Any dog can get depressed, but most dogs, even those who find themselves in less than wonderful circumstances, such as living in a shelter, retain their resilient and positive natures. Most dog owners go their entire lives, and never meet a depressed dog. Even owners who have adopted several shelter dogs, probably haven't encountered a case of doggie depression. But, when you adopt a shelter dog, depression, although rare, is something to be on the lookout for.
A dog who ends up in a shelter may feels like he is at the end of his tether. At the very least, his owner has abandoned By the time he got to the shelter, this dog may have simply run out of resilience. It may be that the dog who seemed to relate so well to you at the shelter, was in fact barely holding it together, and the changes associated with leaving the shelter and facing a completely new home environment is just more than he can deal with. If this happens, he probably isn't going to be “just a little down”. He's likely to dive into full blown depression and simply turn off. He may lose his appetite even for treats, stop smiling, stop playing, lost interest in toys and other dogs, take little notice of things around him including you, and hide out in of the way spots such as under the stairs. He may refuse to make eye contact with you, going so far as to turn away from you when you approach him. He may refuse to come when you call. He may sleep an unusual amount, and even become growly toward anyone who disturbs him. This will probably have you wondering if you made a really bad mistake when you adopted this dog (Duh!).
Not to worry: if the dog related well to you at the shelter, he'll relate well to you again once he gets his positive doggie nature back. It will take a little time and some specific actions on your part to help him get back to normal.
Some of the signs of doggie depression, excessive shedding, dull coat, excessive sleeping, growling if disturbed, lack of appetite, disinterest in toys, and listlessness can be signs of illness. Before you rush off to the vet and spend the money to have him run tests only to tell you that your dog is healthy, but likely depressed, do a little analysis.Was the dog healthy at the shelter? If so, he's probably fine, especially if he isn't showing other signs of illness such as a runny nose and eyes, or fever.
When we adopted Raymond, he fell into a serious depression. I have owned dogs all my life, 5 of them adopted from shelters, and Raymond is the only depressed dog I have ever met. Here's what we found that worked.
Do:
- Get him eating. Forget about feeding him only dog food. Right now just find something to tempt him and get his system started up again. Raymond didn't eat for the first 12 days he was at our house! Raymond ignored all dog food, wet and dry, but tuna got his attention. Once you find something your dog really likes, you can slowly add kibbles to it. Make sure the portions are small enough that he finishes them.
- Hand feed him. This is a great way to get your dog to bond with you. Right now, any interaction you can have with him is a good thing.
- Get him walking. Take him on at least one 30 to 40 minute walk every day. Twice a day is even better. You are trying to get him into the state of just trucking along beside you. That state is one in which endorphins (the upbeat hormones) are produced. Also, walking helps the dogs digestive system to get in gear. If you are a jogger, even better. Take your dog running with you.
- Find ways to relate to him:
- Find reasons to give him treats. Ask him to do simple things – 'sit' is a good place to start because he doesn't have to take initiative, just move his butt when you push on it.
- Give him unearned treats--just because.
- Keep him in contact with you—on a leash if necessary. Leash him and let him accompany you while you do your chores – the laundry, the dishes, walk to the mailbox, picking up the house, running errands, working on the car, or to the yard. Dogs love a job, and “helping” you do whatever you do will seem like a great job to him.
- Pet him frequently – brush him, stroke him, whatever's pleasant for him. Acknowledge him: whenever you see him. Talk to him.
- Give him something he will chew on. Like walking, chewing gets a dog into a good place emotionally and alleviates stress. Dogs like things that smell, like cattle hooves, or a real soup bone . He's likely not to pay much attention to toys while he's depressed, so find something really really yummy. Some dogs love squeeky toys. If you're not sure, take him to PetSmart and find out what he likes.
- Schedule his day. Knowing when things will happen is comforting. Feed him at the same time. Walk him at the same time. Take him out to potty at the same time. Let him potty in the same place each time. Let him have a chew toy at the same time. Allow him to come and watch tv with you at the same time. Life won't always have to be so rigorously structured, but for now, your dog needs it.
Don'ts:
- Don't Punish. No matter what. A closely supervised dog won't have much chance to get into trouble.
- Don't add stress. Leave training classes till later.
Dealing with a depressed dog is challenging. Don't expect quick results. Raymond didn't smile until he had been with us 5 months. It was 6 months before he consistently ate, and then we usually had to add a little touch of something good to the kibble before he would show much enthusiasm. It was a year before he started demanding our attention by giving us those soulful looks, gazing right into our eyes. At this point, we've owned him for 15 months, and he is happy, playful, and well socialized—He's showing us the personality we thought we were adopting.