With summer coming to an end and more people heading back to the office, our dogs are trying to transition back to being home alone more often. A change in schedule can have an impact on their mental health and personality.<\/p>\n
No matter the cause of change, your dog is likely feeling the impact of it themselves.<\/p>\n
Dogs experience a variety of emotions like humans. They have the emotional complexity of human toddlers meaning they are capable of happiness, anger, jealousy, sadness, and loneliness.<\/p>\n
Dogs evolved to crave our companionship. We feed them, exercise them, show them the world, so it’s no surprise that they tend to stay close<\/p>\n
Being left alone after a long time of always having companionship can lead to a dog experiencing loneliness.<\/p>\n
The behaviors listed below are symptoms of loneliness. Some responses can be an underlying health problem – skipping meals – so consider a vet check-up.<\/p>\n
Yes, dogs can suffer from depression. The behaviors that indicate loneliness are related to depressive behaviors like withdrawal.<\/p>\n
If your dog paces or shows other signs of stress as you’re preparing to leave, this could be a sign of isolation distress.<\/p>\n
You may find your dog wants to be by your side more than usual, even waking up from sleep to follow you to your room.<\/p>\n
Dogs that feel alone sleep more than usual or sleep in unusual spots.<\/p>\n
Lonely dogs might not have an appetite and sometimes skip treats. Not eating can be a sign of a medical condition as well, make sure to discuss with your vet if you notice this symptom.<\/p>\n
Although it can be hard to characterize exact changes, it is not hard to notice when they are acting different than normal.<\/p>\n
A few ways to prevent loneliness are by practicing your new routine with your dog, keeping them active, and doggy daycare<\/a>. All of these practices will help them adjust to you being gone and prevent depression.<\/p>\n Dogs get lonely, and that loneliness can be an undiagnosed health issue occasionally. Make sure to schedule a wellness check and keep an eye on your dog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With summer coming to an end and more people heading back to the office, our dogs are trying to transition back to being home alone more often. A change in schedule can have an impact on their mental health and personality. No matter the cause of change, your dog is likely feeling the impact of…<\/p>\n