Puppy care starts with first knowing what it is your puppy is saying. To have a meaningful conversation with the puppy we need to be able to both send and receive information. For humans, this means using words…..and sometimes lots of them! Puppies use lots of words too but they create words using their whole body. From a young age, puppies start to learn how to use their face, body, behaviours and vocalisations to talk.
Understanding their message means changing the way you take in information. See if you can take your dog’s whole body into account when translating their message.
Sometimes signs of worry can be tricky for humans to notice and your puppies voice may not always be heard. Puppy care is most successful when you listen to your puppies needs. Read the list below to identify some signs of worry your puppy will use.
Signs of worry
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Panting in the absence of exercise or heat;
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Shedding;
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Urination (Fear or Excitement);
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Diarrhoea;
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Licking their lips in the absence of a meal or drink;
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Sneezing in the absence of an allergy;
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Trembling in the absence of cool weather;
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Sweaty paws;
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Excessive salivation and sticky/ropey saliva;
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Increased activity – pacing, fidgeting or hyper-vigilance;
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Decreased activity or withdrawal (hiding);
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Yawning despite a superb nights sleep (as adult dogs they only need roughly 8 hours of sleep in 24…like us!);
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Turning their head away or avoiding eye contact;
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Blinking as if tired;
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Shaking their whole body in the absence of being wet;
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Moving in slow motion;
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Freezing;
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Dilated pupils in the absence of darkness;
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Can’t listen or respond to your guidance/cues;
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Has limited, very limited or no ability to focus on training tasks;
Ignores or doesn’t appear interested in tasty treats you know are a winner at home.
Puppy worry signs may be ‘normal’ in response to real danger and sometimes they may be ‘abnormal’ worry. For abnormal or excessive worry follow the steps below:
Step 1: Worry signs can be due to pain or ill health. Your vet is your local dog expert and a great place to start investigations.
Step 2: If worry persists despite physical health then Kalmpets can help. We can find the source of worry and help your puppy feel better.