The Importance of Routine for Your Pet Dog

By nature, pet dogs tend to be sensitive and can absorb tension and stress in their surroundings. In dogs,

stress tends to be the result of an environment change. Since your pet pooch lives in your home, and

your life will undoubtedly involve change, sometime in your pet dog’s life he will no doubt go through

some stress.

It is not really a serious condition to go through occasional stress. On the other hand, prolonged or

excessive stress can produce the same effect on dogs as on humans, and this is usually negative. Your

dog’s internal mechanisms of defence can be triggered making energy levels rise and hearts pounds

to full throttle as your dog attempts to cope with all his reserve strength. Your dog will then become

weaker when these reserves are gone and sickness may result in less resistance to disease and illness.

Symptoms of Stress in Dogs

When your dog experiences stress, they may either turn this inward and make themselves sick or

become more shy. Some symptoms of a stressed out canine include destructive behaviour as your dog

attempts to relieve stress by chewing, licking or biting the furniture. Illness including skin reactions,

loss of appetite, diarrhoea, vomiting and illness can also be signs of internalized stress in dogs. When

your pet begins displaying behaviour that includes biting, snarling and growling, this could be signs he is

suffering from stress. Also, house soiling is the number one sign of pet stress.

More Time
When the stress of your dog comes from separation anxiety, boredom or loneliness, the best way of

dealing with this is to increase exercise and spend more time with your pooch. Dogs are creatures that

are social and can tend towards feeling lonely. When you spend more time with your pet, you will not

only relieve his stress but also reap the benefits of spending time with your pet such as feeling less

stress yourself.

Routine

One key element in a stress-free, obedient dog is routine. Your pooch needs a framework and some

structure for appropriate behaviour and to feel secure. Simply knowing when he will be played with,

walked and fed on a regular basis can go far in helping him feel more secure and relaxed. Without

routine, your pooch will not be able to cope as well to life changes that occur and which are unavoidable

in life.