Is Your Dog a Big Feelings Dog? Here’s What That Means
Does your dog seem to be just full of “Big Feelings”? Whether it’s reactivity, fearfulness, or anxiety, understanding these emotions is important for both of you. In this post, we’ll explore what these feelings mean and how to recognize them in your own dog.
What Are Big Feelings in Dogs?
Over the past few years, the phrase “Big Feelings” has emerged as a relatable short-hand umbrella term for dogs that seem to have a lot of feelings, emotions, or “over-react” to seemingly normal things.
But ultimately, the term is just a label for behavior! What this means is that for any given “Big Feelings dog,” there will be a unique combination of behaviors and emotions.
There is no single definition for what makes a Big Feelings dog.
I think about it like the labels “extroverted” or “introverted” for humans. Some people think of extroversion as being chatty, sociable, or making new friends easily. Others consider extroversion to mean that being around humans gives them energy, rather than saps it. Both definitions are valid, and regardless of the person’s unique interpretation, the label “extrovert” is a sort of shared language that allows that person to share something about their personality and behavior with other people.
This is one of the reasons we like the phrase “Big Feelings.” It allows us to quickly communicate something about our dogs, and also encourages empathy toward dogs with challenging behaviors.
As we like to say: they aren’t giving you a hard time on purpose - they’re having a hard time.
So how do we define “Big Feelings” in the context of dog behavior?
Here at Confident Mutts, we think of “big feelings" as emotions like fear, anxiety, excitement, or frustration that can lead to intense behaviors in dogs - whether in certain situations or across the board.
What Do Big Feelings Look Like in Dogs?
Let’s look at some example behaviors that we might see:
Jumping
Whining or vocalizing
Barking
Lunging
Growling
Snapping
Freezing
Attempts to escape or hide
Avoidance
Pacing
“Displacement behaviors” like chewing, excessive grooming, scratching, etc.
Some of these behaviors are more obvious to the casual observer, like jumping, barking, and lunging.
However, all dogs have subtle and unique body language signals that can let us know that they are struggling in a situation.
These signals are vital when it comes to predicting when our dogs will have a reaction or “Big Feelings moment.”
For example, my dog JJ is a “reactive” dog. If she sees another dog on a walk at a distance that she perceives as being too close, she will bark-scream and lunge. Over time, I’ve gotten fluent at noticing the smaller signals that she is uncomfortable. Her mouth closes tightly, her eyes widen, a patch of hair near her butt stands up (aka piloerection), and her pace quickens.
On the other hand, Em’s dog Goose is a more “quiet” Big Feelings Dog. Instead of having those big outward reactions like barking, lunging, and growling he reacts more inward. This often looks like a tight tail tuck, ears pinned back, leaning away, attempting to flee, or even laying down and “freezing” with his paws tucked tight to his body, lip licks, and showing his belly in a way that says “please give me space” and not that he wants belly rubs.
By noticing your own dog’s unique body language signs, you can learn to recognize moments of stress, overwhelm, or anxiety faster - and help them feel safer before the behavior escalates.
Why Do Dogs Experience Big Feelings?
So why do some dogs experience such big emotions, while others seem to be able to take whatever life throws at them in stride?
As it stands, we can never truly know why some dogs are more sensitive, fearful, reactive, or excitable. However, there are a handful of factors that seem to influence these “Big Feelings” related behaviors:
Genetic predispositions
Early life experiences (typically before 16 weeks of age)
Stress that their mother may have experienced (aka epigenetics)
Pain, discomfort, allergies, or other medical issues
Learning history with a particular situation or trigger
Now that you know what Big Feelings in dogs look like and why they happen, you can grab our free Big Feelings Dog Checklist. It’s packed our favorite essential, low-key strategies to start supporting your dog right away.
P.S. If you’re left wondering “But how else can I help my dog navigate their big emotions?,” don’t worry! We’ll be covering that in an upcoming post in this series, so stay tuned.
