Understanding Anxiety in Dogs: Emotion, Instinct, and Survival

Dogs, like humans, are emotionally wired. Hormones in the brain shape their reactions, feelings, and behaviours. That’s not just a poetic idea—it’s biological fact. Our emotional systems and those of our dogs share a lot of common ground.

Dogs Feel Deeply—and Think Differently

Dogs learn from experience. They’re diverse in temperament, shaped by their environments and past events. But at their core, they operate on instinct. Their reactions are fast, unfiltered, and driven by a need to survive. There’s no overthinking, no inner debate. To a dog, the world is often black and white: safe or unsafe, good or bad.

Emotions are not a luxury for dogs. They’re a survival tool. These emotions guide dogs through every interaction—helping them respond to threats, bond with humans, and adapt to change.

Sensitivity Isn’t a Weakness—It’s a Superpower

Dogs are incredibly sensitive to the world around them. That sensitivity is part of what makes them such incredible companions. They pick up on energy, mood, tone, and subtle shifts in body language. It’s how they read each other, situations—and people—often better than we read ourselves.

While we tend to rely on our five senses, dogs go further. They feel their surroundings. Energy is information to a dog. It’s how they know when to relax, when to retreat, and when something just doesn’t feel right.

Trauma, Triggers, and Emotional Overload

Dogs can experience both “little T” and “big T” trauma. Repeated, low-level stressors—like loud noises, inconsistent routines, or harsh handling—can wear a dog down over time. Sudden, intense events—like an accident or attack—can cause immediate, lasting changes in behaviour.

When overwhelmed, dogs respond instinctively. Some flee. Some fight. Others freeze or shut down completely. These aren’t conscious choices—they’re coping mechanisms, often mistaken for disobedience or stubbornness.

Emotional dysregulation in dogs can look like hyperactivity, reactivity, avoidance, or total shutdown. It’s not always easy to tell whether a dog is behaving to control their environment or simply struggling to cope.

Dogs Process Like Toddlers—With Fangs

A dog’s executive function has been compared to that of a 2–3-year-old child. That means impulse control, patience, and complex reasoning are limited. Their world is lived in the moment—through instinct and emotion, not logic. Training and gradual exposure to new experiences will help in shaping behaviours, as well as building confidence.

And while some dogs appear tough, we shouldn’t underestimate how deeply they feel. Resilient? Yes. But also sensitive. And that sensitivity is key to helping them heal, grow, and thrive.

Final Thought:

When we see a dog struggling, we need to stop asking “Why is he/she being like this?” and start asking “What is he/she feeling?” Behaviour is communication. And anxiety isn’t bad behaviour—it’s a signal that something inside or around the dog needs support.