Dog Mental Health – Understanding and Supporting Your Dog’s Emotional Well-being

Last Updated: January 27, 202    Published: January 27, 2026

Dog mental health matters just as much as physical health. I learned this the hard way with my Golden Retriever, Max. When I left him alone, he’d tear up my couch. My neighbours complained about his nonstop barking.

I thought he was just being bad. Turns out, Max had severe dog anxiety. Once I understood this, everything changed for both of us.

The Day I Realized Max Was Struggling

I came home one day to find my apartment destroyed. Max had chewed through the couch cushions. He’d scratched the door so hard his paws were bleeding. The neighbours told me he barked for four hours straight.

I was so angry. I thought Max was being spiteful because I left him.

Then my vet asked me a simple question: “Has anyone checked him for anxiety?”

That question changed my whole view. Max wasn’t bad. He was scared and suffering. Understanding dog behaviour problems helped me help him.

Dogs Have Real Feelings

Dogs feel things just like we do. They get happy, sad, scared, and worried. Research shows that dogs have feelings like toddlers.

What Dogs Feel

Basic Feelings

• Happy and eager
• Scared and worried
• Angry and frustrated
• Sad and lonely
• Love for their people

Other Feelings 

• Jealousy (yes, they get jealous)
• Worry about being alone
• Grief when someone dies
• Stress from changes

I watched Max grieve when my grandmother died. He searched for her daily, continuing for several weeks.  He stopped wanting to play. A dog’s emotional health is real.

Common Problems Dogs Face

Many dogs struggle with:

• Separation anxiety (very common)
• General worry and stress
• Fear of loud noises
• Sadness and depression
• Obsessive behaviors
• Confusion in old age

Signs Your Dog Is Mentally Healthy

A happy, healthy dog:

• Gets eager about walks and meals
• Plays and has fun
• Acts normally around people and other dogs
• Can relax and sleep well
• Handles small stresses okay
• Doesn’t panic when left alone for a bit

Max is healthy now. He’s happy to see me, but doesn’t freak out when I leave.

Understanding Dog Anxiety

Dog anxiety shows up in different ways. Knowing which type your dog has helps you fix it.

When Dogs Hate Being Alone

This was Max’s big problem. Some dogs panic when you leave. They think you’re never coming back.

What It Looks Like

Body Signs –

• Drooling a lot
• Shaking or trembling
• Destroying things
• Going potty inside (even trained dogs)

Behaviour Signs –

• Barking or crying nonstop
• Trying to escape
• Following you everywhere
• Getting upset when you grab your keys

What Causes It –

• Change in your schedule
• Moving to a new place
• Losing a family member or pet
• Never learning to be alone as a puppy

Important: This is a panic attack, not bad behaviour. Your dog truly believes you won’t come back.

How to Prevent It

For Puppies 

• Start practicing alone time right away
• Begin with just 5 minutes
• Don’t make a big deal when you leave or come home
• Give them a special toy when you go
• Practice fake leaving (grab keys but don’t go)

I wish I’d known this when Max was a puppy. Fixing it later was much harder.

What Worked for Max

Training (Took 8 Weeks) –

• Week 1-2: I practiced leaving without actually going
• Week 3-4: I left for 5 minutes, then slowly longer
• Week 5-6: Built up to 45 minutes
• Week 7-8: Could leave for 2 hours

Things That Helped –

• Kong toy with frozen peanut butter (kept him busy)
• Dog music (calming sounds)
• Thunder shirt (tight wrap that calms)
• Special spray (smells that relax dogs)

Exercise –

• 30-minute walk before I left
• Tired dogs stay calmer
• Check our dog exercise guide for ideas

Expert Help –

• Worked with a dog behaviour expert
• Used medicine for a few months while training

Max got 90% better in three months. Now he’s fine when I leave.

When Dogs Fear Loud Noises

Thunder and Storms

Max shakes really badly during storms. Lots of dogs do this.

Why –

• Loud, scary sounds
• They can feel the storm coming
• Static electricity in their fur
• Some dogs are just born this way

What Helps –

• Make a safe hiding spot (a covered crate works successfully)
• Use fans or music to cover the sound
• Try a thunder shirt
• Stay calm (they pick up on your stress)
• Play storm sounds quietly when there’s no storm (helps them get used to it)

Other Loud Sounds

Fireworks, construction, gunshots – these scare many dogs.

Try This –

• Play the sounds quietly and give treats
• Make the sound = things happening
• Prepare a safe room before fireworks
• Ask your vet about medicine for cases

Fear of People or Dogs

Dogs that didn’t meet many people or other dogs as puppies often get scared later.

Best Age for Meeting New Things: 3-14 weeks old

For Scared Adult Dogs –

• Go slow
• Make new people = treats and good stuff
• Never force them to interact
• Get help from a trainer
• Celebrate small wins

General Worry

Some dogs just worry about everything. Max needs lots of help to stay calm.

