Dog Mental Health

Author: Matthew Seigneur

Your dog’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. Keeping your dog happy and healthy is your main goal. Keeping your dog healthy also includes his mental well being. We will be talking about a few of the mental problems that your dog can have and ways to help your dog with his mental health.

Do dogs get depressed?

Of course, dogs get depressed. They go through bouts of depression and you will notice your dog moping about and not wanting to play, only drinking small amounts of water, and you may even notice them losing a lot of weight. You want your dog’s mental health to be good, but how can you tell what is causing this depression?

After you have ruled out a physical aliment by taking your dog to the vet; now you can look around and see what may be causing this change in your dog’s attitude and help get your dog’s mental health back on track.

Grief can cause depression in dogs just as it can in the human race. Has your dog lost a playmate recently? Maybe a dog down the street has moved away. Or maybe the child in your family has gone off to college. Your dog longs for that companionship and now it is gone. If you have moved or have left your dog in the care of others while you were on vacation this can also be the root of your dog’s depression. Start helping your dog enjoy life again. Give him extra attention and love. If he has lost his doggy playmate, take him to the park or to the doggie daycare so he can play with other dogs and maybe make a new friend that will help him over this depression. This may just pull him out of his depression.

Depression untreated can lead to more serious physical problems that you are sure to want to avoid. If you can not seem to bring the zing back into your dog’s life you may want to ask your vet for some anti-depression medicine.

Anxiety is probably one of the most common mental disorders in dogs all over the world. It is your responsibility to notice when your dog is stressed and what causes his stress and to keep him out of these types of situations for his protection or to help him overcome his anxieties.

The different signs of anxiety and stress are excessive drooling, whining, panting, moaning, shivering, or reluctance to move.

The different types of anxieties and how to know them:

Separation Anxiety

This is probably the most common anxiety in dogs. Your dog will be soiling the floor, chewing up furniture, and their barking or howling can be heard clear down the block are sure signs of separation anxiety.

Noise Anxiety

Noise Anxiety is a problem for thousands of types of animals. Dogs that are afraid of loud noises often run to hide, but because of their fear they do not pay attention and may endanger themselves by running into oncoming traffic, etc.

Social Anxiety

This anxious behavior is seen in dogs that as puppies were never around other dogs or a lot of people. This can be seen when your dog is around others if he tries to cower in a corner to hide. He is feeling overwhelmed by his surroundings and all the commotion from the other dogs or extra people.

These are just some of the problems that your dog may have. Remember to pay attention to your dog; he is your friend and companion. He needs your protection as well as your love.

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