Balancing Corporate & Homesteading Lifestyles
Stress and Your Dog
Just as we feel stress, so do our dogs. And although stress in itself is not necessarily bad, for a dog, a build up of stressful situations can cause changes in health or behavior and trigger anxieties.
Change often creates stress in dogs. Some common stressors are loud noises such as thunder, fireworks or construction, boarding, travel, and many other things depending on the dogs' experiences and temperament.
Stress can affect your dog in a variety of ways:
- loss of appetite;
- obsessive chewing;
- weakened immune system;
- diarrhea;
- high blood pressure;
- stomach ulcers;
- frequent urination;
- mood changes and increased readiness for aggression;
- behavioral problems;
- slow healing processes.
When a body is stressed, the body releases cortisol. This helps the body respond to a stressful situation such as directing blood flow to the muscles as part of the fight or flight instinct. When stress becomes a chronic problem, cortisol also causes problems and can weaken the immune system.
Stress also releases adrenaline into the dog's body. Adrenaline increases the heart rate, blood pressure and causes dilation of the bronchial tubes and pupils. It also increases the need for oxygen causing the dog to pant.
Aldosterone is also released when a dog is stressed. It is important in the regulation of blood pressure and water balance - the conservation of sodium and secretion of potassium. When out of balance it contributes to the onset of heart and kidney disease.
Trigger stacking is an accumulation of stimuli that a dog is sensitive to happen in a short period of time and the dog becomes reactive as the survival instincts are switched on. Behaviors that result from trigger stacking are often spinning, lunging, barking, growling etc.
It's not surprising that you will see these behaviors with some dogs found in a shelter. It isn't their "natural" behavior but their bodies response to the stress of a new and scary situation.
Stress is a norm for many rescue dogs. They experience change beyond their comprehension. Some adapt easier than others. For some, this stress is a new experience, for others its the only life they know.
From stress related behavioral problems to exacerbated medical conditions, its a vicious circle for some of the dogs, who cannot cope with a shelter type environment.
Seeing the benefits of CBD oil and its impact on my family's life, I realized that this incredible oil could make the difference with a rescue dog. CBD oil is not a drug or a medication, it's not a tranquilizer. CBD is a natural supplement that helps to regulate the body's systems and create balance (homeostasis). In. other words it helps to lessen the fight or flight responses and reactive behavior allowing the true nature of the dog to shine. This inspired A Pawsitive Cause, providing free CBD oil to rescues in need.
