Is your pup around when you squabble with a family member? Have you ever noticed their reaction? Being in the heat of the moment, it's easy to forget you have a witness watching the fight unfold, and it does create stress in your pooch. Even disciplining your children loudly can have an adverse impact.

Veterinary behaviorists indicate that dogs normally produce cortisol in their systems to get through short-term stressful situations. However, when humans argue, your pooch doesn't understand what's happening and feels helpless. If that kind of helplessness persist, it could result in long-term cortisol exposure.

Long-term cortisol exposure has numerous negative effects for your precious pooch. These may include damage to the immune system, inhibited growth, hypertension and a wasting away of muscle mass. Also, you may see behavioral changes in your dog. Things like aggressiveness, anxiousness and destructiveness have been noted. With these behavioral changes present in your faithful friend, training will be much more difficult.

So the best thing is not to fight in front of your pooch. However ideal, probably not reality. There are a few options you can take to lessen any adverse impact your pooch internalizes to our lacking human actions.

If you know words are going to be exchanged, remove your pooch to another area before it starts. If one just breaks out, take a minute to move your pooch to another room. In either of these instances, take along a favorite toy to keep your pooch busy. If you completely forget your furry witness is there until the argument stops, then be sure to get her up and about right after. Spend time playing with her or take her for a romp around the neighborhood.

Dogs are much like human children in that they react to adult behavior. You always hear that children see and internalize what their parents do. It's not much different with our furry best friends.