How do I calm a trembling dog?

First, remove the cause: warm up a cold dog, settle a frightened one somewhere quiet, away from the noise. Reassure it calmly; a soft voice does not 'reinforce' the fear (AVSAB 2021). Above all, don't panic yourself, and don't push it towards what scares it.

My dog is trembling and has stopped eating, what should I do?

Trembling plus listlessness or loss of appetite: it's the combination that should raise a flag, as it can signal pain, illness or poisoning. Don't wait for it 'to pass', call the vet. In the meantime, keep your dog calm and don't give it any medicine.

My puppy is trembling and seems weak, is it an emergency?

In a puppy, especially a very small breed (Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Pomeranian), trembling and weakness point to low blood sugar : that's an emergency, call the vet straight away. Don't rub sugar on the gums of a puppy that's unconscious or having seizures (it risks going down the wrong way).

My dog is shaking: understanding and reacting

Health & preventionPart of · Health & prevention

My dog is shaking: understanding and reacting

Q: Why is my dog shaking?

Trembling is a signal, not an illness. The most common causes are harmless: cold, excitement before a walk, or fear (storms, fireworks). But pain, poisoning or illness can make a dog tremble too: it's the context that points you in the right direction.

Q: Why is my dog shaking for no reason?

'For no reason' often means 'with no visible cause': hidden pain, the start of an illness or something toxic swallowed don't always show. If the trembling is sudden and unexplained, or adds to other signs (listlessness, vomiting), call the vet. Never give a human medicine.

Q: My dog is shivering with cold, is that serious?

Usually not, especially in small dogs, short-coated ones, after a bath or a walk in the rain. Dry it off, warm it up, and think about a coat for the more sensitive builds (small, elderly, puppy). If the trembling carries on once it's warm, or comes with other signs, see the vet.

8 min read

A dog who shakes isn't necessarily ill: he's sending a signal. Cold, excitement or fear (a thunderstorm, fireworks) can all make him shake without it being serious. But if the shaking is sudden, unexplained, or comes with vomiting, low energy or a drunken walk, call the vet straight away.

Why your dog is shaking

The shaking on its own tells you very little: it's the context that counts. A chill, a big rush of emotion, hidden pain or something toxic he has swallowed can all trigger the same reaction in your dog: look at what's going on around him to work out which one it is.

Put the shaking back into its context: here are the most common causes, from the harmless ones to those that call for a vet's opinion.

Often harmless

Coldespecially small dogs and short-coated dogs, after a bath or a walk in the rain.

Excitement and joybefore a walk, in front of the food bowl: a passing burst of energy.

Fear and stressthunderstorms, fireworks, a trip to the vet, any new situation.

Worth getting checked

Paina dog in pain shakes, hunches up, pants for no reason: vets who specialise in pain point out that it often goes unnoticed, even by an attentive owner.

Poisoningchocolate, xylitol, slug pellets (metaldehyde), a spot-on parasite treatment wrongly dosed for his size (permethrin), grapes or mouldy nuts: veterinary poison control centres list these among the causes of shaking and seizures.

Heatstrokea dog left too long in the heat (a car, a heatwave, hard exercise), especially a flat-faced dog (bulldog, pug, boxer), can become confused, stagger, then have a seizure: it's a life-threatening emergency, as Cornell University's veterinary college points out.

Low blood sugara toy-breed puppy, a very small dog or a diabetic dog: tiny sugar reserves, blood sugar drops fast, sometimes to the point of danger to life in a poorly balanced diabetic dog.

A hormonal or nerve causeCushing's (overactive adrenal glands), Addison's (underactive ones), a thyroid running slow, worsening kidney disease, or a nerve disorder: these illnesses often settle in without showing themselves straight away.

If your dog only shakes when it's cold or just before a walk, there's nothing alarming about it; shaking that comes out of nowhere is another matter.

What to do, in order

First you read the situation, then you act, from the simplest step to the most cautious.

Look at the context

Is it cold? Is he fresh out of the bath? Has he just had a big moment of excitement, or is a storm rumbling outside? The context often explains the shaking all by itself.

Remove the cause when it's simple

Warm up and dry a dog who is cold; take a frightened dog into a quiet room, away from the noise, with a bolt-hole where he can settle.

