How to cheer up your sad dog? Dogs are known to be full of life and fun. Whenever you see your dog, you can see that signature adorable dog expression on its face. But if your dog is sad, it is an obvious sign that something might be wrong.
Being sad does not only mean that your dog is emotionally upset; it may also mean that something is wrong with its physical health. You need to take care of how your dog feels because a sad dog face is something no one can ignore.
Your dog’s sad face may worry you, and you may try to find solutions to cheer up your dog, but sometimes, all your dog wants is your love and attention. In case of any problem or confusion, take your dog to the vet to consult better options.
Can Dogs Get Depressed?
Yes, dogs can get sad. Getting sad for a long time may even lead to signs of depression, which will cause even further problems for your dog. Being sad may lead to sickness, which is unacceptable for a dog owner.
You may notice your dog getting sad over things like staying away from you when you have to leave for work. This type of sadness is known as separation anxiety. It might not be a massive concern because your dog must also learn your schedule.
Signs Of Depression In A Dog
Sometimes, your dog may look sad, but that can be just an expression of something else. But certain behaviours can tell whether your dog is painful or not. They are below:
- Losing interest in daily walks
- Sleeping excessively
- Sleeping in different places (most commonly hiding)
- Losing interest in games and toys
- Losing interest in food
- Excessive licking of paws
Is My Dog Sad Or Sick?
If your dog is sick, the first thing that may come to your mind may be that your dog is emotionally upset. But you must understand that sadness can also come from an underlying health problem. If you do not take any actions to get rid of health problems, then your dog may stay sad and even get worse.
Sometimes, it is not easy to find out why your dog is sad, so you must take it to the vet as soon as possible to discover any hidden health problems. The vet may even do X-rays to learn if anything is wrong with your dog.
What Is Making My Unhappy Dog?
Some of the following reasons may be causing sadness in your dog:
● Change Of Routine
Changing your routine may upset your dog because dogs learn how to spend their days and what to expect each day. They do not like unpredictable things because they trigger their natural way of thinking. They think in order of how things are going to be for them.
● Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is common in dogs, so you must know it before leaving. Doing things that will help your dog with its sadness while you are gone is an example of a perfect pet owner.
One of the things that you can do is allow someone close to you and your dog to stay with it while you are gone for days, but leaving for hours may require a small solution like calming supplements, which will reduce your dog’s anxiety levels and keep it happy and calm.
● Not Being A Priority
Having a baby or a new pet will develop a feeling of jealousy in your dog, and it may feel like it does not matter to you anymore. Giving the new ones extra attention is natural, but forgetting your dog will clearly show signs.
You may feel like you are not ignoring your dog, but from your dog’s point of view, it is getting less attention than average, and at this time, it may be craving even more attention. So, spending more time with your dog will help it develop good relations with the newcomer and be happy.
● Sudden Loss Of a Family Member
Losing a family member is as painful for a dog as it is for humans. So, this is understandable. Give your dog time to get better, and be with it through this time.
Ways To Cheer Up Your Depressed Dog
Before you take severe actions like taking your dog to the vet, you must try other things in your hand because you never know what may cheer up your dog. Following are the ways you can cheer up your sad dog:
1. Going For A Walk
Taking your dog for a walk in the early morning will help him relax and absorb positivity from his surroundings. The freshness in the air will encourage your dog to feel better. It is a significant thing to do to cheer up your dog, so avoid any morning laziness and focus on your dog’s health and well-being.
2. Extra Attention
Spending extra time with your dog will boost its energy and make it feel better no matter what is causing the sadness. You can find different ways to spend more time with your dog, just like a walk in the morning.
3. New Experiences
You can take your dog to try a new place. It will open its exploration instinct, and the excitement will be a sign that your dog is feeling better. However, if your dog is not well, it may take time to get better. Your dog may even avoid new experiences now, but distraction is significant, so you must try.
4. Treats
Treats can always make things better. Giving your dog treats can bring joy into its life and may distract it from anything causing sadness. But make sure to avoid giving your dog treats every time it gets sad because your dog may start to act sad to get the goodies.
5. Music
If you and your dog enjoy music, then playing music will make your dog feel good, but if your dog never listens to music, then it may have zero effect on your dog. So, choose this option according to your dog’s preferences.
6. New Toy
Giving your dog a new toy will make it happy. Your dog can get sad because it may feel lonely, but getting a new toy will boost its mood and no longer feel lonely for a while.
7. New Friends
Taking your dog to meet other dogs will change its mood. Seeing other dogs happy will also make your dog happy because this is how dogs usually think and feel. They like to be in a comfortable environment where they can enjoy themselves and be satisfied.
Conclusion
Dogs can get sad for many reasons. As a dog owner, you are responsible for making your dog feel good. It would help if you found out the reasons that are causing sadness in your dog. But if you cannot find the causes, you should try everything to cheer up your dog.
One of the best ways to cheer up your dog is by spending time with it. Other ideas include getting your dog a new toy or friend. You can also change its sad mood by giving it treats. If your dog is still unfortunate and is losing interest in everything, visit the veterinarian for the best possible solution to the problem.
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