Although dogs don’t necessarily experience the exact emotions that humans do, they still experience emotions. They can get excited, be happy, and approach something with curiosity. At the same time, they can become frustrated, get upset, feel scared, and can also experience anxiety and depression. Here’s what to know to know about depression in dogs:

Is Depression in Dogs Real?

Do dogs have emotions? Yes. Dogs often experience and process more than we give them credit for. So, can a dog really go through the experiences and process the information necessary to experience situational depression, and can your dog have a mental illness like depression?

Medical science says yes. It’s true – your dog is susceptible to depression just as you are. The nature of depression in dogs is not exactly the same as in humans, but depression in humans and dogs has many similar symptoms. Although long-term depression in dogs is rare, it can happen.

And, there are a lot of things that can cause a dog to feel depressed. Whether it’s a matter of a change of scenery, an event that leads to grief, underlying health conditions, or simply a chemical imbalance on your dog’s part, your dog is capable of feeling depressed, and also having depression.

Can Dogs Get Seasonal Depression?

Yes, dogs can experience symptoms of seasonal depression and are affected by seasonal changes. Similar to humans, dogs can get the “winter blues” when there is less sunlight and warmth, and can experience lessened activity, sleeping more, being more lethargic, seeming uninterested in activities they usually like, etc.

It is unclear whether this is what the dog is experiencing versus mirroring or reacting to what their human is feeling or doing. Although these symptoms may be similar to symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in humans, there is not enough evidence to make that connection or objectively measure this in dogs.

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is a type of depression that is linked to the seasons. It usually affects people the most during colder months when there is less sunlight. This is a factor that can also amplify or worsen symptoms in chronic depression.

There is currently not enough evidence to confirm that dogs can have Seasonal Affective Disorder in the same way that humans can. However, there is some evidence that, like in humans, they can be affected by seasonal changes.

What Can Cause Depression in Dogs?

There is a difference between feeling depressed due to a specific cause or event and feeling depressed due to chronic depression. If your dog is feeling depressed due to chronic depression, it is due to a chemical imbalance.

If your dog is feeling depressed on a situational basis, it can be caused by a variety of things. These are some of the common triggers for depressed behavior in dogs:

• Loss or prolonged absence of a dog’s favorite person
• Loss or prolonged absence of a dog friend or other animal friend
• Changes in their surroundings, like moving to a new home
• Additions to the family, like a new pet or a new baby
• Changes to routines and schedules
• Chronic pain
• Stress or anxiety
• Previous traumatic experiences
• Underlying health conditions
• Hormonal changes
• Lack of social interaction
• Not enough exercise
• Boredom or lack of mental stimulation

Dogs are incredibly social creatures that form strong relationships with the living beings they spend a lot of time with. If they recently lost a dog friend, an animal friend, or a human friend because they passed away or moved away, they could be feeling depressed because they are grieving the loss of their friend. Many of the signs of grief in dogs can overlap with symptoms of depression.

Big changes in their environment and some medical conditions can also cause bouts of depression. Moving to a new home, adding another dog to the household, a new person or baby in the house, a big change to the dog’s schedule, and more can all cause a bout of depression in your dog. Dogs also pick up on their humans’ emotions. So, if you are feeling depressed, your dog may react by matching it.

Is My Dog Depressed?

Here are some of the common signs your dog might be feeling depressed:

• Lethargy and decreased activity level
• Changes in sleeping habits
• Apathy or loss of interest in things they once liked
• Changes in appetite, either appetite loss or eating more than usual
• Withdrawing from family
• Isolating themselves or hiding
• Becoming clingy when they aren’t usually
• Pacing and restlessness
• Whining
• Howling
• Irritability
• Aggression (in some cases)

One of the biggest signs of depression in dogs is extreme lethargy. If it seems that your dog has lost their initiative and energy and they need to be prodded into doing much of anything, they may be depressed.

When a dog is feeling depressed, they may also withdraw, sleep more, lose interest in playing, and appear sad. They may start eating more than usual. Typically, they tend to lose their appetite and will eat much less than normal or stop eating entirely. They also only drink minimal amounts of water.

This can cause depressed dogs to lose weight and may also result in secondary medical ailments. Many of these behaviors overlap with other things. Symptoms of dog depression also overlap with several other illnesses and issues, which is why they are some of the symptoms you should never ignore in your dog.

Some symptoms can overlap with other emotional states or situations. For example, becoming clingier than usual, whining and howling, pacing, and more can also be signs your dog is lonely. Pacing, whining, and howling could also be signs that your dog is bored or not getting enough exercise. What’s important is that you pay attention to your dog’s behavioral changes, try to figure out what might be going on, and help them as much as you can.

What to Do if Your Dog is Depressed

If you think your dog is depressed, here are things you can do that may help:

• Start with your vet to rule out underlying medical conditions
• Spend more time bonding with your dog
• Make sure your dog is getting enough exercise
• Engage their brains by teaching them something new or playing games
• Establish (or re-establish) good daily routines for your dog
• Socialize them with other people and dogs
• Set up puppy play dates or visit the dog park
• Consider adding another dog or pet to your family
• Make sure they drink enough water
• Provide nutritious snacks to encourage them to eat enough

Identify and Address Situational Causes

If your dog’s depression is situational and you can pinpoint the cause, there are some things you can do to help them feel better and help make your dog happy again. Oftentimes, just spending more time with them, playing with them more, and making sure they get more than enough exercise can help your dog work through feeling down.

If your dog’s depressed behavior seems to stem from being lonely and lacking social interaction, you could consider adding a dog or a pet to your family who would be a good companion to them.

However, if disruptions to your dog’s routines and surroundings might be causing their distress, further changes are likely not the right solution. It’s important to stick to a normal routine, or re-establish a routine, as this will give your dog a sense of security and confidence even when they are feeling down.

Be Aware of What You Are Rewarding

And, although you do want to reward your dog for the behavior you want to see, it’s important not to lavish attention and treats so much more than normal that they think you’re rewarding their depressed behavior. A little more than normal is fine, but too much can lead to your dog prolonging the behavior to continue getting more attention or treats.

Visit the Veterinarian

If the behavior persists, is accompanied by other symptoms, or you think your dog’s depression is due to a chemical imbalance or a medical condition, you’ll want to take them to a veterinarian. From there, they will be diagnosed, and you and your vet can come up with a plan for treating the cause of your dog’s depression.

If the depression has a physical root and is caused by another medical problem, your vet will be able to help. If it’s situational, your vet will be able to provide some tips for more things you can do to help your dog cheer up. If it’s a chemical imbalance that requires medication, your vet can prescribe the right dose and type of antidepressants for your dog.

Bouts of depression are normal for your dog, especially when big changes occur in their life. But, they don’t have to go through it alone. With this information about depression in dogs, you have everything you need to help your dog get back to their normal self.