Is My Dog Naughty or Anxious? Here's why your dog's bad behaviour may be down to stress - from digging and barking to destructive behaviour 🐶

An estimated fifth of dogs in the UK display signs of anxiety on at least a weekly basis – but often owners simply put it down to naughty behaviour.

Your dog's naughty behaviour may actually be a sign of anxiety.

Dealing with anxiety isn’t easy but as a new puppy parent, it’s a common challenge. In fact, between 20-40 per cent of dogs presented to veterinary behavioural specialists are diagnosed with separation anxiety and there is even a special yellow lead to help you identify them.

To help you navigate your pup’s behaviour Lorna Winter, co-founder and head of training at Zigzag and a Director of the UK Dog Behaviour and Training Charter, has picked out the biggest signs you should look out for in a nervous puppy.

Here’s what she had to say.

Barking Mad

Does your pup constantly bark, whine and howl with no sign of stopping? This might be their way of trying to tell you that they’re feeling anxious. If your puppy only barks excessively when left alone then this could indicate that they have separation anxiety, a catch all-term used to describe when a dog finds it challenging to be alone. Most often this kind of anxiety is isolation distress - which means that your puppy might be happy being with a human but does not like being on their own.

If you think this sounds like your pup you can try the following:

Start slowly by going up to your front door several times randomly throughout the day for a couple of days - this will help your pup stop thinking about it so much.

For the next 3 days just open and close the door - no biggie, nothing to see here.

Then step out, just for a few seconds, and leave the door on the latch - you don’t want your pup to make any associations just yet.

Then start upping the time.

Top tip: make your exits and entrances as fuss-free as possible - help your puppy understand that this is a part of the daily norm

Digging, digging, digging

Prize flower beds in a mess? Lawn looking more like the surface of the moon than a cricket pitch? For many dogs, digging is a displacement behaviour, in other words, it makes them feel good about a situation and relieves stress and anxiety. If this sounds like your pup, start by removing stressors that could be making your pup want to dig. They might be giving you a sign that they are uncomfortable in their current situation and want to leave. There are also dog breeds that are more prone to digging than others, for example, Jack Russel Terriers are genetically programmed to dig! Dachshunds, Beagles and most herding and working breeds also love to dig.

After making sure your dog is happy, and the digging isn’t linked to stress, try giving them an outlet such as:

A kids sandpit filled with dirt or dog safe sand and hide toys in there to encourage digging.

Cut down the sides on a large cardboard box and fill it with rolled up packing material, then scatter some treats to encourage them to dig and find them. Voilà you’ve made a foraging box or indoor digging pit.

Take them to the beach, they’ll love to dig and it looks so much fun too.

Provide plenty of blankets in their bed that they can dig and make a nest to snuggle down into when they need to.

It’s also useful to teach your dog a ‘leave it’ cue so that you can ask them to stop digging at things.

The furniture destroyer

If your pup is engaging in destructive behaviour every time you leave the house - chewing up sofas, shoes, doors, basically anything they can get their paws on… it’s either because they are anxious, or because they’re bored. They are turning to chewing because it’s a reliable self-soothing activity that makes them feel good as chewing releases endorphins like dopamine and serotonin in the brain.

When you’re going out, you can give your pup an anxiety blanket to comfort them when they get stressed. There is no particular science behind the best blanket to help them cope, but a comfy shaggy blanket that your pup can snuggle right down into could be just the thing to prevent them from getting anxious and tearing up your living room!

It’s always worth watching your dog on camera when you leave them, do they seem stressed when they are being destructive, or do you see other signs of anxiety. In which case, you’ll want to look into a separation anxiety protocol so that they don’t feel so upset when you leave. If they seem like they’re having a bit of a party when you’re gone, then upping their daily mental and physical stimulation is a good idea!

Toilet troubles

Running into stinky accidents left around the house by your pup when you come home does not mean you have a mischievous and naughty pup, they might be feeling anxious. Puppies have small bladders and little control over them when they’re very young, so when they gotta go, they just go! Toilet training is something that improves over time, so try not to lose your patience! However, if your pup is frequently going to the loo inside when you’re out or at night, it’s likely they have separation anxiety. Routines make puppies thrive - they love to know that playtime, walks and meal times are coming! Schedules will do magic for puppy separation anxiety and toilet training! You can read my ideal puppy training routine here.

Top tip - when toilet training your pup, avoid locking them away and letting them cry it out. This can lead to separation anxieties!

If you think you have a naughty pup, it’s really important to take the time to understand what they’re trying to tell you as it's likely that they are suffering from anxiety. Instead of labelling their behaviour as “mischievous” or “naughty”, you likely need to make some adjustments and provide them with the support they need to overcome anxious feelings.