Dealing With Doggy Depression

When we look at our dogs, we think they are just the happiest creatures on earth. It's hard to imagine our wiggly tailed and happy faced pooches could ever feel anything but innocent, pure joy. So for a lot of dog owners, they are surprised when they find out that dogs actually can suffer from depression.

It probably doesn't happen often. There are a few specific triggers that would make a dog feel down in the dumps, and generally a dog can snap out of depression on its own—with the help of course of their parents.

So how can you tell if your floof-ball of love is sad? It's not like they can just come out and tell us if they are sad. So it's up to us as their parents and owners to keep an eye on them and make sure that they stay happy and healthy. Some of the warning signs of dog depression are as follows:

Sleeping Too Much or Too Little

When your dog's sleeping patterns change, be on the lookout. If your dog goes from sleeping eight hours during the day (because let's face it, there's nothing better than a nap, and they know it! Especially after nice walks and runs!) to 16 hours a day, you may have a sad puppy on your hand. That being said, if they stop sleeping their usual amount at night, and become restless and exhibit nervous behavior, they could be suffering from depression.

Becoming Withdrawn and Uninterested

Again, another change in behavior you need to be wary of is if your dog goes from being socially accepting to hiding every time the door opens. There may be something going on in their little heart. Sometimes they will hide in closets, or under furniture. They won't wage their tails, or they don't give their usual happy reaction to you coming home. If they stop being excited when offered treats or walks, or don't feel like going outside on days when you know they would normally rather be outside, chances are they may be feeling blue.

Loss of Interest in Food

I don't know about anyone else's dogs, but my dogs eat like they are starving—every single time they are fed. It doesn't matter if they just ate ten minutes ago, they are ready to go again! So it should be concerning when your furry friend suddenly takes to not diving head first into that food bowl, then there may be something wrong.

Excessive Licking or Biting

Stressed out or depressed dogs will sometimes lick themselves for comfort. Often times they may lick or bite themselves raw if they are in emotional distress. Keep an eye out for hot spots, and if you notice they are licking themselves continuously, make sure you investigate!

A Change in Behavior

Dogs with depression will exhibit anxiety or maybe even aggression where they normally wouldn't. If they whine, pace, growl or bare their teeth, and that's not something your friendly pooch would do, there could be an underlying cause, such as depression or anxiety.

As you can see, quite a few of the symptoms in dogs for depression can be compared to human depression symptoms. So what's the first thing a human should do when they feel symptoms of depression? If you answered "talk to a doctor," you'd be correct. It's the same concept with our furbabies. If you think your dog may be exhibiting these symptoms, call your vet and make an appointment. Don't just assume it could be depression. Like with humans, a health problem could be linked to these symptoms, or even be the cause of depression.

But lets take a step back and pause for a minute. What could possibly cause a dog—one of the happiest creatures on earth—to even become depressed? According to PetWebMD, periods of drastic change or loss of a family member can be the major causes of dog depression. If another pet passed away or was lost, or if an owner makes a drastic change in their schedule that causes a drop in the attention they receive, if you may have just had a baby, these are all things that can cause depression in a dog.

Dogs are also very sensitive and intelligent creatures. They may also fall depressed if their owners are grieving or are depressed about something else. A divorce, a death, or like children sometimes tend to do when a new spouse or roommate moves into the home. They pick up on our feelings, and they understand the depth of them better, especially the humans they are close to.

So what do we do for our puppers if the vet clears them with a clean bill of health and states that they may be depressed? There are lots of suggestions that work. If the depression is caused by a loss of a family member (pet or human alike), getting another pet (particularly a social one—other dogs are the best answers, but a kitten could work too) if it's a viable option for you. Take them out to get more exercise, and reward them with love and treats for happy behaviors. Try not to reward them for depressed behavior. Instead, take up a leash or a toy and try to encourage them to do things that they enjoy, rewarding the positive outcome. You can even reward them for simply just lifting their ears and wagging their tail.

Remember if you are grieving or are depressed yourself, your dog can sense that. So going for walks or taking them to the park could also help you and your depression as well. If your dog senses that you are in a better mood, it will help them snap out of their blues too.

All of these things encourage happy behavior, and most of the time dogs have a way of regaining their happy selves again much easier than humans. It could be days before your dog is happy again, or maybe a few months. And if nothing else works, there are also medicines the vet can prescribe—however, you never want to take that route unless it's an absolute last resort.

Just remember, if you see any signs that your dog may be depressed, call your vet first, and make sure they may not have an internal illness going on that may be causing them distress. Your vet will also have more suggestions for your particular situation, so always make sure you confide in them!