What Makes Dogs Worried

Born That Way –

• Some breeds worry more
• Parents’ personality matters
• Experiences as a baby

Environment –

• No routine
• Rules keep changing
• Too much going on
• Not enough exercise or play

Health –

• Thyroid problems
• Pain or sickness
• Brain issues
• Getting old

What Calms Max Down

Same Routine Every Day –

• Eat at the same times
• Walk at the same times
• The bedtime routine never changes
• Rules stay the same

Touch –

• Gentle ear rubs
• Brushing
• Calm petting while relaxing

Calm Home –

• Muted spot just for him
• Soft music or white noise
• His special blanket

Natural Helpers (Vet Said Okay):

• L-theanine supplement
• CBD oil
• Chamomile

When to Get Help

Call your vet if –

• Worry is stopping normal life
• The dog is hurting itself.
• It’s getting worse
• You feel scared or overwhelmed

I waited too long to get help. Don’t make mistakes.

Reading Your Dog’s Behaviour

Understanding dog psychology means knowing what behaviours mean.

What Different Behaviours Mean

What They Do	What It Might Mean	What to Do
Barking a lot	Worried, bored, alerting you	More exercise, play, training
Chewing stuff up	Stressed, teething, bored	Give good chew toys, more mental games
Being aggressive	Scared, hurting, protecting territory	See a vet right away, then a behaviour expert
Hiding and quiet	Sad, sick, scared	Vet checkup first
Obsessive behaviors	Stressed, brain issue	Vet exam, more enrichment
Potty accidents	Worried, sick, not trained	Vet first, then training

Warning: Sudden changes usually mean something hurts. Always check with your vet before assuming it’s just behaviour.

I thought Max’s chewing was just behavioural. Turns out he also had an ear infection, causing pain.

Keeping Your Dog’s Brain Busy

Dog stress relief often comes from mental exercise. A tired brain makes a happy dog.

Puzzle Toys

What I Use –

• Kong with frozen treats (30 minutes of fun)
• Snuffle mat (hide food in fabric)
• Puzzle feeders with compartments
• Muffin tin with balls hiding treats

I change toys every week so Max doesn’t get bored.

Training

Why It Helps –

• Builds confidence
• Makes your bond stronger
• Gives structure
• Tires their brain fast

Try These –

• Teach new tricks (10 minutes daily)
• Practice commands in new places
• Teach the names of toys
• Work on waiting before eating

Max learned “find it” at age 10. Old dogs can learn!

Nose Games

Dogs smell way better than us. Smell games tire them out fast.

Easy Ideas –

• Hide treats in the house
• Make trails to follow
• Put food in snuffle mats
• “Which hand” game (treat in your fist)

15 minutes of nose work tires Max more than 30 minutes of fetch.

Playing Together

Quality Beats Quantity –

• 15 focused minutes beats 60 distracted minutes
• Put your phone away
• Do what they like
• Stop before they lose interest

Regular exercise really helps dogs’ emotional health – see our dog exercise guide.

Making Your Home Feel Safe

Your home affects canine behaviour a lot.

Same Routine Every Day

Dogs like knowing what to expect. Max got way less anxious when I stuck to a schedule.

Keep These Same –

• Wake-up time (within 30 minutes)
• Mealtimes
• Walk times
• Bedtime routine
• Rules (if no couch, never allow a couch)

Safe Spot

Every dog needs one place that’s totally theirs.

Max’s Safe Spot –

• Crate in a muted corner with his blanket
• Away from the door
• Always available
• Never punish
• Nobody bugs him there

When storms come or visitors arrive, Max goes to his crate. It’s his sanctuary.

Meeting Others

Socialization –

• Happy times with other dogs
• Meeting different people
• New places
• Unfamiliar sounds and surfaces

One good, calm meeting beats five overwhelming ones.

Not every dog loves dog parks. Max likes one friend at a time. That’s okay.

Quality Time

Every Day –

• 15 minutes of just you and them
• Training time
• Brushing
• Quietly sitting together

I spend 10 minutes each night just petting Max. We both love it.

When Dogs Get Sad

Yes, dogs get depressed. I’ve seen it.

Why and How

What Causes It –

• Someone dies
• Big changes (moving, new baby)
• Being sick a long time
• Not enough to do

What It Looks Like –

• Don’t want to play anymore
• Eating less
• Sleeping way more than normal
• Avoiding family
• No energy

Max was depressed for six weeks after my grandmother died.

How I Helped

• Kept his routine even though I was sad
• Gently encouraged playing
• Shorter, more frequent walks
• New toys
• Extra patience and love

When to See the Vet

Go if –

• Sad for more than 2 weeks
• Won’t eat for a day
• Extremely tired
• Getting worse

Depression can mean sickness. The vet checked Max’s thyroid before confirming he was grieving.

Getting Professional Help

Sometimes dog behaviour problems need an expert.

When to Call an Expert

Get help for:

• Aggression toward people or animals
• Anxiety so bad that they hurt themselves
• Extreme fear is stopping normal life
• Obsessive behaviors
• Not getting better with your efforts

Find Good Help –

• Board-certified vet behaviourist (DACVB)
• Certified animal behaviourist (CAAB)
• Ask your vet who to see

I worked with an expert on Max’s anxiety. Best money I spent.

