Shock number of Gen-Z pet owners worry about their dogs’ feelings

74% of pet owners between 18-29 years old worry about how their dog’s feeling with just 43% of boomers expressing the same concern

According to a new national survey, 75% of dog owners have stated that their dog gets anxious or stressed, with a shocking 15% reporting that it happens all of the time. On average, owners report spotting signs of their dog’s anxiety up to 8 times a month – accounting for over a quarter of the month. 
For Pet Anxiety Month, which runs for the entirety of March, the experts at Adaptil conducted a nationwide survey to investigate dog owners’ awareness, perceptions and concerns regarding their dogs’ emotional wellbeing, stress and anxiety.
The findings highlighted that 56% of dog owners can immediately tell whether their dog is stressed or anxious, with just 1% stating they can’t tell.

The most common signs dog owners cited to tell whether their dogs are anxious were barking more (44%), their tail being low or tucked (42%), pacing (34%) and trembling (29%). 
The most attuned generation to their dog’s behaviour was Gen-Z, with 74% of 18-29-year-olds often more worried about their dog’s feelings, followed by millennials (61%) and boomers (43%). The same generation pattern was repeated when asked whether they worry more about their dog’s feelings than their own, with 51% of Gen-Z dog owners putting their dog’s emotional wellbeing before their own. This was followed by millennials (50%) and boomers (49%). 
The research found that owners of all ages will worry about their dog’s anxiety for over 3 weeks of the month – 22 days in total, with the findings suggesting that more needs to be done to calm our dogs’ emotional state on a regular basis.

Jimmy Bratley, Veterinary Practioner at Adaptil, said:
“It’s evident how many dog owners across all generations worry about their pets experiencing low mood and anxiety. However, awareness of available solutions remains low, especially with the statistics of dog owners who continually worry about their dog’s anxiety for a large proportion of every month. 
“Pet Anxiety Month is a really important initiative to us — we are committed to raising awareness about pet anxiety, helping owners support their dogs’ wellbeing, and giving our pets a voice when they need it most”. 

How pet owners plan to ease their pet’s anxiety
Activities you can try based on the responses from other dog owners include: 
Spending lots of quality time together
Giving them a special treat 
Taking them on a long walk in the park
Extra belly rubs
Getting cosy on the sofa
Extra scratches 
Letting them snooze on your bed
Giving them a tasty chew as an after-dinner treat
Taking them on a sniff walk
Play relaxing music on the radio