Work-Related Stress May Affect Your Dog's Behavior Too

Experiencing stress from work can extend beyond your own mood, potentially impacting your pet dog as well. Recent research from Washington State University, published in Scientific Reports, highlights the connection between human work stress and canine stress levels. The study involved 85 working adults living with dogs and found that dogs exhibited more signs of stress—such as pacing, whining, or reduced playfulness—when their owners were highly stressed and unable to detach from work worries by the end of the day.

Participants completed surveys assessing their work stress, frequency of work rumination during personal time, and their dogs’ behaviors. It was observed that owners who frequently dwelled on work issues had dogs that showed increased stress signals. Interestingly, owners often remained unaware of their pets’ stress cues.

The study emphasizes that mental rumination about work problems has the most significant impact on dogs, making them tense and distracted during their owners’ personal time. Because dogs are highly perceptive to body language, tone of voice, and emotional cues, their behavior can serve as a mirror to their owners' stress levels.

To help reduce your dog’s stress, experts recommend practicing mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or meditation, establishing clear end-of-day rituals like a walk or changing clothes to mark the end of the workday, and spending quality, focused time with your pet without distractions. Maintaining a calm household environment and moderating your own body language and tone can help your dog feel more secure. If work-related stress feels overwhelming, seeking professional help or discussing stress management strategies may benefit both you and your pet.

By learning to mentally disengage from work worries, owners can foster a more peaceful and joyful home environment for their dogs, improving overall well-being for both parties.