Now you've got seven days of actual observations to work with - real data on your dog's behaviour, not just gut feelings or hazy memories from when you were both feeling super stressed. This is your true starting point.

At the end of the week, review your Trigger Map and populate your Baseline Checklist:

  • How long your dog typically takes to settle after a trigger
  • Roughly how many incidents per day
  • Typical severity
  • Common triggers 'right now'

Week 2: Environment management

Templates: Trigger Map, Progress Journal, Environment Audit

Focus: Reduce trigger intensity where you can

This week is about reducing the noise - making your dog's daily environment less triggering so their baseline stress drops.

Think of it likes this: every trigger adds to your dog's stress bucket. A dog whose bucket is already half-full from background noise, visual triggers, and unpredictable household activity will overflow faster when the postman arrives. A dog starting from a calmer baseline has more capacity to cope.

You can't control most triggers. The postman will come. Dogs will bark on walks. Fireworks exist. This week is about the things you can genuinely influence: nothing more.

Practical Environment Changes

1. For Sound Sensitive Dogs

  • Background noise helps: consistent low level talking on the radio throughout the day is better than music with varying volume or loud adverts
  • If your dog reacts to specific sounds (phone/doorbell), can you change the tone, turn the volume down, or mute them?

2. For Visual Triggers

  • Using opaque (and easy to remove) film on lower panes blocks your dog's sight-lines out of the window, without making your house feel like a bunker
  • Can you rearrange furniture so resting spots don't have direct views out of a window?
  • Can you reduce access to certain rooms during high-traffic times, such as the front hallway?

3. For Household Chaos

  • Create one genuinely calm zone your dog can access but isn't forced to, and isn't sent there as a punishment
  • The rule for everyone in the house: dog goes to their spot = dog gets left alone

4. For Separation related Issues

Your pre-departure routine is part of the environment. Dogs pick up on patterns - keys, coat, shoes - and start anticipating (and stressing about) your departure before you've even left. Breaking up these predictable sequences can reduce anticipatory anxiety.

week 3: nutrition & progress check-ins

Templates: Trigger Map, Progress Journal

Focus: Check progress & consider whether specialist nutrition could support the plan

You've got two weeks of stable routine, the beginnings of an environment management plan under your belt, whilst building an archive of stress triggers and incidents with the Trigger Map. This week is about taking stock, continuing with the new routines, and deciding whether nutritional support makes sense for your dog.

Some dogs will already be showing improvement by now, others won't - and that's normal. This week is about honest assessment, not dramatic action.

Why Nutrition Matters for your Dog's Behaviour

Your dog's brain relies on specific nutrients to produce the chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) that regulate mood and stress responses. Serotonin - often called the 'feel good hormone' - is built from amino acids that come from diet (7).

This doesn't mean you need to overhaul their diet. It means:

  1. Consistent, quality food at predictable times (you're already doing this)
  2. Gut health matters - an unsettled digestive system affects nutrient absorption and has direct links to mood regulation (8)
  3. Targeted support can help - certain ingredients within a calming supplement provide the building blocks your dog's body needs:
  • L-Tryptophan is the dietary precursor to serotonin - without adequate tryptophan, the brain cannot produce sufficient serotonin (7)
  • B-vitamins (particularly B6 and B12) act as cofactors in neurotransmitter synthesis - they're required for the body to convert tryptophan into serotonin (9)
  • Certain botanicals may support the body's stress response pathway, and have been used in traditional remedies for centuries.

Should you use a supplement?

Honest answer: it depends.

Calming supplements aren't magic. They won't fix a chaotic environment or replace training. But for some dogs they provide genuine support - lowering baseline sensitivity to stressful triggers (which is sometimes enough), whilst also giving emotional 'space' for routine, environment changes and training protocols to become more effective in the background.

A supplement would be worth considering if:

  1. You've established routine & made environmental changes
  2. Your dog's anxiety is mild to moderate (severe anxiety often needs veterinary support)
  3. You want to support their system while you continue behaviour work

If you're considering a calming supplement for your dog, now is the right time - when there's a stable foundation to build on, not as a desperate first measure.

Progress Check

Look back at your baseline checklist from Week 1 and your Trigger Map entries.
It's still early days, but ask yourself:

  • Are there any patterns emerging?
  • Has the number of incidents changed?
  • Has the recovery time changed?
  • Are you spotting early signs more easily?
  • What are you doing that's working or not working?
  • Do you feel more confident when triggering situations arise?

Progress might be dramatic - more likely it's subtle: slightly fewer incidents, slightly faster recovery, slightly calmer mornings. That's still progress.

