Dogs display stress through panting (when not hot), drooling, pinned ears, a lowered body, shedding, and displacement behaviors like sniffing the ground when there is nothing to smell. Cats may flatten ears, dilate pupils, swish their tail rapidly, or hide. Birds may pin their eyes, flatten feathers, or bite. Rabbits may thump, freeze, or press flat against the ground. Recognizing stress signals early allows you to remove the pet from an overwhelming situation before fear escalates to aggression or panic. Context matters: a yawn during training might indicate stress, while a yawn after waking is simply stretching. Learning your individual pet's baseline behavior makes it easier to spot deviations that signal discomfort.