How to tell if your dog is sad and what to do: signs and remedies.

In a previous article, we already talked about the fact that even a dog can be sad, and what the main causes are of this particular state. 

Now instead we explain what the possible signals the dog sends us when it’s sad, and what actions to take to be able to intervene.

Let’s start by saying that for a good owner it should be easy to recognize and spot every significant change in their dog’s behavior. After all, these very changes are the warning signs. 

For example: if a dog is usually lively and playful but becomes listless and apathetic, if it goes from being cheerful and sociable to passive and withdrawn—these differences compared to the animal’s usual personality should be interpreted as signs of distress.

But be careful: sometimes these factors can also be symptoms of illness and health issues. Before assuming the dog is sad, let’s first rule out causes related to physical discomfort, by consulting your trusted veterinarian. 

HERE ARE THE MOST COMMON SIGNS OF SADNESS IN DOGS

1. The dog doesn’t run up to greet us to shower us with affection as it usually does.
2. It refuses food, even its favorite.
3. It sleeps a lot more than usual.
4. It hides in some corner of the house and wasn’t in the habit of doing that.
5. It lies down letting out whimpers and moans.
6. It often has a dull look, flat and sad.
7. It is apathetic and shows it has little energy.
8. Its favorite games don’t interest it anymore.
9. Its eyes look smaller and tends to keep them half-closed.
10. It also refuses walks.
11. When it moves, it seems disoriented and confused.

The above are certainly not all the signs that could appear. 

Every owner knows their own dog better than anyone else, and that’s definitely a huge advantage for noticing other changes in its behavior that might raise suspicion. 

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR DOG IS SAD

The best thing to do when your dog is sad is to give it all our closeness and affection. Just like it does for us when we come home after a hard day. 

Here are some things we can do to beat the sadness in our dog:

1. Take it for a walk to rouse it from its physical and mental sluggishness—even just a walk around the house or in the garden.
2. Cuddle it both physically and with praise and spoken in a gentle tone.
3. Offer it its favorite toy and play with it.
4. Try to lift its spirits by giving it a special food it’s never tried before (like one of the delicious and healthy Life Snacks).
5. Take it to the park to play with other dogs, if it’s an activity it usually enjoys.
6. Take it to the beach or the mountains, if we know it loves running on the beach and through the waves, or hiking on trails.
7. Offer it anything else you know might make it happy…

Dogs can’t express their sadness or other feelings with words, like we humans can. At the same time, though, if we know how to observe its behavior closely, it speaks to us clearly and unmistakably about its mood. 

Sadness in dogs is a source of suffering that can then lead to physical discomfort, depending on the cause that triggered it. So it’s up to us to make sure the animal feels better as soon as possible.

The good news is that even if your dog should become sad, this state usually doesn’t last very long!