"Anxiety is a dog being overwhelmed with things that scare them," says Michael Nichols, owner of The Dog Guy and professional dog trainer, CPDT-KA. He explains that many signs of anxiety in dogs don't stand out on their own but need to be understood within a larger context. A few common signs of anxiety may be pacing, cowering, panting when it doesn't make sense, licking their lips often, looking at something and looking away, staring behind them, excessive drooling, growling, and seeking to distance themselves from a person, object, or situation.