Understanding Canine Anxiety and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

As our dogs grow and change, so do their behaviors. Sometimes these changes are a normal part of life, and other times they may signal an underlying medical or behavioral issue. Two common concerns that often affect dogs, sometimes even at the same time, are anxiety and canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). Recognizing the signs early and knowing what to do can make a tremendous difference in your dog’s quality of life.

What Does Anxiety Look Like in Dogs?

Anxiety in dogs doesn’t always look like “fear” in the way we might expect. It can appear as:

• Repetitive behaviors (pacing, circling, excessive licking)

• Aggressive behaviors (snapping, growling, lunging)

• Fearful behaviors (hiding, trembling, cowering)

• Destructive behaviors (chewing, digging, clawing doors when left alone)

Any change in behavior should be evaluated by your veterinarian. This helps rule out treatable or curable medical causes, such as pain or illness, before assuming it’s purely behavioral. Early, thorough intervention is most likely to be successful.

When to Be Concerned

You should seek professional help when anxiety causes your dog to:

• Become a safety risk to themselves or others, especially if triggers are unpredictable

• Interfere with daily routines (refusing to go for walks, difficulty being left alone)

• Affect basic needs (eating, drinking, sleeping, or toileting patterns)