Signs Your Dog Might Not Be Happy

If you have a dog, then you of course need to make sure that you are taking proper care of it. But that can often be harder than you might assume, and it’s the kind of thing that you are going to need to look into in some detail to ensure that you get it right. One way to approach this is to become aware of some of the clear signs that your dog might not be all that happy. If you know these signs, and what they mean, and where they come from, then you should be able to work out what best to do about it.

In this post, we’ll take a look through some of the clearest of these signs. If you notice any of the following in your pooch, it could be time to do something about it, before the situation gets any worse.

Change In Appetite

One of the clearest signs of all is when your dog has a sudden change in appetite. Just as you would consider this suspect if it happened in your child, so too is it a potential problem if it happens in your dog. There are many reasons they might have changed their appetite recently, but one of the most likely and most common is that they are not very happy for one reason or another.

You should be sure to rule out other possibilities too. For instance, are they just not enjoying the food you are giving them? It might be that you need to check on any Beneful recalls to ensure that you are not feeding them bad food, and you should consider giving them different food for the time being to see whether they start eating again. You should also take them to the vet to try and rule out any serious illnesses which could be causing the change in appetite.

Altered Sleeping Patterns

Your dog is likely to go through a range of changes with their sleep quite naturally, just as we tend to as well. But if your pooch suddenly has to sleep all the time, or they are not sleeping at all, then this should set off immediate warning sounds for you as a dog owner. There are many reasons your dog might have their sleeping pattern affected, but one of the most common is that they are feeling lethargic as a result of not being happy.

Again, rule out other possible explanations as well. You can change their bedding to see whether it is simply uncomfortable. You might also want to exercise them more – if they are in a position to do so – to see if they just need to move around more. Make sure that you are trying these things, but also take it seriously if they are sleeping a lot more or less than usual – it is generally an important sign to be aware of, and not something you should merely shrug off, as tempting as it might be to do so.

Doesn’t Want To Play

It can be a very sad moment when you realize your dog doesn’t want to play with you, and this again is something that is immediately suspicious. Your dog could well be depressed if they are struggling to find any joy in playing with their toys, or in exercising outside. When this happens, you might be concerned and wonder what the issue is, but you should bear in mind that sometimes a dog just goes through tough emotional turmoil, just as we do. The main thing to do is to keep on trying to coax them to play.

Hiding

A dog who is hiding or cowering somewhere is not a happy dog. If your dog is doing this regularly, then that is especially concerning, and it could be that you need to take a look at what is going on in their life generally to see what the problem might be. As you might have gathered already, many of the signs that we are listing here can be related in various ways, so it’s good to think about things from all these angles at once. All in all, you should take it seriously if your dog is hiding around the home.

If nothing else, it could indicate that they don’t feel safe, which is not a good thing for their mental health and definitely something to look into.

If you notice any of these signs, be sure to act on them straight away, and get your dog back to normal.

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