Stay steady and reassure him without panicking

Your calm voice and quiet presence soothe him. What a dog picks up on most is your own state: if you get agitated, he feels less safe.

Look for the warning signs

Check whether he is vomiting, listless, disoriented, whether his walk looks drunken, whether he seems to be in pain, or whether he could have swallowed something toxic.

Call the vet if you have any doubt

Especially if the shaking is sudden, unexplained or comes on top of other signs. In an emergency, call on the way rather than losing time before you set off.

When to see a vet without waiting

Three levels to place what you're seeing, without ever making a diagnosis yourself.

Nothing alarming

Shakes when it's cold or after a bath
Shivers with excitement before a walk or in front of his bowl
Shakes briefly during a storm, then relaxes

Get him examined

Sudden shaking, with no visible cause
Shakes while hunching up, pants with no heat or exercise (possible pain)
Shakes, turns his nose up at his bowl and seems listless

Emergency: call right now

Drunken walk, staggering, disorientation
Shaking with repeated vomiting
Seizures or loss of consciousness
Shaking after possibly swallowing something toxic (chocolate, xylitol, slug pellets, a wrongly dosed parasite treatment, grapes...)
Stuck in the heat, panting without getting his breath back, confused or staggering: possible heatstroke

A drunken walk, seizures, loss of consciousness, heatstroke, or shaking after possibly swallowing something toxic: this is a life-threatening emergency, and time counts.

Do this right now

Call the vet or an animal poison control centre, and warn them on the way
Keep the dog quiet and warm, and put nothing in his mouth
Note what he may have swallowed, how much and when, and take the packaging with you

Call your vetor an animal poison control centre: without delay.

The assistant never replaces a vet. When in doubt, call.

Global Pain Council, guidelines on pain in dogs, WSAVA (2022)
Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, AAHA (2022)
Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), toxins and what to do, ASPCA
Toxic substances and tremors in dogs, Pet Poison Helpline
Heatstroke: A medical emergency, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (Riney Canine Health Center)
Diabetes Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats, AAHA (2018)

Going further

guideFear of thunderstorms, fireworks and loud noisesIf the shaking comes from fear (a storm, firecrackers), here's how to soothe him without feeding his panic.Read the guide guideFoods that are toxic to dogsSudden shaking can be a sign of poisoning: the list of dangerous foods to know by heart.Read the guide guideSpotting a life-threatening emergency in your dogTo know when shaking goes beyond a simple shiver and means calling the vet urgently.Read the guide guideFever, cough, low energy: when to call the vetOther signs to watch alongside the shaking, to know whether a consultation is needed.Read the guide guideThe first aid kit for your dogWhat you need to react at home in the meantime, with the basic kit ready to go.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

Why is my dog shaking?

Shaking is a signal, not an illness. The most common causes are harmless: cold, excitement before a walk, or fear (a storm, fireworks). But pain, poisoning or illness can also cause shaking: it's the context that puts you on the right track.

Why is my dog shaking for no reason?

"For no reason" often means "with no visible cause": hidden pain, the start of an illness or something toxic he has swallowed don't always show. If the shaking is sudden and unexplained, or comes on top of other signs (listlessness, vomiting), call the vet. Never give him a human medicine.

How do I calm a dog who is shaking?

First, remove the cause: warm up a dog who is cold, settle a frightened dog somewhere quiet, away from the noise. Reassure him calmly: a gentle voice does not "reinforce" fear. Above all, don't panic yourself and don't push him towards what frightens him.

My dog is shaking with cold, is that serious?

Usually not, especially in small dogs and short-coated dogs, after a bath or a walk in the rain. Dry him, warm him up, and think about a coat for the more sensitive builds (small, elderly, puppy). If the shaking carries on once he's warm, or comes with other signs, see a vet.

My dog is shaking and won't eat, what should I do?

Shaking together with listlessness or loss of appetite should put you on alert: it can point to pain, illness or poisoning. Don't wait for it to "pass", call the vet. In the meantime, keep your dog quiet and give him no medicine at all.

My puppy is shaking and seems weak, is that an emergency?

In a puppy, especially of a very small breed (Chihuahua, Yorkshire terrier, miniature spitz), shaking and weakness point to low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia): it's an emergency, call the vet straight away. Don't rub sugar on the gums of a puppy who is unconscious or having a seizure (it risks going down into the lungs).

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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