The Worry Jar: Why Managing Your Stress Matters to Your Dog

In the entryway of my home sits a beautiful vase—simple, colorful, and uniquely shaped. I originally bought it because I loved the look and color and it didn’t hurt that I found it on sale. But over time, it’s come to represent something much more meaningful in my life: it’s my worry jar.

You might be wondering, what’s a worry jar? It’s exactly what it sounds like—a symbolic place to leave your worries at the door. When I walk into my home, that jar reminds me to let go of the stress from the day. If something is really weighing on you, you can take it one step further and write it down and drop it into the jar. This simple act serves as a reminder to let go of the thoughts of the day and that home should be a place of peace, not pressure or a carry over from the day.

But what does this have to do with dog training? Everything!

We are our dogs’ entire world. What we carry into the house—our energy, our mood, our stress— it all has the potential to affect them profoundly. Dogs may not speak our language, but they are incredibly tuned in to our body language, tone, and even our breathing patterns. When we’re tense or anxious, our dogs know. They may not understand why, but they feel it.

I see this regularly in my classes and private consultations. A client will say, “My dog’s been terrible this week,” and when I gently ask, “How’s your week been?” the answer is often, “Awful.” That’s not a coincidence. Our dogs mirror us. And unlike us, they don’t have outlets for their stress. No hobbies. No yoga. No venting to friends. Just us.

Science backs this up—dogs have been trained to detect seizures, cancer, and changes in the weather. Of course they can pick up on our emotional state. It’s part of what makes them amazing companions—and why we owe it to them to be mindful of what we bring home.

When I work with dogs on behavior issues, I take a holistic approach. I don’t just look at the behavior in isolation; I look at the dog’s entire lifestyle—physical, mental, emotional, and social. Often, family stress (even “good” stress, like a new job or a move) plays a role in the dog’s behavior. Just like us, dogs experience cumulative stress. And just like with people, that stress can manifest in their anxiety.

Lowering your stress is not just good for you—it’s healing for your dog, too.

It’s also why so many studies show that dogs reduce our blood pressure, ease depression, and improve our overall health. When we practice mindfulness and stress reduction with our dogs in mind, they become like therapy for us every day. They remind us to slow down, breathe, and enjoy the moment.

This message is especially important for those of us who work in animal care, rescue, health care professionals or high-emotional stress fields—or for those who are naturally empathetic or highly sensitive. We often take better care of others than we do ourselves. But burnout and compassion stress are real, and they don’t just affect us—they affect the animals and people who depend on us.

So here’s my gentle challenge to you: find your own worry jar. Choose something beautiful that brings you joy. Place it near your door. Use it to symbolically (or literally) leave your worries behind when you walk into your home. Take a deep breath. Be present. Enjoy your family—two-legged and four.

Your dog will thank you.

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The Worry Jar: Why Managing Your Stress Matters to Your Dog

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