8 Signs Your Dog Is Experiencing Fear or Anxiety

Head

Lowered, held down below the topline, turned away from the stressor

Mouth

Lip licking, yawning, chattering jaw, panting or held tightly closed, smiling with retracted lips

Eyes

Dilated pupils, whale eye (whites of eyes exposed), shifting gaze, feigning sleep, avoiding eye contact (looking away)

Ears

Flattened/pinned close to head, retracted from erect conformation or from a more forward position in floppy eared breeds

Tail

Lowered below the topline, held close to the body or tucked tightly between legs

Body position

Cowering (crouched or lowered topline), rolling over (belly up), C-shaped, frozen in place, or leaning away

Hair/coat

Piloerection over neck, topline, or rump, excessive shedding

Conflict/displacement behavior

Scratching, leg lifting behavior or urine marking, mounting, raised foreleg, or play bow