11/11/2025
Does your dog get stressed BEFORE attending high-stress appointments?
For a dog who is already nervous, having access to look outside while you are at work can actually cause unnecessary stress throughout the day.
This frequent activation of their Sympathetic Nervous System means that these dogs seldom get a chance to decompress, putting them in a constant state of high arousal.
Long-term, this stress only escalates behaviours associated with stress and nervousness causing more problems with behaviour and the onset of various health concerns as well.
Signs that your dog is triggered by window-watching include:
➡ Barking at people, cars and other animals walking by
➡ Jumping up and down from the window while barking, panting or showing tension in the body
➡ Excessively licking paws, lip licking, whining, scratching
➡ Restlessness and not sleeping long enough throughout the day
If your dog is showing any or all of these signs while window-watching, he/she is finding the process stressful.
Having access to a window can escalate feelings of overwhelm and stress, making higher-stress tasks, more stressful.
Consider:
➡ Finding an alternative space for your dog to rest in your home with no access to windows/doors
➡ Setting up a series of enrichment activities to help occupy your dog for a few hours - research ACE Freework
➡ Play Reggae Reggae music on low to help with creating a calm space
➡ Experimenting with self-selection, looking at calm-inducing scents such as Valerian Root - research Caroline Ingraham's work with Applied Zoopharmacognosy
➡ Alternatively consider a Pet Remedy plugin
Additionally, dogs should never be left longer than they can emotionally cope with without careful desensitisation to being left alone and all dogs require frequent opportunities to relieve themselves outdoors.
As a pet care professional, understanding the day-to-day routine of the animals in your care can be quite significant when devising a bespoke care plan.
Don't be afraid to ask guardians questions about their lifestyle and home set-up, explaining why it helps to think of ways to make tasks less stressful for their dog.
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