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How Your Dog Feels Your Stress — And How Modern Science Can Help Both of You Heal
Allen Rippy, Veterinarian, Author
Oct 28, 2025
6 min read
If your dog seems more anxious lately, it’s not your imagination — and it’s not their fault. Recent behavioral and veterinary studies confirm that dogs often mirror their owners’ emotional states. When human anxiety, uncertainty, or stress increases, so do cortisol levels in our dogs. In other words, your dog doesn’t just love you — they absorb you.
In the last few years, with heightened geopolitical tension, economic instability, and rising household stress, both people and pets have been living under a subtle, constant emotional thrum. Dogs pick up these cues through scent, tone, and even micro facial expressions. What we interpret as “clingy” behavior or barking may, in truth, be empathy gone awry — a sensitive heart overwhelmed by shared stress.
Fortunately, science is catching up to compassion. Three proven strategies stand out:
1. Melatonin Therapy:
Used in both human and veterinary medicine, melatonin helps regulate sleep and reduce anxiety. In dogs, it stabilizes circadian rhythms, lowers heart rate, and calms the nervous system — especially before thunderstorms, fireworks, or separation events. Medical-strength melatonin supplements have been shown to gently rebalance hormonal and stress responses without sedation or dependency.
2. Hemp Oil (CBD):
Full-spectrum hemp extract provides natural support for anxiety, inflammation, and pain. Cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with the endocannabinoid system to restore equilibrium, ease tension, and promote relaxation. In veterinary studies, dogs receiving properly formulated hemp oil displayed lower stress behaviors and improved adaptability during stressful changes.
3. Canine Cognitive Behavioral Training (CBT):
Behavioral therapy for dogs, based on human CBT principles, retrains emotional associations through positive reinforcement and environmental stability. Over time, it rewires the dog’s anxiety circuits into confidence and calm.
In a world of news alerts, rising prices, and uncertain tomorrows, your dog doesn’t have to inherit your anxiety. With modern medical supplements, behavioral science, and a few mindful minutes of peace together each day — balance can return to both ends of the leash.
— Authored by Allen Rippy