Show 72: What Stresses Dogs Out The Most? The Answer Starts with YOU (How Dog Owners Influence Their Dogs)

Any loving dog owner gets concerned about the factors that cause dog stress. After all, we just want the best for our pets, from their physical to mental health.

You can attribute the cause of dog stress to multiple factors: unhealthy upbringing, violent history, a chaotic environment, and strained relationships with owners and other dogs.

But what most dog owners usually overlook is a stress trigger that affects more dogs than we know it: dog owner stress.

Yes, you read that right: your stress as a dog owner affects the stress levels of your dogs.

And although it is quite heartbreaking to know that dogs can absorb our stress, there’s a bright side: it is also YOU that can make it better for your beloved dogs.

This is what I’m going to share with you today. Read on to learn more.

What Research Says About Dog Owner Stress Being a Cause of Dog Stress

A research found out that dog owners’ acute and long-term stress has a direct impact on their dog’s stress levels known as cortisol.

In one of the studies published in the Scientific Report where a team studied 58 dog owners and their pets, it was discovered that stress are synchronized between dogs and the ones caring for them.

Whenever dog owners get elevated stress, dogs exhibited a spike in cortisol as well.

It also indicated that the closer the bond and the stronger the reliance, the more susceptible dogs are to absorbing their owner’s stress and emotions.

The senior zoologist conducting the research, Lina Roth, emphasized that dogs truly understand their owners, especially in the emotional aspect.

“Dogs are quite good at understanding humans,” Roth added.

Hearing this can make a dog owner go “Awww…” but this sweet fact comes with a downside: when we’re sad and stressed, our dogs feel it, too.

Your Dog Feels Emotions Rather Than Hear Words, And That’s One Thing That Causes Dog Stress

I always say this: your dog can’t always hear what you say because your actions and emotions are louder than your words.

When you communicate with a dog, they assess your body language and tone of voice to make sense of your words.

You might say “I always tell my dog to calm down, Dan. I encourage them to not go crazy with stress!”

But here’s a dog trainer insight: no matter how much you assure your dog, if your stress levels are through the roof, they will know.

“Calm down” is just a phrase if your dog can see the worried, nervous, or annoyed energy behind your words.

Your dog can go “Wait, why are they worried? Why do I sense panic? Should I worry? My owner looks worried so I think I should be, too!”

And the cycle goes on and on: you’re wondering why your dog can’t seem to understand your request, while your dog can’t stop picking up the panic and frustration in your voice.

As a top dog trainer that has seen this scenario play out thousands of times, here’s a simple rule I always encourage dog owners to remember: your dog is your mirror.

Before they do anything, they must first see it in you.

Your Dog Is Your Mirror: A Chill Dog Owner = A Chill Dog

I have seen a real life example of a dog owner directly affecting the personality and energy levels of their pets.

One day, while I was on my way to a consultation, I saw an interesting sight: a dog owner walking oh-so-calmly with his dog.

From the get go, it would sound like nothing out of the ordinary. But the dog in this story is a pitbull.

A dog that is so notorious, so scary, and always exuding boss energy!

But on that day, I was totally taken by surprise at how calm the dog was. So calm, they follow their dog owner wherever he goes.

The dog had no leash, and showed zen-like calmness.

It only took one look for me to know why.

His dog owner was absolutely chill. No worried stance, s