• Home
  • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • EXERCISES
    • PETS
  • CBD
  • PRODUCTS
  • TRENDING
  • PET NEWS
  • PET TRAVEL
  • Advertise Here
No Result
View All Result
Plugin Install : Cart Icon need WooCommerce plugin to be installed.
  • Home
  • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • EXERCISES
    • PETS
  • CBD
  • PRODUCTS
  • TRENDING
  • PET NEWS
  • PET TRAVEL
  • Advertise Here
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home PETS

Paws for thought: how to tell if your dog is happy | Well actually

Doggone Well Staff by Doggone Well Staff
July 22, 2024
in PETS
37 2
0
Paws for thought: how to tell if your dog is happy | Well actually
32
SHARES
356
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Dog Food topper - Getquelle365


There are a few questions I find myself pondering again and again: how would I do as a contestant on Survivor? Should I learn Italian?

And is my dog happy?

When Cleo, a nine-year-old mutt, first came home with me six years ago, she was anxious and didn’t know how to use the stairs. In time, we overcame both of those hurdles. Her main interests are napping and yelling at dogs that play in the park next to our apartment, both of which she does a lot. “But is she happy?” I think as I watch her dozing in bed, snoring and farting.

Humans have been obsessed with dogs for a long time. We first domesticated wolves – either 10,000 or 30,000 years ago depending on who you ask. There are records of Egyptian pharaohs giving their beloved dogs royal burials, and plaques in Mesopotamian homes depict loyal dogs waiting for their owners to return.

Mid-pandemic, our enthusiasm reached a fever pitch. In 2022, more than 23m households had adopted a pet in the past two years. In the UK, 3.2m households acquired a pet during the first year of the pandemic alone.

Dog Food topper - Getquelle365

Which means I’m probably not the only one wondering about my dog’s happiness and wellbeing. So we asked experts: how can you tell if your dog is happy? And if they’re unhappy, what can you do to help?

What does a happy dog look like?

To figure out how a dog is feeling, pay attention to their body language.

“Dogs show their emotions through their behaviors because they can’t tell us with words how they’re feeling,” says Lindsay Hamrick, director of shelter outreach and engagement for the Humane Society of the United States and a certified professional dog trainer.

A happy dog will have loose, open body language – an open mouth, a loosely wagging, elevated tail, relaxed eyes and ears. They might also break into a full body wiggle, or what the dog trainer and behaviorist Dominik Feichtner calls “the zoomies”.

“It’s these quick, short outbursts of energy with lots of running around,” he says. “That’s a good sign if your dog does that.”

Feichtner also says a happy dog will regularly “check in” with its owner on a walk, by looking up at them for guidance and direction. “That’s the sign of a happy dog that has a good relationship with his owner,” he says.

What does an unhappy dog look like?

An unhappy dog, on the other hand, looks much more closed off.

There are some obvious signs, says Ciera Moberg, a behavior consultant and co-owner of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training in Washington DC. These include the dog tucking their tail, pinning their ears back or growling.

But there can be more subtle indications as well, she says, like tense body posture, showing the whites of their eyes (also known as “whale eye”), yawning, nose licking, lifting a paw, turning their head or body away from someone, or stiffly exposing their belly.

link to other well actually stories

If you see these behaviors occasionally, that’s not necessarily a cause for major concern. As with humans, no dog is happy all the time. Cleo, for example, often seems disappointed that I do not place a rotisserie chicken on the kitchen floor for her to polish off by herself.

“Yawning doesn’t necessarily mean your dog’s unhappy,” says Feichtner. But frequent yawning combined with other tense body language might be a sign a dog is feeling anxious or unsafe.

Feichtner also recommends noting how your dog moves around your home. Do they pace a lot? Do they seem frantic? Are they lethargic, or do they frequently hide under couches and tables?

“That’s not a happy dog,” he says.

What makes a dog happy?

According to Feichtner, the two biggest things that contribute to a dog’s overall happiness are exercise and play.

skip past newsletter promotion

Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life

Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

Exercise does not mean going to a dog park and letting your dog race around while you look at your phone, he clarifies: “For a majority of dogs, dog parks are a terrible idea.” Instead, try a walk or a training session outside.

“People underestimate the mental stimulation that comes through consistent training,” he says. Clear structure and boundaries can also help dogs feel happier and safer.

And pay attention to what sort of exercise, play and social interactions your dog seems to enjoy. “Every dog has different needs and preferences,” Moberg says. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to making sure your dog is satisfied.”

Once you know your dog’s preferences, it’s important to advocate for them.

“We feel an automatic embarrassment and shame when our dogs are reacting to something,” says Hamrick. Instead, she says, owners should try to figure out what is making their dog uncomfortable, and do what they can to help.

If your dog is nervous in big, loud groups of people, for example, you might keep them in a separate room when guests come over.

“Our ability to advocate for our dog is ultimately what makes our dog happy, because it means they can trust us,” she says.

What should you do if your dog is unhappy?

If your dog suddenly seems unhappy or stressed, the first thing to do is rule out any health issues. “If you see a sudden negative behavior change in your dog, contact your vet immediately,” Moberg says.

Once you’ve established your dog is healthy, Feichtner urges owners to resist the urge to coddle their pups. In fact, he says, you should probably do the exact opposite.

“If your dog is unhappy, I can almost guarantee you it’s not because you don’t love them enough,” he says. Instead, if your dog seems anxious, fearful or lost, they may need you to provide more structure, such as a clearer routine or more training. Alternatively, they may need more downtime; let them rest in a crate or a quiet space.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Feichtner recommends reaching out to a professional trainer.

So is Cleo happy?

I think so. But if you asked her, she’d probably say more chicken wouldn’t hurt.



Source link

Dog Food topper - Getquelle365
Tags: dogHappyPAWSThought
Tweet8Share13Share3Share
Previous Post

Woman killed in attack by pet dog in Coventry

Next Post

Woman in 30s killed in Coventry dog attack involving ‘unknown breed’ | UK News

Doggone Well Staff

Doggone Well Staff

Next Post
Woman in 30s killed in Coventry dog attack involving ‘unknown breed’ | UK News

Woman in 30s killed in Coventry dog attack involving 'unknown breed' | UK News

Youtube Channel

Currently Playing

Follow Our Page

Popular Post

    Follow Us

    Category

    • CBD
    • EXERCISES
    • Home
    • NEW POSTS
    • PET NEWS
    • PET TRAVEL
    • PETS
    • PRODUCTS
    • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
    • TRENDING

    Tag Cloud

    Adoption Animal Animals Attack breeds Care Cat Cats County Day Death dog Dog as Pet Dog Owner dogs Family Fire food health Home house Humane Life Local Love Man Meet news Owners Park people Pets Police Puppy Rescue Safe Shelter Society Stray Tips Top Vet Ways Week Woman

    Recent News

    This Robot Dog Is As Good at Walking as I Am at Being a Robot Dog

    This Robot Dog Is As Good at Walking as I Am at Being a Robot Dog

    July 5, 2025
    Punjab seizes 13 big cats a day after three people injured in lion attack

    Punjab seizes 13 big cats a day after three people injured in lion attack

    July 5, 2025
    • DMCA
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Privacy Policy

    © 2022 Doggone Well - doggone well.

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • TRAINING FOR BEGINNERS
      • EXERCISES
      • PETS
    • CBD
    • PRODUCTS
    • TRENDING
    • PET NEWS
    • PET TRAVEL
    • Advertise Here

    © 2022 Doggone Well - doggone well.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password?

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In