If you're seeing no change at all, don't panic. Some dogs need longer. But it's worth checking:

  • Has the routine actually been consistent?
  • Have environment changes stuck?
  • Are there triggers you've missed?
  • Is the rest of the household onboard with the new routine? (This is a big one)

Week 4: Introduce gentle training

Templates: Trigger Map, Progress Journal, Training Log, Baseline Checklist

Focus: Begin desensitisation & counter-conditioning work - slowly

You've built the foundation: stable routine, calmer environment, awareness of triggers & stress patterns, and layered in nutrition support if necessary.

Now you can start the work of actually changing how your dog responds to triggers.

This isn't about flooding them with scary until things they 'get over it'. It's about exposure so gentle they barely notice, paired with something positive, repeated until the association shifts.

Your dog's brain has a remarkable ability to change and adapt - called neuroplasticity - this is where we start to build new mental patterns (10).

The Process

Step 1: Find the 'Notices but Doesn't React' level

This is key. You're looking for the distance, volume or intensity where your dog registers the trigger but stays calm. For a dog reactive to other dogs, that might be 50 meters away. For a sound-sensitive dog, it might be a recording played at barely audible volume.

If your dog is already over threshold (reacting, can't focus), you've gone too far. Reduce intensity

Step 2: Pair with something genuinely good

When your dog notices the trigger but stays calm (even if they're alert to it), pair it with something they genuinely love - treats, a game, a favourite toy, calm praise.

In your dog's mind, awareness of the trigger predicts 'good things are going to happen'.

Step 3: Keep it short (2-3 minutes maximum)

2-3 minutes maximum per session. Multiple short sessions beat one long one. Stop before they get tired, bored or stressed (or you do!).

Step 4: Repeat, lots

This isn't a one-and-done. You're building new mental associations through repetition. Dozens of short, positive exposures with a satisfying reward are what your dog needs.

Step 5: Gradually increase intensity

The key to counter-conditioning training is the slow, purposeful increase in intensity - but only when your dog is consistently calm at the current level. If they start reacting, you've gone too fast - go back a step.

What this looks like in practice

To help, we've put together an extensive example worksheet in the appendix, walking you through what a two week training period might look like - it was put together for our dog Nelly who hates anyone knocking on the door.

The core idea is to slowly push the boundary of 'notices but doesn't react'.

Here are some ideas for other concerns your dog might have:

  • Reactivity to other dogs (e.g. barking/pulling): Start at a distance where they notice other dogs but don't react. You turn around and walk in the opposite direction. Treat. Repeat across multiple walks & multiple weeks.
  • Noise sensitivity (e.g. fireworks/doorbell/door knocking): Play a recording or mimic the sound at a barely audible volume. Treat. Repeat. Gradually increase the volume or frequency over sessions.
  • Separation-type issues: Leave the house for 5 or 10 seconds. Return. Treat. Repeat. Gradually build the duration - seconds become minutes.
    For many dogs, the act of you putting your coat on or getting the car keys can be their 'trigger'. Try false starts: Pick your keys up and put them back down over the course of the morning. Put your coat and shoes on, and take them off again.

Pawburst Roundup

These four weeks cover the hardest part of any behaviour program: getting started.

The rest of your journey is simpler to explain, if not always easy to do: stacking small repeatavle efforts over an extended period of time. Keep logging. Keep training in short sessions. Keep the routine consistent. Review progress weekly & monthly.

You've built routine, reduced environment triggers, assessed whether nutritional support makes sense, and started gentle training. That's the foundation most owners never put in place.

The work doesn't end at Week 4 - but the structure you've built will carry you forward.

Templates by Week

We've created downloadable templates to support you along the journey. You'll find them all in the appendix of the downloadable document.

Week 1: Daily Anchor Planner, Trigger Map, Baseline Checklist

Week 2: Trigger Map, Progress Journal, Environment Audit

Week 3: Trigger Map, Progress Journal

Week 4: Trigger Map, Progress Journal, Training Log, Baseline Checklist

One page 'In the Moment' cheat-sheet to stick on your fridge

Section 6: When to seek professional help

This guide is a starting point - not a replacement for professional support. Some dogs need more than routine, environment management and gentle training can offer.

What this looks like in practice

  • Panic responses: frantic escape attempts, self-injury
  • Aggression stemming from fear
  • Complete shutdown or inability to function
  • No improvement after 8-12 weeks of consistent effort
  • Symptoms getting worse despite following a structure plan
  • Your dog's anxiety is significant affecting your quality of life - or theirs

Needing professional help isn't a failure. Some anxiety has roots in genetics, early development, or trauma that behaviour management alone can't fully address.

