Do Dogs Empty Their Anal Glands When Scared?

While dogs can empty their anal glands when they are scared, they do not release the fluids voluntarily. The sphincter muscle that needs to be relaxed for the anal glands to be emptied is not connected to the nervous system in a way that is under the dog's control. That means that the only way for their glands to empty is for them to be manually stimulated, for the muscle to be relaxed as a reflex reaction to another muscular action, or due to a medical issue.