Training vs. Medicine

Training Fixes – Learned behaviours, missing skills, environment problems

Medicine Fixes – Anxiety disorders, obsessive disorders, chemical imbalances

Often, you need both. Max needed training AND medicine to get better.

About Anxiety Medicine

When It Helps 

• Anxiety is so bad that they can’t learn
• Obsessive behaviors
• Aggression from anxiety
• Fear of ruining their life

Common Ones 

• Prozac type medicines
• Fast-acting for panic
• Trazodone for stressful events

Medicine isn’t forever. It’s a tool to help with training work. Max took Prozac for six months. He’s been off it for two years now.

What I Learned

✓ Dog mental health is as important as physical health

✓ Dog anxiety comes in different types – each needs different help

✓ Behaviour changes often mean pain or sickness – check with vet first

✓ Dogs feel complex emotions like joy, fear, and sadness

✓ Brain games prevent dog behaviour problems

✓ Routine and safe spaces make dogs feel secure

✓ Canine behaviour gets better with exercise and mental play

✓ Get professional help for serious issues

✓ Medicine plus training works best

Questions You Might Have

Understanding dog mental health changed everything with Max. Instead of getting mad at destroyed furniture, I learned to see his emotional pain and help him.

Your dog can’t tell you they’re anxious or sad. They show you through behaviour. Learning to read these signs helps so much.

Start small. Add 15 minutes of brain games each day. Stick to one routine. Make a safe spot. Watch how your dog gets better.

Mental health isn’t extra for dogs. It’s necessary. Your dog deserves to feel safe and happy.

For everything about keeping your dog healthy, check our complete dog health guide.

 How do I know if my dog has anxiety?

Dog anxiety signs include lots of barking, destroying stuff when alone, pacing, shaking, drooling a lot, not eating, potty accidents, and following you everywhere.

With Max, the biggest sign was his panic when I’d get ready to leave. He’d pant heavily, pace like crazy, and try to block the door. His body showed it too – drool and shaking.

If you see several signs, especially during certain times, like when you leave, your dog probably has anxiety. Talk to your vet to make sure it’s not a health problem.

Can dogs get depressed?

Yes. Dogs absolutely get sad. Dog emotional health includes feeling grief and depression. It often happens after losing someone, big life changes, or being sick for a long time.

Max got depressed when my grandmother died. He stopped wanting to play fetch (his favourite thing). He ate less. He slept way more. He avoided us. It lasted six weeks.

Signs include tiredness, not wanting to do fun things, eating less, sleeping too much, and hiding. If it lasts more than two weeks or is really bad, see your vet. Sometimes sickness looks like depression.

What helps calm an anxious dog?

An anxious dog needs several things. What worked for Max:

Environment: Same schedule every day, quiet, safe spot, calm music, special calming sprays

Physical: Regular walks and play, massage, petting and touch

Mental: Puzzle toys, training, nose games, enough brain work

Supplements: L-theanine, CBD oil (ask vet first)

Professional: Training to get used to scary things, behaviour expert, medicine if needed

The trick is fixing the root problem, not just the symptoms. Max got better most when I combined exercise, brain games, and slow training to handle being alone.

When should I see a dog behaviourist?

See an expert for serious dog behaviour problems like aggression, anxiety so bad they hurt themselves, extreme fear stopping normal life, obsessive behaviours, or things not getting better.

I waited too long to get help for Max. Find board-certified vet behaviourists (DACVB) or certified animal behaviourists (CAAB).

Get help early. Don’t wait until it gets worse.

Is dog anxiety medicine safe?

When a vet prescribes it right, anxiety medicine is safe and really helps dog anxiety. Medicine isn’t a cure. It’s a tool to help training work better.

Max took Prozac for six months while we worked on training him to handle being alone. The medicine calmed his panic enough that he could learn to cope. He’s been off medicine for two years now.

Common safe ones include Prozac-type medicines, fast-acting pills for panic, and trazodone for stressful times. Side effects are usually mild – a little sleepy, less hungry at first, or tummy changes.

Always work with your vet. Never give human medicine without asking your vet first. Some human medicines are poison to dogs. Medicine plus training works best.

My Final Words

Understanding dog mental health changed everything with Max. Instead of getting mad at destroyed furniture, I learned to see his emotional pain and help him.

Your dog can’t tell you they’re anxious or sad. They show you through behaviour. Learning to read these signs helps so much.

Start small. Add 15 minutes of brain games each day. Stick to one routine. Make a safe spot. Watch how your dog gets better.

Mental health isn’t extra for dogs. It’s necessary. Your dog deserves to feel safe and happy.

For everything about keeping your dog healthy, check our complete dog health guide.

 

Medical Disclaimer: I’m not a vet or animal expert. What I share comes from my own life with my dog, lots of reading, and talking to professionals. Always talk to your vet about your dog’s health and behaviour issues

Where I Got My Information

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
“Canine Behavioral Medicine”
https://www.vet.cornell.edu/

Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists
“Animal Behavior Society Resources”
https://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/