Your Vet: The First Step

Your vet should be your first port of call:

  • Rule out medical causes (pain, thyroid issues, and other conditions that can mimic or worsen anxiety)
  • Assess clinical severity and recommend next steps
  • Prescribe medication if appropriate
  • Refer you to a qualified behaviourist

Take your Trigger Map & Baseline Checklist with you. vets see your dog for 15 minutes in a stressful environment. Your notes show them what's actually going on at home - patterns, severity, recovery times, what you've already tried. This helps them help you faster.

Choosing a Behaviourist

Not all dog trainers are qualified to work with anxiety. Look for:

  1. CCAB (Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist) - accredited by the ASAB
  2. APBC Member (Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors)
  3. Veterinary Behaviourist (Dip ECAWBM) - a vet with specialist behaviour qualifications

These qualifications mean they've studied animal behaviour to a high level, and follow a code of conduct. They'll also typically require a vet referral, which ensures medical causes have been ruled out.

What to Expect

A good behaviourist will:

  1. Take a detailed history (your Trigger Map will be really useful)
  2. Observe your dog or ask for a video
  3. Create a tailored behaviour modification plan
  4. Set realistic expectations about timelines
  5. Work alongside your vet if medication is involved

It's not cheap - expect to pay £150-£300+ for an initial consultation - but for moderate to severe anxiety, it's often the difference between years of struggle, or genuine progress.

You Haven't Failed

Seeking help is part of the process, not the end of it. The work you've one - building routine, tracking triggers, managing thir environment - gives a behaviourist a head start. You're not handing over a blank slate. You're handing over data, effort, and a dog whose owner has already shown up for them.

That matters.

References

  1. Salonen M, Sulkama S, Mikkola S, et al. Prevalence, comorbidity, and breed differences in canine anxiety in 13,700 Finnish pet dogs. Scientific Reports. 2020;10:2962. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-59837-z
  2. Parr-Cortes Z, Müller CT, Talas L, Mendl M, Guest C, Rooney NJ. The odour of an unfamiliar stressed or relaxed person affects dogs' responses to a cognitive bias test. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):15843. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-66147-1
  3. Sherman, B. L. & Mills, D. S. (2008). Canine anxiety and phobias: an update on separation anxiety and noise aversions. Vet Clin Small Anim, 38(5):1081–1106. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2008.04.012
  4. Taleb Z, Karpowicz P. Circadian regulation of digestive and metabolic tissues. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2022;323(2):C306-C321. Available from: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpcell.00166.2022
  5. Voigt RM, Forsyth CB, Keshavarzian A. Circadian rhythms: a regulator of gastrointestinal health and dysfunction. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6533073/
  6. Sherman BL, Mills DS. Canine anxieties and phobias: an update on separation anxiety and noise aversions. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 2008;38(5):1081-1106. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18672155/
  7. Mansilla WD, et al. Tryptophan requirements in small, medium, and large breed adult dogs using the indicator amino acid oxidation technique. J Anim Sci. 2019;97(8):3274-3285. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6667247/
  8. Mondo E, et al. The Relationship between Canine Behavioral Disorders and Gut Microbiome and Future Therapeutic Perspectives. Animals. 2024;14(14):2048. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11273744/
  9. Wu G. Roles of Nutrients in the Brain Development, Cognitive Function, and Mood of Dogs and Cats. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2024;1446:177-202. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38625529/
  10. Månsson KNT, Salami A, Frick A, et al. Neuroplasticity in response to cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety disorder. Translational Psychiatry. 2016;6(2):e727. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/tp2015218

Glossary

Whale eye: When you can see the whites of your dog's eyes, usually because they're looking sideways at something while keeping their head still. It's a sign of discomfort or anxiety - they're monitoring something they're worried about without turning to face it directly.

Threshold: The point at which your dog tips from ‘coping’ to ‘reacting’. A dog under threshold might notice a trigger but stay relatively calm. A dog over threshold is reactive - barking, lunging, panicking, unable to focus on you. Effective training happens under threshold.

Desensitisation: Gradually exposing your dog to a trigger at such low intensity that they barely notice it, then slowly increasing intensity over time. The goal is to change their emotional response - from ‘this is scary’ to ‘this is boring’ or even ‘this means good things happen’.

Counter-conditioning: Pairing something your dog finds scary with something they love (usually food), so the scary thing starts to predict good things. Often used alongside desensitisation.

Cortisol: A stress hormone. When your dog experiences something frightening, cortisol floods their system - and it stays elevated long after the event is over, sometimes for hours or days. This is why stacking stressful experiences makes things worse, and why rest matters after an incident.