After you adopt a cute little puppy, soon it becomes a part of your family, and you give your best to take the best care of it. As time passes and your cute puppy grows up, as a responsible owner, you make sure that you fulfil all of its needs so that its health does not get compromised. However, since, like every other animal, dogs cannot use words to narrate their feelings, times might get tough on you!
We believe you would never want to live through a time when your dog becomes sad, and you do not exactly know why it is low. But, we know that you will try your best to make your dog happy at any cost, else you will not be at peace. In this article, you will learn the signs which can confirm if your dog is sad and what measures you can take to make it happy again.
So, without any further delay, let’s get started!
How to tell if your dog is sad?
Like humans, dogs also possess the ability to feel everything deeply. So, for example, if a close family member of yours dies, it would affect you emotionally and probably physically. Similarly, your dog develops intense emotional attachments with family members, too, and if anyone leaves in any manner, it would indeed affect them more than you can imagine!
However, dogs do not have the luxury to express their feelings through words. Therefore, being a careful and loving owner, you must understand what your dog tries to communicate through different behavioral changes. There are several signs that your sad dog may show, and you have to be very vigilant to catch the hints coming from your sad dog.
Let’s have a look at the signs that indicate that your dog is either emotionally or physically ill;
1. Tiredness
Although if your dog is tired, it is not something abnormal. But, it may be, as per the circumstances. For example, if you take your dog outside for an evening walk regularly, and your dog gets tired when it comes back home, it is indeed normal. Besides, it would also be expected if your dog increases its playtime and now feels tired more than before.
On the contrary, if your dog has stopped showing interest in daily walks and prefers staying home, or if it does not like having playtime anymore, there is something wrong! Likewise, if your dog does not do any physical work, and yet you see your dog sleeping a lot unusually, it may be suffering from depression.
You have to ensure that what is precise there is making your dog physically and emotionally tired.
2. Altered appetite
Understandably, over time every dog brings some changes in their usual behaviors. However, the changes that come with age are gradual. But, if you see your dog has suddenly stopped eating meals, or if it consumes more than usual, it may be a warning sign that your dog is not doing very great!
It is one of your utmost duties to make sure your dog is healthy both physically and mentally. Indeed, both the mind and body do not work separately; we speak of humans or dogs. Therefore, if your dog is sad or physically sick, it may affect its appetite.
3. Getting out of sight way too much
Disappearing all of a sudden is not something dogs appreciate! However, if your dog encounter blues in its life, it may suffer from depression. Disturbed mental health may cause your dog to develop unusual habits like hiding under the bed or in wardrobes. Later, your dog starts finding comfort by staying out of sight.
Hiding unusually, all of a sudden and making it a habit is a critical sign that your dog is sad, and you must do something about cheering it up.
4. Altered sleep schedule
Over time as you train your dog, it sets a feasible sleep schedule! However, if your dog seems sad, you may see that your dog’s sleep patterns are out of line. It would not nap appropriately during the day like it used to; it might avoid going to bed at its usual time. On the contrary, some sad dogs may increase their sleeping hours to a great extent.
The point that matters here is, you have to stay observant about your dog’s sleep schedule. If you witness any sudden alteration in your dog’s sleeping pattern that seems abnormal to you, it would be best to observe your dog’s other behavioral patterns more closely.
Almost every pet dog loves socializing! So when you make out time for your dog and take it outside for walks and playtime, so that it can mix up with people and their pet dogs, ideally, your dog should enjoy! However, depending on your breed, some dogs enjoy the outside world very much while some may not.
If you have a breed like Labrador, famous for incredibly social dogs, and your dog does not enjoy meeting people and pets, it should worry you! If your dog has recently changed its behavior regarding socializing, it is highly indicative of depression-induced sadness, and you must pay attention to your little friend.
6. Whining
Whining or whimpering from a dog is one of the most critical signs of sadness. However, not every dog that whines is mentally suffering. There are chances that your dog whimpers secondary to physical illness like stomach upset due to food poisoning. Therefore, you have to trace out the root cause of why your dog has started whining very much suddenly.
How to make a dog happy when it’s sad?
Without any doubt, you would not leave your dog in a miserable condition. On the contrary, you would surely want to help your dog get rid of its blue hour. However, cheering up your dog may take time, and we suggest you be patient with your little fellow. Like humans, dogs also need their emotional space and validation, especially from their loving owners.
While you attempt to make your dog happy all over again, it would be best if you do not bombard your dog with all the love, attention and affection you have got to express since by doing so, you may encourage your little friend to stay sad. If your dog takes the wrong hint from your overly expressed love and care, it will tire you a lot to make it happy again!
You have to make sure that your dog does not miss its playtime. When days are challenging and emotionally overwhelming for your dog, it would be best to play more than usual with your dog and keep it busy throughout the day with different tasks.
Moreover, dogs love treats! So though your dog may be sad and does not feel happy about its joys, soon you will witness a change! It would be best to treat your sad dog with its favorite food and toys – one of the best tricks to cheer up a sad dog, indeed!
Related Articles
- Why does my dog like to stand on me
- Why puppy breathing fast while sleeping
- What to do if your dog has fleas
- How does a dog get fleas
- Why my dog is acting strange
- Neurological Problems in Dogs
- How to stop your dog from biting
In conclusion
Undeniably, it would be difficult for a loving dog owner like you to see your dog sad. It would indeed hurt you seeing your cute dog being lazy and depressed all of a sudden. However, you must not worry about it! There are phases when dogs may become sad. All you have to do is to be a little more careful and attentive.
In this article, we have tried our best to discuss the signs that tell that your dog is sad and how you can cheer it up. Hopefully, it will prove helpful!
