When your dog goes through depression, Pet Parents® Calming Supplements swoops right in and becomes your right-hand man. This supplement is key to help aid your dilemmas in situations & events that stress out your dogWhen your dog goes through depression, Pet Parents® Calming Supplements swoops right in and becomes your right-hand man. This supplement is key to help aid your dilemmas in situations & events that stress out your dogLike you, your dog has feelings, too. From time to time, your fur-baby may feel happy and then flip a switch to becoming sad. And if these feelings of sadness are too much trouble for your fur-baby, it can turn into depression.
Though your fur-baby doesn’t level up to your reasoning capacity and the condition may not be considered to have similar complicated clinical disorders like in humans, he can suffer depression, too.
As a pet parent, when you notice your dog not being himself, you probably might ask: Is my dog depressed?
“Though your fur-baby doesn’t level up to your reasoning capacity and the condition may not be considered to have similar complicated clinical disorders like in humans, he can suffer depression, too.”
We hate to break it to you, but maybe he is! But worry not, because at the end of this article, you’ll be relieved to learn that you can actually help your dog live those sunshine days again.
WHAT DOES DEPRESSION LOOK LIKE?
When your dog is depressed, you’ll notice because a pet parents know their fur-baby, especially when they are acting extra sad. Aside from being sad, here are other things that’ll show you how depression looks like in your fur-baby:
Hiding and avoiding. Depression in your dog can seem like he’s always afraid of something and is constantly hiding in places and avoiding certain people, places or other pets. Dogs are social animals and if your dog suddenly wants to be left alone, something might be bothering him.
Excessive activities. Sudden loss of interest on the things that usually excites her is a sign to look out for depress ion., etc. These excessive activities are efforts of your dog to comfort and secure himself.
Total loss of interest. Sudden loss of interest on the things that usually excites her is a sign to look out for depression.
Changes in appetite. When your fur-baby is depressed, he’ll easily lose interest in eating and drinking, even when given his favorite food. These changes in his appetite will then result in weight loss. But there are also cases that when a dog is extremely sad, he’ll find solace and comfort in food, leading to weight gain and even obesity.
Changes in his sleeping patterns. It is common knowledge to us, pet parents, that our dogs love to catch some Zs. This sleeping usually happens when they’re tired, bored or left alone (for an instance you went to work). But if his sleeping continues even when you’ve already arrived home and he doesn’t seem to be minding your presence, then something is probably wrong. Sleeping pattern changes due to depression can also cause your dog to become restless and have difficulties in sleeping.
WHEN DOES DEPRESSION CREEP IN?
Extreme sadness isn’t the only cause of why your dog is depressed as there are a lot of other potential reasons why your fur-baby is experiencing this.
Major changes in his environment. Transferring into a new house, renovations, changes in the season, your partner moving in with you, bringing your newborn home for the first time, bringing home a new pet, and so many other things can have an impact on your happy dog. Dogs are not open to major changes and it takes a while for them to cope up and adjust.
Loss of a loved one. Just like how death destroys a part of us, it does exactly that to your dog, too. If a dog’s constant companion (his owner, a family member, or another pet at home) passes away, this will probably affect him in a terrible way.
Grief. Dogs are social animals and some of them get attached easily. The loss of a companion – may it be a human friend or an animal – can cause them to mourn. Loss doesn’t always mean death. It can also mean a family member moving out of the house, a child in the family going away for college, owners surrendering a dog to a shelter, etc.
Underlying health problems. Undiagnosed health problems will cause depression in your dog. Consult with your veterinarian first to rule out the cause before it worsens. If your vet has ruled out all physical causes and your dog still doesn’t get well, it’s best that you consider looking at psychological and emotional causes.
Fears and traumas. Depression can also be caused by a fear or a trauma that was never managed and conquered properly.
You. You can be one of the possible causes why your dog is depressed. If you are having one of those trying times and are depressed yourself, your fur-baby will easily pick up how you’re feeling and may begin to feel what you’re feeling, too.
HELPING YOUR DOG TO KEEP GOING
Rule out the cause. Just because you feel like your dog is tired and is acting weird, you’d suddenly conclude that he is depressed. No, it doesn’t work that way. First things first, consult your veterinarian. He’ll be able to perform tests and exams on your furry friend and be able to diagnose whether or not your dog’s depression is depression after all.
Make life fun again. Once the cause has been ruled out already, make your dog’s life exciting. Increase his activity levels through exercise, walks, brain games, and playtimes. This is an amazing way to slowly make your way on to recovery.
Take some time to bond. Bonding with your dog will make him feel secure, confident, and that he’s not alone. Bonding can be as simple as regularly giving him rubs, massages, teaching him new tricks, and going through a fun general training. You can also take into consideration letting your dog play with other dogs at the park or at doggie daycares.
Fill those empty spaces. If your dog is depressed about losing an animal companion, you can consider getting him another animal companion. Though a new pet at home can’t personally replace the one that was lost, at least the new guy will provide a distraction and your dog may even form another lasting relationship with him.
Let him enjoy his chews. Your depressed dog may be excessive on everything, especially on chewing and gnawing. Provide him with safe and high-quality chews that will keep him busy and will keep his attention away from chewing on inappropriate things in your house. This will also help stimulate the brain!
How can Pet Parents® help? Pet Parents® offer Gnawtlers®. These are natural and premium antler chews made for your fur-baby’s gnawing needs. It’s safe, no artificial flavors have been added, no dyes, no fragrance, and lasts for some time – making it the perfect option for your fur-baby to keep him busy, stimulated, and away from all things he can chew on that can harm him.
Provide calming supplements. When your dog goes through depression, Pet Parents® Calming Supplements swoops right in and becomes your right-hand man. This supplement is key to help aid your dilemmas in situations & events that stress out your dogs like loss, changes in routines & in his surroundings, trauma, fear, abandonment, underlying health condition, etc.
Some may not consider depression a big canine problem but depression can either get better or get worse and may become a life-threatening condition if not resolved properly. Help your fur-baby overcome depression by giving him calming supplements that will help him feel calm and relaxed in these difficult times. Calming supplements will also help reduce excessive behaviors in your dog.
Our Soft Chew Supplements contain:
- Suntheanine®, a pure form of L-Theanine that helps in improving the quality of sleep of your fur-baby, in improving his daily performances & mental sharpness, in promoting focus and concentration, all while helping support the immune system.
- L-Tryptophan, an amino acid, considered as a natural anti-depressant, that produces serotonin, which is key in regulating responses to stress & anxiety. The serotonin produced plays an essential function in regulating your dog’s mood, appetite, sleep, and anxiety.
- Turning your dog’s depression around won’t happen overnight. But remember that this is only a season in you and your dog’s lives, the bright and sunny days are coming.
“When your dog goes through depression, Pet Parents® Calming Supplements swoops right in and becomes your right-hand man. This supplement is key to help aid your dilemmas in situations & events that stress out your dog”
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