Does your dog seem listless? Is he not himself lately? You may have a problem on your hands.
More and more dogs are coming up with different signs of depression.
Why is it so many dogs are now being labeled as a dog with depression? The fact of the matter is dogs are bored.
Think about it, dogs are pack animals and in the wild would travel with a pack nearly half the day.
Most often dogs labeled as a dog with depression are locked outside or indoors all day with no new experiences to challenge them.
Many owners have trained their dog to sit or stay but never continue training them.
Our dogs need to get out side.
There is no replacement for a trip to the dog park or a long walk.
Sure treadmills have become popular for dogs but if you never left the house you'd be depressed too.
Most depression in humans that is treated with dogs could be alternatively treated with exercise.
Alternatively the same is true with dogs.
You do however make sure that there are not other things contributing to your dogs lack of energy by talking with a vet.
Dogs should be walked every day or at a minimum 3 days a week.
Dogs should also have some sort of mental stimulation every day.
This includes a mini training session lasting from 10minutes to 30 minutes.
If you have a dog with depression he/she may not feel like going on a walk.
In this case try to at least take him/her to the dog park to get some sort of stimulation.
Eventually they will come around.
There are other factors such as food that can be contributing to a dog with depression.
Most Americans are unaware of the chemicals that go into commercial dog food.
Even dog foods which are labeled as natural or holistic still contain chemicals that the manufacture is not obligated to report.
Such as chemically treated meat that is used as a raw ingredient contains chemicals before it gets to the factory.
These chemicals can contribute or even cause a dog with depression to get worse.