Depression is a major concern among Americans. It can affect people’s abilities to develop properly. Did you know that dogs can also be diagnosed with depression? When I started noticing that my dog had a sad look in her eyes more than a lively one, I began to wonder what the matter was. Little did I know, she was showing signs of depression.
It was a huge surprise to me when I found out that dogs could get depression. It made sense, I had just never thought about it much. If you have a dog, you know as well as I do that each one has a very unique personality. Some dogs need a lot more time running around outside while other dogs could stay inside and lounge all day.
As a result of being a busy student and lacking sufficient outside play space, my dog was an outside dog, forced into being an indoor dog. She seemed to have everything that she needed to be healthy, enough food and water, even a bed and pillow. Yet her excited, rambunctious mood slowly transformed into a sullen and sleepy mood all the time. When someone told me about depression in dogs, I knew that was the problem. Once we began a more regular play time outside where she could run and exercise more frequently, my dog started behaving better and looking happier. Every dog is different and special in their own ways, just like all of us. We should be attuned to what they need to stay happy and healthy.
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